THIS TIME OF YEAR - THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE BEAUTIFUL

This is a most beautiful time of year. The yard is amazing, filled with beautiful blooming things. The azaleas are either at their peak, starting to fade, or just coming into bloom, so there is something pretty somewhere. Although yesterday was a scorcher – 89 degrees – and we had a heat run a week ago in the upper 80s, normally the temps are just great this time of year. We are just barely pre-mosquito, though I think I saw my first one yesterday, we have not been plagued with them yet. We have certainly had enough rain for mosquitoes, but, the upside is, we are no longer under drought conditions, AND I have not had to water the garden in a week! The rain has also been a big help in making the ground soft enough to be able to dig holes, and I have been busy digging holes!

The local Hermitage, a continuing care community a couple of miles away, had their annual plant sale. I always get in trouble There. They have some very special things every year, and, I, well, I kind of lose control. This year was no exception. My biggest excitement was when I was told they were selling Mountain Laurel. I am a sucker for Mountain Laurel – maybe from all that time spent in Pennsylvania where it is the state flower, and especially in the Poconos where it grows like a weed and occasionally towers over the roads so driving thru the state park near my home up there is like driving thru a tunnel of Mountain Laurel. In fact, we time our vacation with the blooming of the laurel. As the laurel begins to fade, up in the Poconos, the rhododendron takes over. The Hermitage had some unusual rhododendron this year – red ones. Purple rhododendron is common here on the shore, but the red is harder to grow. I have tried before, and failed, but I will try again.
The sale usually has only a few of this or that, sometimes only two or three of something, some years none – like the fringe tree. Anyway, I bought 2 Mountain Laurel and 2 different varieties of red rhododendron.

I walked away from the azaleas, but they were tempting. I do have limits, and my biggest limit is my back and knees. I figured I would be pushing to get 2 plants in the ground.
By 3 PM, I had managed to cut most of the grass (it was long from a week of rain) and I had pushed to get my laurel and rhodos in the ground. I was just about to step in the shower when Anna came in, exhausted from a day of selling plants (one of her many chores as Director of Leisure and Wellness) and she announced that she had brought me a few presents. Sitting out next to her van was another collection of plants – 2 azaleas, a small rhododendron, and a Mountain Laurel! There were also a few little things, but they are still sitting in their little pots.
Saturday was spent digging more holes. Truly, I don’t know where I would put any more plants! The azaleas I have here from my early years on this property are getting BIG! Everything is getting BIG! But, I have tried to keep it looking kind of naturalized, not formal. More like organized chaos – like my life on a good day!
The irises are starting to bloom. Mine are later than most people’s, probably because of living in the woods. But the combination of other flowers to the azaleas is always fun to see. They kind of show each other off. My blue hosta is huge this year. It came from their plant sale. The deer eat all my neighbor’s hostas, but so far, they haven’t eaten mine!
Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed a little stroll round my yard, and have enjoyed my flowers. If you are ever in the neighborhood, stop by, have a glass of iced tea, and enjoy the flowers!