Wildflowers

Searching for the proper plants for the proper spot is fun. Nurseries are some of my favorite places. There, I could spend hours just looking, touching, smelling and dreaming. Being surrounded by rich, vibrant life of green, growing things gives me a boost. The air is so clean and fragrant, so moist and alive. Colors pop, and there are surprises around every corner.




While not strolling through nurseries I am strolling through the yard. Looking, dreaming, wondering, planning. Spring has brought a plethora of wildflowers dappled everywhere in the backyard. Mostly wild garlic and these pretty little white and pink flowers. I'm thinking with the poor soil some of the native wildflowers, like these, should just be allowed to stay. They are so pretty.




They are also quite small and do not bloom all summer, but beds could be created and other wildflowers introduced that DO bloom all summer, or at various times. Why not let these little flowers live where they are obviously so happy?

Do you know what these wildflowers are?

Wild garlic is normally the bane of every yard master. But I'm not a yard master. They have their place. Don't they? Certainly, they have their place here in my blog.




More of the little white and pink wildflowers. So now I'm thinking wildflowers and perennials. Oh! I saw the most amazing native azaleas down the road and I MUST go talk to the owners of an incredible yard! I think I've found my muse!

There is such beauty in the small things. Hattie and Bess are beginning to bloom now and the Chinese Fringe tree is gorgeous! There's one pink azalea in the front yard that is stunning and clearly needs some friends. AND, I found a little surprise in my Boston Fern! Must show you that next! Stop and smell the flowers, however small!

Gardeners Sustainable Living Project

Hattie's pollen

There's a new garden to plan. Instead of windswept banks on the shores of a wild river the new garden will be a still, Zen garden in the shade. There are a myriad of songbirds that flit along the creek that ambles behind the house. Our lot is flat with lots of trees. The earth is compacted with poor soil quality.

Current plans involve azaleas and ferns, hydrangeas and ferns and hostas, sweet woodruff and ferns. Oh, and did I mention ferns? I'm crazy about ferns. As well, a signature understory tree for the front yard like a Japanese red maple is in the mix.

The gardening goal here is the same as the gardening goal was for the river - plant natives, plant to attract birds and bees and butterflies, plant to enrich both earth and soul.

My blogging goals will be changing for now. Instead of chasing elusive pelicans and eagles I'll be concentrating on smaller, more simple miracles as new gardens are created. I'll need a lot of help and good advice. I do know that I want to garden responsibly. Thankfully, I've a plethora of gardening friends who are fantastic about sharing their expertise and other stuff. Case in point...

My blogger buddy, Jan, at Thanks for Today is having a fantastic Giveaway. The 2nd Annual Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project is underway. No special writing or photography skills needed; just share the links and share in the joy! My apologies to Jan for completely forgetting to write a post about it - call it a Senior Moment. They seem to be coming more often. You are invited to check it out by linking directly to her blog - just click the photo below OR here.

Keeping Alabama Forever Wild

Sunrise over Wheeler Lake

This spring Al.com is publishing a project called Keeping Alabama Forever Wild. Alabamians were invited to send in essays and photographs to share about their special place in Alabama - places that contain deep meaning for them. Selected submissions for this project are running now and ends on Earth Day, April 22, 2011. A new essay is published daily. This project is done in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy of Alabama and Conservation Alabama Foundation.

American White Pelicans at Wheeler Dam

The Forever Wild Program was established in 1992 by constitutional amendment to provide for the purchase of public recreational lands. Since its inception Forever Wild has acquired eighty six (86) tracts totaling 222,771 acres located throughout the state. (source: Outdoor Alabama)

Morning mist rises above Wheeler Lake

My submission is one of the chosen and will be published this Friday, April 1st. Regular readers can guess the area I've written about. The title - "I Am This Flowing Water."

Great Blue Heron and the fish that got away - Wheeler Dam

An excerpt: " It is here, walking along the winter banks at low pool that evidence of Alabama's past can be found lying about, untouched - rock, flint and clay. I observe and enjoy its sandy shores and driftwood, soft water, spongy bottom, shorelines littered with mussel shells and rocks, and breathe in the river's perfume. Wide sky stretches from here to there, a canvas for unusual cloud formations, sunrises and sunsets, storms, lightning in nighttime clouds, mists rising from the lake, rainbows, a gazillion stars at night."

Rock and leaves - Wheeler Lake

It was tough sticking to 600 words or less but I think the essay reflects fairly accurately my love for my lake. Reading these submissions has brought back fond memories of my life here in this beautiful state. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have.

Privet

Horrified upon originally learning of privet in my backyard, I'm pleased to report that this variety does not appear to be the highly invasive and life-choking Chinese/European species. I am not sure at all just which variety of privet this is and would love any input. During these days of rest and reflection and backyard photo ops I've immortalized the blooms that are beginning to form.



This particular privet's blooms are tiny, and run all along the whip-like branches reminding me of a weigela. In full bloom it looks like a cloud.


My Southern Living Garden Book does not describe the blooms of each privet variety but research on the web indicates this is not the invasive form. Regardless, I think its blooms are very delicate and beautiful making for a nice photo study.

Acceptance

Acceptance

"A true man never frets about his place in the world, but just slides into it by the gravitation of his nature, and swings there as easily as a star."

Edwin Hubbel Chapin

"But there isn't any second half of myself waiting to plug in and make me whole. It's there. I'm already whole."

Sally Field

"Some people confuse acceptance with apathy, but there's all the difference in the world. Apathy fails to distinguish between what can and what cannot be helped; acceptance makes that distinction. Apathy paralyzes the will-to-action; acceptance frees it by relieving it of impossible burdens."

Arthur Gordon

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections."

Unknown

It is time to begin again, anew. The alien that has been living in my chest seems to have moved on. Grieving is giving way to acceptance. Journaling has been my best friend. Living simply and removing excess stress from my day-to-day is allowing my soul to heal. Suddenly, this week, I feel hopeful and am thinking forward. It's taken a lot of time and meditation to get to this point. My blog has suffered as has my writing and photography. However, internalizing and honest reflection has been good for me. Thank you all for visiting regardless in hopes that I'll share something useful. I'm coming back and I'm glad. I've missed me!

Enjoy these flowers - the poor, misshapen viburnum in our sad, boggy backyard is struggling to bloom and become beautiful this spring. I know how it feels therefore I celebrate it.