Last week, we decided to give almost every plant in our yard a “haircut.” It was a long grueling day in the southern humidity. Most of the afternoon, my face matched my freshly planted perennials.
This is what we swept up after the shave.
And this was one of my many post-Italy projects. I ordered a Meyer lemon tree to remind me of Sorrento. I dug up the dead fern in this pot and replaced it with my new lemon tree, while dreaming of my first pitcher of lemonade.
And then I added a splash of color to my yard with a hanging basket of heat-stroke-colored Vinca.
After rabbits chewed up my seedlings of morning glories and 4 o’clocks, I planted another favorite. I’m a romantic about what I plant. Plants are like souvenirs of my life. There must be tradition, purpose and love. There’s not always a lot of thought about shade, soil, pesky animals or drainage, so I’ve dug up a lot of dead plants over the years. But, they keep my compost pile healthy. Here I planted White-Star Confederate Jasmine. The white-star blooms will remind me of the stars I saw while planting these in the heat and the fragrant scent of jasmine will fill my backyard on summer evenings masking the memory of past battles lost in this yard.
One day the “south will rise again” and this little plant will completely cover this trellis and pine tree trunk. Pine trees are just not pretty, but this plant should dress it up a bit. I hope.
This little pink baby is part of a pink bed I’m developing in a backyard bed. It is a Dwarf Pink Elf Hydrangea. I love Hydrangea, one of my favorite colors is pink and dwarf-elf just makes me fall in love with this little plant. I’m hoping to find surprise blooms with pointed leaves all season.
These triplets are another plant that I absolutely love. Little Bonnie Dwarf Spiraea. In case you haven’t noticed, my theme this year is pink dwarfs. And I’m just hoping that “little bunny foo-foo” no longer hops through my yard, scooping up my freshly-planted over-priced projects.
Finally, part of the “shavings” on our front curb included a weed-bush that had begun to take over this bed. Mr. Cozi cut it down for me and we moved these topsy-turvy pots in its place. To add a touch of pink…yep, the flag is pink flamingoes.
Answers to the summer heat…fragrant jasmine, hydrangea, spiraea, flamingos…and perhaps a shady spot for pink lemonade. I guess I may have a pink thumb, since my lemon tree should bear yellow lemons.
