A Story - "Legacy" and Petunias

 A Story

"A hundred and fifty years ago, Mrs. Marshall and her husband moved to their undeveloped land. They worked hard and managed to turn it into a sufficient farm. Mrs. Marshall had brought with her, from England, a rooted shoot of purple lilac and one of white lilac. She planted them near the house so she would be able to enjoy their fragrance.

Last week, Fiona attended the funeral of her aunt. It was a tense affair as the eulogies were forced and no one really had anything very positive to say about her. Fiona had found her to be an abrasive woman, who liked to monopolize  conversations and was critical of just about everything. She only came to the funeral to support her cousin who suffered from anxiety and was feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of settling the complicated estate. It was sad that her aunt's legacy was just more stress for her daughter.

Driving home, feeling rather down, Fiona turned on to the road where the Marshalls had lived so many years ago. Hundreds, if not thousands, of lilac bushes were in bloom in a profusion of pastel beauty. House after house had lilacs on their property. It felt like being in a Thomas Kinkade painting. It was impossible not to smile and feel happy in the joyful landscape.

Mrs. Marshall's legacy would bless people for a long time to come."

Petunias are a popular plant sold in the spring, especially in hanging baskets.

I was looking for an old-fashioned purple because I like their spicy scent.  Only the purple ones are fragrant, and the newer Wave petunias, while very floriferous and less apt to get leggy, do not have scent.

After I bought this basket, I found an all purple basket which I was happy about.  The other day, it was very windy and I brought the two baskets inside to keep them from being knocked around. The lovely scent wafted through the main part of the house. So nice.

My petunias will get leggy and bloom less in the heat of the summer.  To keep the baskets looking better, I will gradually prune them back. Every four or five days starting now (beginning of June), I will pinch a few stems back to about 4". Over time the whole basket will  be pruned but the pruning will be hardly noticeable. Using this technique, I can usually keep petunias looking decent into August. 

Of course, the newer varieties  have a tidier habit so they're a good option with less work.

Petunias are heavy feeders and need to be fertilized every week or two with a liquid fertilizer. They like to be in full sun.

I dead head every day and that also helps with getting more blooms. The whole blossom including the green sepals at the base of the flower, not just the petals, should be pinched off.

This fun petunia is called Starry Night. It's the first time I have seen a petunia with this sprinkled pattern.  Reminds me of fireworks.  It is not a new variety, just new to me.

It's an attractive magenta which isn't a common colour for petunias.

 I'm not sure what it's growing habit will be like but I can pinch it back if I have to. 

A Story - "Habitat" -Vinca (Periwinkle) and Changing Views of the Bay

A Story

Habitat

Perched on the side of the half-barrel planter filled with colourful pansies, the robin surveyed the front yard. He had a clear view all the way to the stand of lilacs that bordered the trees where he and his mate had built a nest.

Later, Sheryl noticed him and his mate poking at the front lawn finding worms and other insects. It made her happy to see them comfortable in their environment. It helped her to feel at home.  She missed the birds that she knew at her old home but this robin pair would be the beginning of new relationships.

On her usual woodland path walk, she found a large patch of wild columbine with red and yellow flowers.  They were a happy surprise.  She had tried in the past to grow columbine and hadn't had success. Here a whole swath of them were thriving in this unique habitat. 

Would she thrive in her new habitat? It would be an adjustment. Some things missed, some things gained.

 She could learn from the robins. They were content wherever they were, finding nesting spots in forests, or on a porch light in the suburbs.  Always with a cheerful song and never a bully to other birds.

Sheryl promised herself that she would start each morning watching for the robins, and opening her heart to her new life.
 

Vinca (periwinkle) can be an attractive groundcover in shady areas but it is aggressive. It should be planted where it can be contained and where it won't go over to the neighbours or invade a woodland area.  This patch came with the property.

 

The flowers are pretty at a time of year when not much else is blooming.

The bay is always changing.  Interesting patterns on the water even though the sky was just clear with no clouds.

At this time of year, we get lovely sunsets.

The dark blue of the water stands out well against the yellow green of the new leaves.

A Story - "Ripples" and Wild Violets

 A Story

Ripples

The fisherman, by the side of the lake,  reeled in his line and stowed his tackle. Glancing back at the water, he smiled at its smooth surface.  He picked up a flat stone and expertly sent it skipping  over the water, each tap making gentle  circles of wake.

The noisy teenagers, excited by the thrill of jumping off the bridge, took turns plunging into the water.  Some good divers hardly rippled the surface;  others cannonballed with maximum splash making waves that shocked the fish.

Under the ocean, far from eyes, magma filled a hidden chamber increasing pressure on the rock. Suddenly  it exploded with volcanic force sending a tsunami wave ten meters high crashing into coastal towns.

Her words dropped into the water of his heart, triggering expanding rings of pulsating love.

On the path down the hill behind our house, lots of wild violets are blooming.  They are so pretty. So much lovely colour without an ounce of work!

These little beauties are a source of pollen for the bees when there aren't many other flowers blooming.

This shows just a portion of the violet patch. Violets can be planted in the garden but, as is evident here, they can spread a lot. An out of the way spot that gets partial shade would be suitable.