Flower garden

Scabiosa ‘Vivid Violet‘

con·tent·ment

/kənˈtentmənt/

noun

a state of happiness and satisfaction

“The gardener spent a lovely 45 minutes working in the curb garden today.”

Gardening brings about a unique contentment: The work is satisfying, the results are rewarding, and the time spent with my face towards the earth grounds me like nothing else.

We had a nice breeze today, keeping the temperatures manageable. Once finished with my appointments for the day, I spent ‘drop-in’ garden time at the curb. I love working the curb garden. I can take care of the entire box in about an hour, then continue to enjoy the fruits of my labor from my kitchen window.

Snapdragons, Freesia, Cilantro and a self-seeded yellow annual

Love in a mist volunteering around the edges. Wooly thyme slowly filling in over the gravel.

Can you spot the visitor on this yellow flower?

The last of the daffodil foliage looked tired and spent, so I trimmed the bunches down to a few inches and tidied up the rest of the bed.

I spotted one or two lady bugs visiting the aphids. The ‘ladies in red’ generally consume a lot of aphids in one sitting, but they are currently outnumbered. I snipped off a few of the heavily infested branches and hope the ladybugs will tell their friends to return at dusk and take care of the rest.

Aphids!

My son pointed out a small wasp’s nest inside the hollow ceramic bird perched in the center of the garden. The ‘bird’ used to be part of a ‘self watering’ system but it broke off at the base. I put it at the top of the small trellis over the winter for a bit of color. Since wasps eat garden pests too, I’m going to leave the nest undisturbed. I know many people have aggressive wasps that chase them around the garden, but the ones that nest near our house are fairly mellow. Case in point: I lifted the ceramic bird, spotted the nest and one adult who simply hovered nearby till I replaced her nest. I guess she’s content too.

Ceramic bird housing a wasp’s nest

Did you find contentment today?

Chocolate mint escaping the confines of the box

Kitchen Window: Before and after

The best part of my kitchen is the view. Sure the counter tops are nice and who doesn’t like a dishwasher, but the view out my front window makes the room.

When we remodeled nine years ago, the contractor suggested lowering the window to the height of the counters. Who knew that dropping it just a few inches could make such a difference? The lowered window invites the outdoors in. I have a direct view of the Chinese Pistache, a lovely tree that sheds leaves each fall. It’s one of those trees that’s gorgeous year round, though particularly stunning in the early autumn months.

Pistache in the Fall

Improving on my view, I added a small, triangular flower garden in the corner of the lawn. I knew the flowers would lift my spirits, but didn’t realize the number of birds it would attract. What a treat to hear them singing in nearby trees, then watching them swoop down for seeds.

Flowers near the lawn

Rounding out my extraordinary view are the hummingbirds that visit throughout the day. I found a feeder that suction-cups to the window, and placed it high enough to keep them safe from predators, but low enough for maximum viewing. We worried they would stop coming when we hung the awning in the spring, but they were back within minutes, swooping under the awning for a quick meal. I’ve been known to swoop in for a sugary treat myself, so I should have had more faith.