Days Like This

This spring, I've been wondering to myself and others why I spend so much time gardening? I've never questioned myself on that subject before. I always enjoyed everything about it. Maybe I am just getting old and tired.

Early this morning , the gardens gave me the answer to that question.

I had the urge to take time and use the camera's tripod. Tripods help you to slow down and pay attention.

Those white buds are Canada Anemone. They remind me of the first time I saw them in abundance in a provincial park in New Brunswick. Some plants remind me of places and others of the people who gave them to me.

This iris came with us from the farm 26 years ago. I am glad it survived. It is stunning to look at.

And, speaking of being reminded of friends: Last year Kat Kinch enlightened me about what I thought was a weed and was considering yanking it out - only to learn that it was New York Ironweed, a native plant that I started from seed two years prior. I wasn't familiar with it so I was considering weeding it out.

Whew! Glad I didn't!!!

I love them so much that I've kept last year's dried plants as a sculptural feature in the garden. Sometimes little birds like to cling to the stems to view their surroundings. Aren't they wonderful?

The last of the tulips stayed around long enough to be part of a red, white and blue picture. Nice of them to do that.

Our daughter-in-law gave me this re-blooming iris.

Alliums are starting to set seeds.

I love the way Hosta leaves collect bits of dew to form little droplets. The droplets gather together and cling to the edges of the leaves tenaciously. I can almost hear them. Heeellllpppp! I am going to fall!

This will be the first week for columbines in our Wednesday bouquets.

Siberian irises. With a matching bee.

I purchased the first clump from the gentlemen at Schoolhouse gardens around 30 years ago.

There will be lots of chives in our bouquets on Wednesday too.

This beautiful iris has been relegated to the vegetable garden. It does not play well, colourwise with the rest of the perennials. It's fantastic on its own.

The second planting of mesclun mix is coming along nicely in the vegetable garden. We should start picking in 10 days or so.

Around 5 or 6 years ago, I listend to a podcast where Doug Tallamy (entymologist) was interviewed. He called oaks "the most powerful plant of them all". They host up over 900 species of butterflies and moths. He influenced our planting that year and we planted 5 oaks on the perimeter of our property.

This one is looking lush.

In the wooded area, the morning light was making everything look lovely.

Even horsetail.

There are quite a few jacks, all in their pulpits.....

..... and ferns looked translucent when backlit by the sun.

And, even peeking underneath mayapple leaves, there was still beauty to be seen.

Beauty everywhere.

So....what did the gardens teach me?

They reminded me that what I love about gardening is days like this when I get to admire them. It's like watching your own children become good parents. The work is done and you get to see them shine.

A take pictures so you won't forget.