Here's our third peony, which has finally opened to join the other two. Looking pretty good, I'd say! This is the bud that hosted the aphid farm, which apparently didn't do it any harm. You can still see a few aphids and ants on that lower right petal.
A peaceful Monday morning here. Olga is snoring next to me and the sky is bright and beautiful, though there's supposedly an 80 percent chance of showers later today. We need some rain. Yesterday I schlepped another two gallons of water down to our pathetic street tree in my watering can, and spent some time watering the garden. Everything seems very dry.
I hopefully made the Russians happy by trimming the greenery beside our front steps and tying back the valerian so it doesn't lean out quite as far. It's not quite as pretty now, with loops of twine around it. We look like gardeners in thrall to bondage -- and I assure you that is not my thing. But we all gotta live together, right?
I also trimmed "the monster," the next-door neighbor's rose that hovers over our patio. It's still ridiculously huge, but I didn't want to cut into the bulk of the bush because I was afraid there might be birds nesting inside it. Instead I just shaped it a bit, cutting off the shoots jutting out of the surface. When we get into summer I'll cut it back more thoroughly.
Yesterday afternoon I went to Dave's high school spring concert. (I'm trying to remember whether I went to any of his concerts last year. I think they did have one, whereas in 2020, of course, all concerts were cancelled.) Anyway, it went well and the drummers, in particular, did a great job. Dave has a good percussion section this year. Afterward the band teachers and spouses all went out for dinner at an expensive restaurant with mediocre food but, fortunately, good gin & tonics.
And now, back to work!
Good to see the ants. They’ll get those few aphids. The flower is beautiful. Your gardening days sound so therapeutic.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping for some rain today, the garden has been so dry. My grandson had a great time with the hose on Saturday! ( he is 4). My son was also very impressed with my foxgloves ! Looks like the rain is coming this afternoon. Fingers crossed!
ReplyDeleteps. Not so keen on comments in this box.....or more to the point....if/when you reply it isn't underneath the original comment so things don't run together so well.
Have a good day, and do a rain dance at lunch time.
An average dinner saved by gin. It wouldn't be the first.
ReplyDelete"The Russians Upstairs" sounds like a spy novel.
ReplyDeleteThey must look down on your lovely garden thinking, "I wish we lived in the garden flat instead of that well-spoken CIA agent and his musical husband."
That peony is the most exquisite color.
ReplyDeleteI like Andrew's comment. So true.
Yep, a good G&T is balm to many disappointments. The peony is magnificent.
ReplyDeleteGardens can certainly keep us busy.
ReplyDeleteWow, that rose bush can get monstrous. Kinda like the heritage rose I planted over at the shop and have never trimmed back. Beautiful peony.
ReplyDeleteThat garden is hard work but it is absolutely worth it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for watering the street tree. And for looking out for birds nests. I wonder if gin was invented by the family of a rotten cook..
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a lovely weekend. Rick did some major chopping of overgrown branches this weekend and my world looks a lot better (and I can get to the back yard without being slammed in the face with branches.) Now I really have to get on the stick and throw some seeds down. Sort of pointless, I fear, but I have them, so much try!
ReplyDeleteI think Peonies are quite possibly my favourite flowers - but here in Wales they wouldn't last in the wind. And in truth, I'd not have the patience to grow them - beautiful nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteLove seeing that peony. So beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI love peonies but don't have any. It feels satisfying to get yard work done. I need to mow my back lawn and plant an (a?)hydrangea that someone gave me.
ReplyDeleteIt happened again. I commented, it published then when I came back it was gone. Mainly I was thanking you for watering the street tree. I wonder if my comments are going to spam, Steve, since I routinely have to search and rescue yours from spam.
ReplyDeleteOh, that peony is a lovely color! You are a sweetie for watering the street tree. I bet NO ONE else on the street thinks of that! Glad Dave had a good concert and you were able to enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteNice that the mediocre meal was saved by good G&Ts for you. Poor Dave, the chef (am I remember that correctly?), who doesn't drink. I love a good percussion section! I'm glad his group did well.
ReplyDeleteThat peony is another beauty :) It was a considerate thing to do, tying back the valerian. I would have enjoyed that concert. High school kids can be very talented.
ReplyDeleteI clicked back to see 'the monster' and it is huge! I hope this comment stays, I'm about to give up commenting on so many blogs because they just vanish.
ReplyDeleteMitchell: Actually, I don't think the ants eat the aphids. They just drink the secretions they make from sucking the juice out of the plant. I know, it's disgusting.
ReplyDeleteFrances: We got a little rain but not a whole lot. Sorry about the comment situation, but some people were unable to comment using the other format. It's a Blogger problem.
Andrew: That's for sure!
YP: That's fine, because we just assume they're KGB!
Ms Moon: It IS a nice color. Unfortunately we only got one blossom on each pink peony this year.
Wilma: It is indeed! My favorite cocktail by far. (A gin martini is a close second.)
Red: There's ALWAYS something to do out there.
Ellen: That rose is the most vigorous plant I've ever seen!
Sharon: It definitely keeps us busy. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have a garden. Probably read more!
Boud: I think gin is the coping mechanism for a LOT of things!
Jeanie: Definitely -- if you've got them, plant them! Why let them go to waste?
Bike Shed: They're beautiful and we like them, but they're very short-lived and yes, delicate.
Robin: Glad you liked it!
Margaret: It DOES feel satisfying. I love doing work that shows an immediate result.
Boud (again): Don't worry, I found it! (See above)
Ellen D: To be honest, it kind of frustrates me that the people who live close to the tree don't do anything for it. It's just barely hanging on and I'm not sure it's going to make it.
Kelly: He drank a little just to get through it. LOL! (I'm exaggerating -- it wasn't THAT bad.)
Jenny-O: Every year I dread going to the concerts and every year I'm surprised by how good they are.
River: I check my spam comments every day so I'll see your comment and publish it even if it does initially vanish. I wish Blogger would sort that problem out!
When we had our first peonies in Connecticut, I read that ants actually do eat aphids. The old wive’s tale that is apparently not true is that the peonies need the ants for the flowers to open.
ReplyDelete