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The impact of the pandemic on my state of mind continues to be a bit of a cognitive haze. I realize i spend a great deal of time just walking and looking in the yard. The excuse is to eradicate any blooming Star of Bethlehem: i am amazed at how productive they are, or perhaps just how many plants are around. I do think the small bulbs are sending up flowering stalks after i thwart the reproductive instinct by picking them, but i'm not entirely sure. And i do think the peak of blossoms may have passed.
For Mom, i picked a bouquet with the white start of Bethlehem, crimson clover, clear yellow mustard (or turnip?) flowers, purple sage, and a bunch of pansies. I left the purple stalks of the native lyre leaf sage which look very similar to the sage flowers, while the plants are nothing like at all. I pinch the blossoms off of some of the stalks of oriental false hawksbeard: i think that's reached a stage where i cannot keep up. Dogwoods have mostly lost their blossoms but a few linger. The azaleas at the front window are about at peak. I see no sign of buds on my peonies and wonder if i over mulched them. I found one sprout of the passionflower vine, well munched by bugs. The minature roses are in bloom and the landscape rescue roses ‘Radral’ and Zaide™ have buds. The blue eyed grass will start soon, and their distant cousin - bearded iris - will start soon where they are established near the front walk. (I expect all the ones i transplanted from a shady spot where deer munched on them will take this year to settle in).
The little vista of ferns, rocks, creeping partridge berry, something that looks like it might be Solomon's seal (all rescued from the area before clearing) is now crowned by blooming eastern columbine -- a surprising orangy-red compared to the rest of spring's clear yellows, purples, and blushing pinks. Mom has hers growing with her Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus floridus) which is also in bloom: and it makes a lovely combination.
I've been pulling out the brassicas on the north berm (which gets the most sun) and dropping them at the base of the fruit trees and doing bits of weeding of the horribly rampant Indian strawberry (Potentilla indica). There are some sprouts of something near the liatris in the berm. I don't think it is either Gaillardia aristata or Agastache x 'Arizona sandstone’ which i'd planted near there: i suppose it will reveal its identity. I've had nasturtium seed germinate: we'll see if they manage to survive. They adored the California climate but here i've had little success.
The tree canopy is almost full. I suspect there's still growth to be had with the leaves, but the shade is remarkable, particularly in that the sun is lower to the horizon in the morning and the tree canopy -- a month early -- means it's cooler.... I guess that might be for the best. When i pout a little about the shade for gardening, i remind myself it's passive air conditioning.
My blackberries are blooming, and i saw arcs of blooms from the wild canes as i drove to my parents'.
I think the visit with my parents was good -- being there on the weekend i have the right spoons to help Dad with his computer and other tech issues. I helped them navigate to subscribe to BritBox, which will allow them to have many more of the shows that Mom enjoys.
I ponder the discussion of "bubbles" -- the boundaries of shared life -- and exhortations not to break the stay-at-home requirements. Mom and Dad -- particularly Dad's depression -- are big concerns for my siblings and i. I have otherwise been isolated, and Christine has been isolated other than the grocery store. When our cleaner came over to do the deck, she was outside, we lysoled everything after, and i waited to use the porch. I worry about the mail, opening the mailbox with a leaf as disposable shield.
If i could be more effective with Mom, i hope i would insist to be there and keep my sister away. But i'm not. My Dad and brother were discussing the question: what is it L has that allows her to succeed as Mom whisperer, while the rest of us encounter a barrier?
For Mom, i picked a bouquet with the white start of Bethlehem, crimson clover, clear yellow mustard (or turnip?) flowers, purple sage, and a bunch of pansies. I left the purple stalks of the native lyre leaf sage which look very similar to the sage flowers, while the plants are nothing like at all. I pinch the blossoms off of some of the stalks of oriental false hawksbeard: i think that's reached a stage where i cannot keep up. Dogwoods have mostly lost their blossoms but a few linger. The azaleas at the front window are about at peak. I see no sign of buds on my peonies and wonder if i over mulched them. I found one sprout of the passionflower vine, well munched by bugs. The minature roses are in bloom and the landscape rescue roses ‘Radral’ and Zaide™ have buds. The blue eyed grass will start soon, and their distant cousin - bearded iris - will start soon where they are established near the front walk. (I expect all the ones i transplanted from a shady spot where deer munched on them will take this year to settle in).
The little vista of ferns, rocks, creeping partridge berry, something that looks like it might be Solomon's seal (all rescued from the area before clearing) is now crowned by blooming eastern columbine -- a surprising orangy-red compared to the rest of spring's clear yellows, purples, and blushing pinks. Mom has hers growing with her Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus floridus) which is also in bloom: and it makes a lovely combination.
I've been pulling out the brassicas on the north berm (which gets the most sun) and dropping them at the base of the fruit trees and doing bits of weeding of the horribly rampant Indian strawberry (Potentilla indica). There are some sprouts of something near the liatris in the berm. I don't think it is either Gaillardia aristata or Agastache x 'Arizona sandstone’ which i'd planted near there: i suppose it will reveal its identity. I've had nasturtium seed germinate: we'll see if they manage to survive. They adored the California climate but here i've had little success.
The tree canopy is almost full. I suspect there's still growth to be had with the leaves, but the shade is remarkable, particularly in that the sun is lower to the horizon in the morning and the tree canopy -- a month early -- means it's cooler.... I guess that might be for the best. When i pout a little about the shade for gardening, i remind myself it's passive air conditioning.
My blackberries are blooming, and i saw arcs of blooms from the wild canes as i drove to my parents'.
I think the visit with my parents was good -- being there on the weekend i have the right spoons to help Dad with his computer and other tech issues. I helped them navigate to subscribe to BritBox, which will allow them to have many more of the shows that Mom enjoys.
I ponder the discussion of "bubbles" -- the boundaries of shared life -- and exhortations not to break the stay-at-home requirements. Mom and Dad -- particularly Dad's depression -- are big concerns for my siblings and i. I have otherwise been isolated, and Christine has been isolated other than the grocery store. When our cleaner came over to do the deck, she was outside, we lysoled everything after, and i waited to use the porch. I worry about the mail, opening the mailbox with a leaf as disposable shield.
If i could be more effective with Mom, i hope i would insist to be there and keep my sister away. But i'm not. My Dad and brother were discussing the question: what is it L has that allows her to succeed as Mom whisperer, while the rest of us encounter a barrier?
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