And Now Inside

Yesterday I promised you a trip inside the garden through the yard gate. Right inside the gate, to our left, is an Allen rose. It has been in the Guerrant family for generations, at least since the 1700's when my Guerrant ancestors lived in eastern Virginia, the plant surviving through a Guerrant woman who married an Allen and who's daughters passed on the rose. Now it is back growing on my branch of the Guerrant family.

Right past the quickly growing rose bush are a couple stone beds my husband built to my specifications. The upper bed now hosts newly planted marigolds.  I never tire of marigolds and am among the minority of living creatures who actually like their smell.  To me it smells like summer. Marigolds were among the first plants I grew myself, planting them between the rows of my first garden just the way my father-in-law taught me.  Their dark green leaves wonderfully set off the round orange blossoms. I like the ones with a touch of dark red on the blooms. The deer, rabbits and most bugs leave the blossoms alone so for years it was the only bloom I could count on. It won't be long before this is a bright orange rectangle.

Overhanging the back edge of the stone bed is a mock orange given to me by my mother-in-law many years ago. Every couple years I cut it back but it continues to grow large.  deep within its branches is a tiny wind chime from my brother's three little girls.  They were three and two the year they brought it to me from a trip to Myrtle Beach. They, of course won't remember, but I will each time I hear that tinkle coming from the mock orange.

On the opposite side of my garden grow the bananas. Yesterday I performed some harsh pruning leaving only four trees standing.  Don't be too sad, they will soon be joined by many banana tree sprouts. 

As the sun is becoming hot on that side, we will choose the path that takes us back into the shade of my periwinkle bed to see how tall the Jack-in-the-pulpits have grown. The one in the back is about hip-high, the first one I planted over twenty years ago. Blooming just off to the right is the Kousa dogwood, a gift to my daughter, Mary from my mother, Mary/Polly.  I've notice this year that it's branches are forming an arch over the path as it joins hands with the spruce on the woodland edge of my garden.

Currently blooming beneath the dogwood are several plants carrying on a dark red theme. From the Heuchera Astilbe to the Heuchera with it red-tinted bells to a red-lined Oxalis and other plants chosen for their dark reds, this bed gives an illusion of shade deeper than it truly is. 

We must go back out into the sun to catch the purple Spiderwort, a plant that closes up when the sun goes down. This is a plant I filched from my mother's home where it has been growing longer than I have. 

And now, it is time to leave the garden once again with a last view through the maturing asparagus fronds and through the fence to the sky beyond. You may have noticed that memories are planted with many of the plants in my garden. Each step we take down the path is a step in and around my life.  It pleases me to remember who gave me which plant or circumstance of when each was acquired. (My version of scrapbooking)  I hope you enjoyed your walk. this morning.  I'll be here again tomorrow.

As a personal side note, I would love to know who is reading my blog from Boone's Mill Virginia. Let me know if that is you.