Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Garden Spring Flowers


What gets me through my days? Lots of things, including the love and suppport of friends and family, my trust in the universe that everything will be okay as my life winds down, and the delight I feel in my garden.

My spring garden has lots of perennials and perennial bulbs, which means I have to do nothing except weed and perhaps water a little. And with little energy to do gardening this spring, I have appreciated the enthusiasm of my garden. I love watching new flowers open, and breathe in the fragrance of the flowers.

My poppy is a vibrant red that brightens up the whole garden.


The fish are active in the water garden, eating and laying eggs (I think). The greenery is water celery, whose roots survive even our hard New England winters, and which grow quickly once the weather warms.


This looks a little messy, as I favor the "cottage garden" look that lets things grow where they planted themselves when they seed themselves. I do plant the perennials and they don't move around the garden, but some will seed themselves from year to year. In the foreground are the peonies, with fat buds not quite open yet. Farther back is a bearded iris, and my red poppy.


This is my tree peony, with its enormous white blossom, It opened a little earlier than the others, and was stunningly beautiful. I planted the tree peony about six years ago, and it bloomed for the first time last year. I guess they are fairly exotic and can be hard to grow.



A white "traditional" (herbaceous) peony, incredibly fragrant.

My pink "traditional" peony, also very fragrant.

I also have bearded iris, and siberian iris blooming in the yard, profusely, and other flowers coming along. By the end of June, most of the show is over, except for any annuals that get planted, and any summer blooming bulbs I get into the ground (and I do have some ready for a friend to plant). My raspberries are full of flowers and newly developing fruit which we should be able to enjoy in a few weeks.

Life bubbles along in its new rhythm. I was pleased to hear the hospice nurse say on Monday that she thinks my energy and overall state have been pretty stable over the month she has been seeing me. I still wish I had more energy, but I'm grateful to make it through days when I can do some productive things and feel a part of my family. I send love and gratitude to each of you who reach out to me.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lynne....the colors in your gardens are just so bright and radiant, such a parallel to who you are! I am so happy that you are able to enjoy these days of warmth and gentle sun....I am in the midst of "dismantling" and packing my office, as we're preparing to move into the new preschool and kindergarten. Having been at this building for 10 years, I have always surrounded myself at work, literally, with favorite poems, quotes, and inspirations, that I would draw upon when needed. The following is probably one of my favorites. I found it yesterday, read it again, cried, and knew I would share it in your next entry. It is so true, and seems particularly fitting to all who have reached out to you in whatever way they do. I feel as if all of us are joining hands, holding one another up, and helping to hold you and Patty up in thought, word and prayer and deed..."The only way we are ever going to ensure peace on this planet is to adopt the entire world as 'our family'. We are going to have to hug them, and kiss them. And dance and play with them. And we are going to have to sit and talk and walk and cry with them. Because when we do, we'll be able to see that, indeed, everyone is beautiful, and we all complement each other beautifully, and we would all be poorer without each other." -Stan Dale- I don't know about anyone else who shares in your blog, but I check every day, hoping to always see a new entry from you....hopeful that you've had a good day. it seems you have today and I am in awe of continued openness and willingness to "just be"....One of my other favorite quotes, which I have posted "all over the place" is: "Look for the good and you will find it." It seems you have an uncanny way of doing that naturally. God bless you, Lynne! Love, Jamie

Anonymous said...

Lynne -

I miss seeing you each week in church. I'm grateful to be able to read your blog. You are always in my heart.

Cathy

Anonymous said...

wow, lynne- those are some beautiful pictures- and i'm so thrilled you have this spring and early summer to enjoy your flowers !!!! i am a lily gal myself, put 'em in once and they grow, and spread, and that's it !!! and then they are beautiful, too !!!! but the smell of peonies is so lovely !!! except they draw ants !!! that's what my grandmother always said - you got ants???
so, anyway, lynne- i'm back to feeling glad you have these flowers right in your back yard, where you don't have to travel at all to see them !!!!
and that's one sensational poem in jamie's post to you- i think i'll print it out and make it big, and put it on my wall at work !!!! wish we could all live that !!!!
love to you and patty- and the kids-
love, alice

Anonymous said...

Dear Lynne,

Thank you for a beautiful post - the first blossom was so stunning and I was hopeful your writing would reflect a good day for you, and I'm so glad it did. You continue to inspire me with the outpouring of your observations and feelings. My birthday is this week - all of my birthday wishes are for you, that you will continue to be able to enjoy the beauty that surrounds you, in your garden and in your day to day life.

Love, Linda

Anonymous said...

Ah...the promise of a bright, fresh garden ! It promises such peace and tranquility, doesn't it? It invites you in to sit and wonder at the true handiwork of God. Your pictures are so vivid I swear I could just step a foot into them and be sitting with you amongst the bright, sweet-smelling blooms and the rippling water above the flashes of gold!
Enjoy God's gifts to you, Lynne...and his promise of beautiful bounty and serenity for all eternity as his forever gift for this long road here on earth that we all walk.
Our spirits are sitting in that garden with you,my dear friend.
Enjoy the sunshine and those fragrant peonies!!
Don't you just love them??
The ants eat the wax off the buds.
If they weren't there...the buds would never bloom.
See..?..even ants have their work on earth to do!
Love,
Cori

Sandy said...

Vibrant, rich images and words - from you Lynne and others. (I too love the poem from Jamie.) Have a sweet special day filled with sunshine and love!

Anonymous said...

Lynne,
Those are great photos of your garden. I have a proverbial "black thumb" but my garden seems to thrive on benign neglect. This year the gardenias, hydrangeas, magnolias, lillies of the Nile and Dixie Jasmine have been fabulous. The azaleas and lorapetulum are still in shock from the recent hurricanes so they don't bloom on schedule. In fact, different parts of a single /bush plant now bloom at different times. But bloom they do! I don't have a fish pond (the bayou is one lot off my kitchen window) but I do have a wild turtle that lives in my yard and periodically comes out of hiding to crawl down to the bayou for a "dip" and then crawls back up to hide in my yard, knowing he won't be disturbed by anyone weeding or planting!
Thinking of you often,
Susan H.
Pensacola

Anonymous said...

Hi Lynne,

These flowers are absolutely beutiful. I see your spirit, enthusiasm and grace shining through them. I love the water garden! How I wish that I was blessed with the talent to garden!
You sound pretty upbeat today. I pray that your strength and energy continue to be stable.
Lots of love to you, Patty and the kids. You are all in my thoughts multiple times throughout each day.

Sasha, Naethen and Jonathan

Anonymous said...

Lynne,
What a lovely post! I too am pleased when you have a good day. I think of you so often during the day, and every thought is a silent prayer for your comfort and peace. My gardens are starting to thrive, in spite of me, and I noticed yesterday the scent of my honeysuckle is starting to take over the back yard. What a pleasant surprise it was to take Tedy out for his evening "potty walk" and be greeted such a fragrant perfume. May God continue to grace your days with opening buds and sweet fragrances.
Much love to you, Patty & the kids. Charlette

Elaine Pascale said...

Those bright flowers really brightened my day! I swore I could almost smell them here in 73 Tremont! You've given me some useful ideas for my wilderness of a backyard (again, you are teaching even when you don't realize you are teaching).
With love,
Elaine

Anonymous said...

Lynne,
So happy to read about your garden and all the pleasure it gives you. Your love of gardens and gardening is truly a gift from God. My mother had it - it was her passion. I sometimes think she was a little disappointed that her daughter never picked it up.
;-) In any case, I wish for you beautiful summer days full of the sights, sounds and smells of your lovely Heaven on earth.
Love,
Mary M

Anonymous said...

Hi Lynne. Another friend sent me an email yesterday, all in caps, celebrating the fact that her little garden waterfall is back in operation for the summer. And I spent part of the day sorting pictures of my visit to Scotland, which included a morning in Ardkinglas Gardens and an inordinate number of flower pictures...I couldn't stop taking them it seems. So seeing your beauties just completed the circle. The longer I am in New England, the more I love the flowers in early spring/summer...whatever this crazy season is in Maine. I can imagine how wonderful they must look to you in this pared-down-to-the-essentials part of your life. What could be more essentially joyful than that gorgeous red poppy? :-) Thanks for sharing your garden, I will carry it in my mind today. Love, Kali

Anonymous said...

Hi Prof.

Your flowers are only outshined by your spirt. I think of you offten.

sincerely,
anamaria