The Second Time Around

“Love is lovelier, the second time around,” croons Frank Sinatra. It’s a song about falling in love after you’ve been around the block a time or two. But, it’s the song that came into my head the other day when I saw the lavender blooming again this year!

One of the gardens I rearranged this year was the sunny hill. Last fall, I put in some of Betsy’s purple salvia and some asters with a few lancifolia at the rock border. I hated the asters (they were supposed to be low growing and aren’t) and the salvia looked lonely, so I added some lavender – 5 of them, actually. They really like the sunny slope and look great with the salvia. I trimmed the flower stems off (yes, I saved them) and thought that would be it for the year.

Imagine my surprise when I walked by and a couple of the plants were sending out new flower stems! I had no idea lavender would re-bloom. Frankly, after I was told I’d never be able to get lavender to bloom in my setting at all, I was happy when they all bloomed the first time this year. So, a second bloom is a thrill!

I don’t know if it’s “lovelier” but it’s definitely “just as lovely,” the second time around.

I’m Just a Girl who can’t say No . . . to Plants

I need one of those cardboard signs that says “Will Work for Plants.” Seriously. Maybe I could add it to my Garden Emergency Kit. I buy plants, don’t get me wrong, and swap them, too. But just as frequently, I work for them.

Most recently, I’ve been weeding for a neighbor whose garden fell into some disrepair when she became ill earlier this year. In return, she said I could divide what I liked for my own garden. Quite a generous offer considering the beautiful plants she has. One autumn, I helped another friend re-do a garden, which also had fallen into disrepair, and took home several lovely peonies for an afternoon’s labor. And, the summer a friend had surgery, I weeded her tomato garden (12 x 20 in case you think I’m being wimpy) and got some great hostas and salvia.

My favorite “work for plants” project this year has been working with the Shady Sisters – my friends in Wayzata who are selling plants from their lovely and well established gardens. I’m learning a lot working with them and becoming more confident in my abilities.

I like working for plants. Typically, the person I’m helping, knows quite a bit about how the plants have performed, which helps me place them in my garden. And, sometimes, I get plants that are unfamiliar to me – blue ice sedum, cerastium, red geranium, and turtlehead to name a few. It’s a fun way to expand my plant repertoire.

So. If you’ve got a garden project and need some help, you know where I am. I’ll bring my tools and my sign.

I’ve got the Blues – But Not in a Bad Way

When I was walking through the gardens this morning, I was overwhelmed by the blues – but not in a bad way. I noticed that almost everything blooming right now is a shade of blue and I can’t remember a time when that’s happened before! I walked through a second time, just to take in the different shades.

Centaurea. These bachelor buttons/cornflowers remind me of a scene in a favorite movie, “Room with a View,” where George and his father bring cornflowers for the Misses Allen and drape them with wreaths and stick the cornflowers into their hair. It brings the spinster sisters such delight.

Linum. This is my friend Betsy’s favorite flower, and I must confess, it’s becoming a favorite of mine, too. The slim feathery stems seem incapable of supporting the delicate blue flowers. So beautiful when they blow in the breeze.

Creeping Phlox “Oakington Blue Eyes”. I’ve used the pinks and purples in other gardens, but found this blue phlox last year and love it. I can’t believe how well it took in just one year.

Salvia. Last year, I saw a long row of salvia in full bloom and thought it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen. I wanted to re-create it in my own garden on a smaller scale, so I planted 5 of them on the sunny hill. They’re small now, but will put on a breathtaking show in a year or so.

The Jacob’s Ladder is blooming now, too. And, the Siberian Iris will pop open any day now, adding a deeper hue to the blues in bloom at Auntie K’s Garden.