by

May Flowers

As my mobility improves post-hip surgery, I find getting up and down in the garden easier. Over these past weeks, I’ve brought the weeds under control, making daily weeding more manageable.

Yesterday, I looked under the veg trug, now home to a collection of well-established succulents, and spotted a just-out-of-reach oxalis, an invasive plant considered a weed in this area. My inner monologue cautioned against it, as I would have to kneel on the gravel path, bend at the waist, twist my neck, and then reach back to grab the weed. If you know anything about oxalis, you’ll know that the roots are strong and rarely willing to part company with the earth. I could have retreated and found my kneeler and a garden fork, but impatience got the better of me, and I went for it. Success! The weed is gone, I returned to an upright position, and I’m none the worse for wear. It’s the little things.

As I putter about, there’ve been joyful discoveries in the garden this year. Just a few days after commenting to Mike that I missed the self-seeding cornflowers, a beautiful, single, purple stem of one appeared in the front garden. They used to produce an impressive array of colors in pinks, blues, and purples, but equally rewarding, the birds loved the seeds.

The first of the cornflowers

When the plants were producing well, I spotted several birds feasting in the late afternoon. I left the plants past their prime so the birds could enjoy the bounty, and I assumed my seasonal crops resulted from dropped seeds. Then, for reasons unknown, they didn’t return. Seeds can lie dormant in the soil for various reasons, so perhaps they’ve been missing the garden secret sauce required for a prolific crop. Now at least one has returned. It makes me happy.

Also new(ish) is a tall, slender, annual flowering amongst the California poppies and nigella along the driveway. My phone identifies the flower as a Delphinium. Last year, a single flower emerged in the same spot, so I looked it up to be sure it wasn’t a weed. It went to seed and then I gave it a good shake, allowing the seeds to fall to the earth below. Now they’re back, standing tall and looking lovely.

For the first time, a sweet pea, usually prolific in the front garden, traveled with some transplanted bulbs last fall, and it’s now growing under the maple tree in the back garden. I gently wrapped the trailing vine to a trellis, and it’s growing with abandon.

The carnations we planted last year have doubled in size and production, enough so that I’m comfortable cutting a few for a vase.

Mike dug holes for a pair of tomato plants, and as always, we cross our fingers and hope they like the new spot. Our tomato production is spotty at best, but the sweet flavor of a garden-grown gem keeps us trying year after year.

I’ve been playing in the dirt my whole life, and though my body has aged, gardening never gets old.

19 thoughts on “May Flowers”

  1. Delphiniums are glorious. One of my favourites,but really challenging here in Devon, with our heavy clay soils and vast quantities of slugs and snails. I tried a couple of years, and then gave up. Sweet peas however romp away. Your garden is beautiful

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  3. Your plants are looking gorgeous and I’m so glad to hear your recovery is going well.

    i bought some Oxalis bulbs this year and have some in a pot in the garden room 😂 They are the Oxalis Triangularis variety (or false shamrock ☘️) and are purple so maybe not the same as your problem ones.

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  4. I can so relate to those closing words Alys… I feel my age sometimes, especially when gardening, but the garden is rejuvenating. 😃 Good to hear your mobility is improving. Your flowers all look fabulous! So many self-seeders. Love the cornflower. 🩷

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  5. So happy to hear that you continue to improve Alys! I admire your determination to win out over that weed.

    The ever changing landscape of the garden never ceases to amaze. I can’t wait to see how your tomatoes do this year in their new spot. We’ve never had success with them.

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  9. With my creaky knees, I too am feeling my age. Yet, every day I am eager to be outside. I have a lawn chair near where I am working—I am sitting on it now—so that I can rest between spurts of work. You are so right. It never gets old, and the delight never goes away. Your gardens and flowers are utterly beautiful.

    Now, time to spread more composted cow manure.

    A quick question: What do you use for fertilizer. I can’t find my favorite brand—North Country Organics—anymore around here.

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    • Thank you, Laurie. I’m happy to hear you’re spending time gardening. I have a stool and sturdy pads for kneeling and they make a difference. I once had one of those kneeling pads with supports to help you up. I smashed my ankle moving it from front to back. The excruciating pain left me distrustful of the darn thing. I love your lawn chair idea.

      Re fertilizer, I rarely use any. I compost and spread that as a top layer and I like to buy a bag of worm castings as well. So far it’s worked well.

      Let me find the link.

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  11. Such a lovely mix you have in your garden, Alys. Cottage style is my favorite.
    Perhaps next fall when the rains start, you can sow a fresh packet of bachelor buttons?
    Your delphiniums look like larkspur (Consolida ajacis), which is a self-sowing annual of the delphinium family. I love them as cut flowers, but some folks don’t like how the flowers shed!

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  13. I always love seeing your garden full of wild flowers. It’s so refreshing to see flowers grow. I’m so glad you are back to doing what you love. I know the plants love you too. You take such good care of them. Doing what you love is very healing. Keep digging. :)

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