So it's yet another sunny day at the farmette. It's the first day of summer and the grass is a lovely crispy brown because we've had so little rain for the past couple of months.
The pandemic continues to ease here in Canada, with more people being vaccinated. The Americans are getting testy because our Prime Minister is keeping the border shut for another month. My take is that, until we feel safe enough to open up (75 per cent first shot, 20 per cent fully vaccinated), the Americans can jump up and down all they want.
Anyhow. Despite the fact that I've had to hoik the frigging hose around every morning to save my new plantings, the flowers are spectacular this year. It seems like every time there's rain in the vicinity, it goes above, below or around us.
Rob captured a bunch on the camera in their prime. Soooo, here's a little summary of the blossom fest that's been going on at the farmette.
While they're almost all gone, the poppies really outperformed themselves, as they always do. Besides being the symbol to wear on Remembrance Day and a reminder of the soldiers who fought so we could be free, its history dates back to the Sumerians in 3,400 B.C. Even then, they understood their powerful medicinal and, ahem, recreational properties.
The irises were also fantastic. They're named after a Greek goddess who spread sweetness, rainbows and flowers with every step she took. Many European countries recognize them as a sign of royalty and the famous French fleur-de-lis is an iris. Not a bad history for these yummy tall beauties.
I got three huge bouquets of peonies as well. They really are a bit of a show-off, but I love the fact that they, too, have Greek mythological origins. Apparently, Paeon was a clever clogs apprentice to the god of medicine and healing Asclepius. A bit too clever, because he figured out how to use the juice from a peony to cure Pluto. That made Asclepius so jealous and mad, Paeon was going to get his permanent comeuppance until Zeus intervened and turned him into the amazing flower. Gotta love the Greeks.
Finally, the Japanese ivory silk lilac is still pumping out its pungent fragrance and gracing the back yard with its gorgeous white plumage.
A relative newcomer, which the plant-heads say began its existence in 1876, this stunning Asian tree - which sits in pride of place behind our sunroom - always goes over the top with hundreds of stunning blossoms that we enjoy for a couple of weeks every year.
So that's it. Hope you enjoyed this little trip around the farmette beds. I have to go out and cart the hose around - again - so that my beautiful and functional gardens can survive this droughty weather.
Until next week.