Well…
Wednesday, May 31st, 2006<p>…Summer has just flown by, hasn’t it? June and July went by so fast that I just can’t remember any of it…wait, it’s still May?</p><p>Sure as hell doesn’t feel like it. What the eff is up with the humidity?!</p><p>Okay I’m done with my weather whine, sorry.</p><p>I have a few things to show ya’ll ;o) My garden is doing amazing things this year and I just have to show it off.</p><p>First, a little history. I moved into this house in the Spring of 2000. <span title="Roger Rabbit - my SO" class="serendipity_glossaryMarkup">RR</span> had lived here since 1994 with assorted roomies and the extent of their ‘gardening’ was calling their buddy who had a lawn service and getting him to mow the lawn once in a while. There were some gardens left from a previous owner (an older lady had made a couple of flower beds here and there - she ended up selling the house to some no-good disrespectful in-bred rednecks (sorry if I’ve offended any in-bred rednecks, I’m sure some of you are very nice, however these assholes spray painted sw*stikas in what is now my office. They are <i>not</i> nice.)). The beds were overgrown - one was 99.9% Lily of the Valley and .1% Jack-In-The-Pulpit (which told me that my Mama Beth thought my decision to move in was a good one - another story for another day). I ended up ripping up most of that bed and making it into a rose garden, with peonies that I may or may not have gotten from my Grandmother’s garden. *ahem* </p><p>Anywho, as most gardeners who have tangled with these flowers know, peonies are stubborn and moody. If you move a peony plant or even look at one the wrong way be prepared for it to not give you flowers until it’s damned good and ready (and no longer pissed at you). The peonies in this picture are in their fifth season:</p><p><a onclick="F1 = window.open(’/uploads/Photos/05-31-06022.jpg’,'Zoom’,'height=615,width=815,top=84,left=112,toolbar=no,menubar=no,location=no,resize=1,resizable=1,scrollbars=yes’); return false;" href="http://jessaluknits.yarncourtesans.com/uploads/Photos/05-31-06022.jpg" class="serendipity_image_link"><img width="175" height="131" src="http://jessaluknits.yarncourtesans.com/uploads/Photos/05-31-06022.serendipityThumb.jpg" style="border: 0px none ; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;" alt="" /></a></p><p>The <strike>bastards</strike> beauties didn’t bloom at all for the first two years.</p><p>So while I was in my ‘mad for gardening’ phase I did a little research and found these wondrous things called ‘Tree Peonies’. THESE are the queens of my garden. I have two, one that I purchased as a root three summers ago and one that I purchased as a blooming beauty two summers ago. Here is the two-year old a few days ago:</p><p><a onclick="F1 = window.open(’/uploads/Photos/05-28-06071.jpg’,'Zoom’,'height=615,width=815,top=84,left=112,toolbar=no,menubar=no,location=no,resize=1,resizable=1,scrollbars=yes’); return false;" href="uploads/Photos/05-28-06071.jpg" class="serendipity_image_link"><img width="175" height="131" src="uploads/Photos/05-28-06071.serendipityThumb.jpg" style="border: 0px none ; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;" alt="" /></a></p><p>(yes, weeding and mulching have fallen by the wayside - I’m spinning. Shush.)</p><p>And here is the three-year old (this is the first year it has bloomed - I am SO happy):</p><p><a onclick="F1 = window.open(’/uploads/Photos/05-28-06075.jpg’,'Zoom’,'height=783,width=1039,top=0,left=0,toolbar=no,menubar=no,location=no,resize=1,resizable=1,scrollbars=yes’); return false;" href="http://jessaluknits.yarncourtesans.com/uploads/Photos/05-28-06075.jpg" class="serendipity_image_link"><img width="175" height="131" src="http://jessaluknits.yarncourtesans.com/uploads/Photos/05-28-06075.serendipityThumb.jpg" style="border: 0px none ; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;" alt="" /></a></p><p>And in other news, the rhododendron that has only given me one measly bloom a year since I took over its care has SEVEN blossoms on it AND the azaleas are blooming!</p><p>All my roses but two are happy - one didn’t make it and the other apparently blended in with the weeds so well that it got <i>mowed</i>. There have been discussions. With pictures and diagrams. It shall not happen again. Or there will be consequences. Dire consequences.</p><p>Like no more beer fridge and sleeping on the futon consequences.</p><p>Yeah, those are pretty dire. However my lovely Joseph’s Coat climbing rose that I have nursed through four frigid Northeast winters is now a ghastly two inch stub. Dammit.</p><p>*ahem* Anyway, let me say a quick thank you, to my Grandma T. for the green thumb and the knowledge that keeps me from yanking up the ‘pretty’ plants ;o) My garden has gotten lovelier and lovelier since you passed - I can only hope you’re out there helping me along. Now could you help steer RR away from the rest of my rosebushes? Thanks ;o)</p><p><i>Coming soon</i>…I may or may not have an <span title="Finished Object" class="serendipity_glossaryMarkup">FO</span> to show you readers…want a hint?</p><p><a onclick="F1 = window.open(’/uploads/Photos/05-31-06036.jpg’,'Zoom’,'height=615,width=815,top=84,left=112,toolbar=no,menubar=no,location=no,resize=1,resizable=1,scrollbars=yes’); return false;" href="http://jessaluknits.yarncourtesans.com/uploads/Photos/05-31-06036.jpg" class="serendipity_image_link"><img width="175" height="131" src="http://jessaluknits.yarncourtesans.com/uploads/Photos/05-31-06036.serendipityThumb.jpg" style="border: 0px none ; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;" alt="" /></a></p>
