What's Up, Doc?

Apparently the rabbits prefer Romaine to leaf lettuce.

Guess I should be thankful for that.

Of course, I prefer Romaine, too!

May Showers

Thunder is rolling in tonight, as if from the Hall of the Mountain King, but bringing with it much needed beneficial rain - the April showers that never really materialized... well, in April. 

Despite today's cloudy outlook, it was a good week in the garden - and I lifted only a few fingers.

 

 

The wave of lavender continues with lilac and the first clematis in bloom.

But there's still plenty of pink, too.

And, be still my heart!  Last year's fledgling cutting garden has self-seeded.  Plenty of Love-in-the-Mist  and scabiosa coming on strong.  Thanks, Belinda!

I have added lots of zinnia seeds to the freebies from last year.  Now, I just need to force myself to cut it heavily and bring it inside. 

I find myself wanting to sit and enjoy it, and not do anything - you know, like work.  Mulch is next!

Come join me on the deck for your favorite adult beverage - seriously!

Flowers in the House

Oh, no!  Too hard! Can't do it!

Those were my first thoughts when Jane invited us over for a cup of tea and to see her flowers.  

All the action is outside, don't you know.  There's absolutely nothing to cut now.

So she forced me to take a little stroll around the house and to look at things a new way.

The last of the hellebores are still nice.  The woods hyacinths are blooming well.  The fothagilla is lovely.  And, there are a couple of my neighbor's lilacs hanging on my side of the line ....

Not my usual things, but who says you have to do what you always do.  They probably won't last long ... but that's ok. 

Join me for a glass of tea on the deck and we talk about the resilience of our friends in Boston, and about how we all need to support each other as we can.  Then please go over to Jane's and see who really has pretty things to share.

"No more hurting people ... peace."  

~Martin Richards, age 8

Guest Garden .... er, Grounds

Thru a series of circumstances [with which I will not take your time] our Albuquerque friends James and Vandy acquired four tickets for a walking tour this morning.  A tour that led us to be here around 9:00.

A lovely white house.  Well, actually the White House.  The grounds are lovely, more threes than flowers.  But, if you like tulips [and, you know i do!] this was a nice place to be.

Great saturated colors next to all that white building.

Several small sitting areas with bright pots and cool grassy areas.

While tulips are the stars right now, the azaleas were in bud, and there were other summer treats coming along.

The Rose Garden is hiding among these tulips, but the stems are full of new shoots. Give them one more month.

Imagine this staircase with wisteria in bloom.

 

The Oval Office - how many times have you seen Jed Bartlett walk out that door?

When you invite a few friends in to enjoy your yard, it's nice to put on a little music.

 

But, like me, i suspect what you would have enjoyed the most is the vegetable garden. 

 

This time of year, it was mostly greens, cabbage, onions, and other winter-hardy veggies.  Clearly tho, there is plenty of room for the tomatoes, peppers and beans of summer.  This garden not only feeds the President's family [apparently all the time] and provides produce for big dinners, but it also provides 400 pounds per week [i am pretty sure that's what the guide said] to a food kitchen to support folks who need it.

There are also a few bees....

and plenty of equipment to take good care of it all!

 

In another year, the azaleas would have started blooming by now and it would have been even more spectacular.

In case you are interested for the future.  The gardens are normally open to the public one weekend in April and one in October annually.  Admission is free, but you must have a ticket for a specific time (starting at 9:00 a.m.) Saturday or Sunday.  Tickets are given away on the street at 15th and E (at the southeast corner of Treasury).  When we left the area at 11:30, they were giving out tickets for noon and apparently had plenty of room for the rest of the day. Google "White House garden tour" for lots more information.  Hope to see you there in the fall!