There have been springs when we have been deluged with rain. There have been years when I was already hauling hoses in May. But this year we’ve been fortunate to have just the right amount of rain—not too much and not too little. I think the purple stuff here likes it too. Maybe we have been having purple rain.
The side fence wisteria is blooming, as are some of the peonies. (Why don’t I have more peonies?)
The baptisia I had to move from the front flower bed into the potager was threatening to die last year. I don’t think baptisia likes to be disturbed, but it has rallied and making a rather nice purple show now.
The irises are blooming, as are the foxgloves. Everything that isn’t green is purple.
I still have so much spring work to do and seem to be forever behind. I still have containers to fill and annuals to plant. There is the truckload of stone dust I need to buy and haul into the woodland garden. And this is the year—I hope—that I will finally install some kind of edging to separate the border beds from the paths in the potager.
For some reason making decisions about what to plant this year has been more difficult. Part of the reason is that I just haven’t had much time because work has been keeping me running. But I’m also weary of the same old, same old annuals I see at the local nursery. I am sick to death of petunias and marigolds and the like. It’s like getting up and wearing the same dress every single day. I need something new and exciting to break through my annual ennui!
Perhaps something purple.
(Click on the photo to see a larger version.)
Hi! I'm Robin Ripley author of Wisdom for Home Preservers, published by Taunton Press. I am also co-author of Grocery Gardening. Bumblebee is about my life in rural Maryland, my garden and my love of food, my little dogs and pet chickens. You can follow me on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook. Thank you for visiting!
by RSS |
by email
To get the latest Bumblebee posts in your email box, just enter your email address.
Baking
Birds
Blogging
bluebirds
brother
bulbs
cake
chicks
daffodils
Dogs
Easter egg chicken
eggs
fall
Flowers
food
garden
garden seating
gloriosa superba Rothschildiana
Grocery Gardening
hellebores
hens
Johnny Cash
Lowe's Creative Ideas
Memphis
Meredith
Miss P
Moss Mountain Farm
My DIY Summer
P. Allen Smith
Palazzo di Pollo
Papillons
Philadelphia Flower Show
Polish chicken
potager
Recipes
rooster
Sarah
seasons
snow
Sophie
spring
T. Boone Chickens
Vegetables
winter
wisteria
Only a very good gardener can pull of moving a Baptisia. They have a taproot and resent it. Yours looks quite happy! How about purple zinnas?
I love the wisteria! I planted purple Candytuft this year (from seed). We will see how it turns out. http://rareseeds.com/flowers-a-c/candytuft/dwarf-purple-candytuft.html
Have you ever grown cockcomb? One of my FAVORITE annuals, although I don’t think you would find them at a nursery. Im not sure. Such a beautiful cutting flower!
That should have read ‘cockscomb’
The wisteria and peonies look gorgous togeather! I must plant some in my new bed. A great color combo too.
We have had a deluge of rain here on Long Island and everything in my garden is purple also!
Maybe the “purples” come up first? lol
I’m sure you have not planted your Peonies too deep, so maybe they need extra fertilizer? I use aged chicken manure and have lots of blooms.
Hats off to you for moving such a mature Baptisia!
Green with envy for your garden – everything looks so lush and well organised too. I’d like some of that purple rain – Baptisia is a new one on me. Saw a blue-purple Morning glory on a fellow bloggers post
My largest and oldest wisteria died this year due to very excessive rain all winter. SAD. My youngest one is putting on a very small display but is still alive. Check out Annies Annuals for great ideas. Lots of beautiful old fashioned plants to choose from.
Everything looks beautiful! I’ve got a lot of purple blooming in my yard in early spring as well. Chives, Allium, and Meadow Sage always help me get into the season.
Couldn’t agree with you more about the lack of annual imagination of many garden nurseries.
Beautiful yard!The pride of ownership and love of flowers is apparent beyond a doubt. Very nice
LOVE that baptisia. I hope mine will become such beauties eventually.