Verdant and Fecund

Things are out of control around here . . . 

They are positively dripping with ripeness and greenness and fecundity. We can barely keep up.

Nay, we cannot keep up.

But I love it wild . . . 

. . . the pathways . . . 

. . . the volunteers . . . 

. . . the views . . . 

. . . of our very own piece of the planet.

The sweet pea have made a dramatic entrance to So Many Colors . . . 

. . . and this guy never disappoints.

Hydrangea? Blooming . . .

. . . like mad.

Purple ball flowers? Growing.

Stick plants? Showing us how it's done.

And best of all . . . ?

The raspberries . . . 

. . . oh, the raspberries we'll see in the next few weeks . . . 

Happy Verdancy, friends.

Happy Solstice

My darlings, it is summer.

It is Summer!

Happy Solstice.

So Many Colors

 I took a walk through the garden the other morning -- as per -- and was struck by the sheer amount of color out there . . .

The orange of the Tiger Lilies . . . 

. . . the blue/purple of the Spiderwort . . . 

. . . the yellow of the Evening Primrose . . . 

. . . and their new friends, these Sunflower guys . . . 

. . . the white and purple of the Salvia . . . 

. . . and the gorgeous purple of last of our beloved Iris . . . Thanks for a great season, guys.

Onto the silver/blue of the Hydrangea . . . 

. . . Oops, not yet. But soon, my friends. Soon . . . 

(And that bride in tulle behind her? Blueberry bush. Oh, the blue coming our way . . . )

The incredible bright pink of the peonies . . . 

. . . I love these guys . . . 

. . . wait, do you think the peonies and the tiger lilies would pose together?

There we go! Thanks for the photo, Mistah.

Speaking of shades of pink . . . 

. . . the luscious roses . . . 

. . . the fabulous Mary-Anns (we name our plants after people we get them from) . . . 

. . . and our friend Cacti Corey's final three blossoms. Ten this year! She's a champ.

And finally, the incredible pink/red of Connecticut's own state flower . . . 

. . . the Mountain Laurel.

Speaking of laurels, a wise man (it was Mistah) once said, "What's the point of having laurels if you can't rest on them?"

Why, indeed.

I think we can safely rest on these, Mistah.

Wait, What?

I'm supposed to produce something after last week's epic saga? After Samreen Ellie?

Oh, I don't think so. I think I'm going to have to rest on my laurels a little longer.

But do you know who can produce?

Cacti Corey.

Beautifying the world a month earlier than usual this year ...

The Cacti Corey story is an inspiring tale of intrepidness, determination, and a stubborn will to live.

She is, it has been said, a Cacti for the Ages.

And she produces.