The garden that Mother Nature manages

May 21, 2019

Share:

Ask me what my favorite season is and before you can finish asking the question I’ll tell you it’s summer. I’m a summer girl. I like summer activities, summer food, summer cocktails, summer nights and summer gardens.

But I have to admit, like a cat with an attitude who deems your lap worthy of laying on once a week and once eeked out a 2-second purr, spring is starting to worm its way into this gardener’s heart.

How could I not appreciate how Mother Nature has managed to provide so much beauty while I’ve been busy cleaning out beds (yep, still working on clean up here)?

I managed to get off the gardening hamster wheel long enough to take in some of that beauty and snap a few photos along the way.

pink daffodils — All of the daffodils in this bed are supposed to be pink, but I’m not mad at the yellow interlopers.

Uvularia grandiflora (aka large flowered bellwort) — I actually forgot I had charming Uvularia grandiflora (aka large flowered bellwort) in the garden but there it is.

Shredded umbrella plant — Shredded umbrella plant pushing up through the soil is fascinating looking.

Virginia bluebells — Mertensia virginica (aka Virginia bluebells) have spread across most of the patio garden. Just coming into bloom, they are so beautiful, but I admit to unceremoniously lopping off their heads once the flowers are done and I’m sick of looking at them.

Mayapples — Down the road, a wooded area is covered in a sea of mayapples. I love them.

hosta — I don’t know what hosta this is, but its fresh lime leaves look stunning in the evening light.

Maidenhair fern — The maidenhair ferns are just starting to emerge, resembling, perhaps, curious sea creatures more than plants.

Backlit daffodil — I couldn’t resist this backlit daffodil.

Double bloodroot — A new addition to my garden is double bloodroot, a generous gift from a gardening friend. I’m so delighted to have this plant.

Bloodroot — I love the little patches of single bloodroot around the garden as well.

Rhubarb — The crinkly new leaves of rhubarb are fascinating to me.

Marsh marigold — The creek is lined with marsh marigolds. They do their thing without any intervention from me. In fact, I could never hope to do more with them than Mother Nature already does.

Canadian ginger — Asarum canadense (aka Canadian ginger) has the oddest little flower that blooms just as its unfurling its leaves.

What would you like to know? Search, or jump to categories below.

Find It All

Letters from the Garden