Another Year Older in Teza’s Garden

After a wonderful dinner at Borealis in Guelph and a jaunt to the Bookshelf, I went into work this morning [my actual birthday] to find the store decorated in blue! There were even blue cupcakes. Huge thanks and hugs to Sasha, Jon, Keagan and extra special thanks to Logan who spent her free evening last night decorating for today’s festivities!

I cannot think of a better present than what greeted me in the garden upon my early arrival from work this afternoon! I’ve been anxiously pacing and waiting, hoping that my sole remaining Meconopsis x ‘Lingholm’ might decide to grace me with a bloom! The suspense is finally over!

A dazzling trio of Cypripedium calceolaris were also on hand to wish me a happy birthday! They represent one of the few yellow flowers in the garden, and never cease to make me smile when I see them peaking out from amidst the more robust surrounding foliage!

I dare you not to start humming RiRi’s ‘Under My Umbrella’ when you look at this photo. I never cease to be amazed when Mother Nature provides me with such stunning, un-orchestrated plant combinations such as this My Dodecatheon seems to seed itself everywhere throughout the garden – which I am more than willing to allow!

We’ve been blessed with a spate of warm, wet weather which has been received with open arms and thirsty roots by the residents of Teza’s Garden. Unfortunately some of the rain has come by way of severe thunderstorms with damaging hail! A continuation of gentle evening rains would keep us all content….. if you’re listening Mother Nature.

Yellow is a colour that I’ve always shied away from in the garden. Not one for the garish, screaming, in-your-face hues, I finally succumbed when I discovered that the genus Paeonia offered the mesmerizing Mlokosewitschii – affectionately referred to as ‘Molly the Witch,’ as well as a few within the ‘Itoh’ hybrids, including ‘Going Bananas’ whose swollen flower bud is shown here. I am most anxious to see it in flower!

And then there is ‘Redbud of my Heart’ – Cercis canadensis ‘Greswan’ which is a hardier version of C.c ‘Forest Pansy’ with the same deep burgundy foliage that I tend to favour over its flowers. Oddball, I know!

The new foliage of a small Fagus sylvatica ‘Roseomarginata’ reminds me somewhat of that of another personal favourite, Acer campestre ‘Carnival’ who by the way is looking much happier this past week! I was beginning to worry!

Rhododendron ‘Roseum Elegans’ would not have crossed my radar had I not spotted a single, lonely pot at the local WallyWorld! Plant rescue number one!  I asked to see their watering log and they took me to the fireplace accessory department! ‘Nough said!

It was a wonderful way to grow another year older! A new five shelf bookcase was the proverbial icing on a cherry cheesecake from my family. Now to start alphabetizing my ever expanding library – or should I colour code all the books? Need to be up at the ‘crack of stupid’ tomorrow – another plant purchasing expedition at work!