Thursday, July 11, 2013

The Constant (ly) Worried Gardener

Here is a secret that gardeners don't necessarily like to share:

they HATE to leave their gardens in the summer.

While I am excited about seeing friends in Ontario, Norman Rockwell and Edith Wharton in Massachusetts, I am sick about leaving my garden.

You see, I could miss something...




The peonies to the right of the walkway are just winding down.  Who else is going to tell them how spectacular they are?


What about deadheading the roses?


For the first time in 6 years, the mock orange actually has a small amount of blossoms on it.  We have to encourage it to keep going...



The flowers along the driveway are starting to put on a show..


And in the backyard, the Astilbe is as lacy as the lovely cardigan that Knityarns just designed..


The Stella d'oro lilies are blooming everywhere:



One of my little gardens has gone all Frances Hodgsen on me:


The bee balm is just beginning to change colour.  Soon it will be the pole dancer of  my gardens, all red and flashy and every bee and hummingbird from miles around will be supping there...


And I have brought the first bunch of lavender in to dry..


Yes, it is a busy, busy time in the garden.  While I am gone I will fret that my children will NOT remember to water the pots and the tomatoes and the hanging baskets.  I will worry that no one will tell Butch how amazing he is or tell that Sweet William to keep going or encourage the Rosa Rugosas.

It is hard to be a gardener.  You wait all year long to plant and to sit outside and most of all, to just gaze...



It changes day by day, minute by minute.  This year, I have had so much time to just wander around and give it pretty compliments and tear out the odd weed.

I expect to have nothing less than a fabulous time on my trip.  But a little piece of me will be back here, plucking the roses, trimming and weeding..

How about you - do you ever hate to leave your garden?

Have a wonderful day - and stay safe out there!

32 comments:

  1. I have no garden to leave, so no issues for me!
    If I had a garden like you, I would struggle to leave! It's beautiful! so green and luscious!

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    1. I have threatened children within inch of lives to keep the veggies alive and the pots!

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    2. ruth, thank you for keeping me garden-free company. At least in one area I am issue-free ;-)

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  2. I will whisper sweet things to your posted pictures and your garden will feel the love through the blogosphere. I will also hope you don't end up with a frankenweed when you get back like I've found in my garden.

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    1. Oh hate those weeds! You should just pop in with your flowery jeans and wow them!

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    2. Would love to pop in to check in on them and when I do, will be sure to wear my crazy floral jeans!

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    3. and a little bling - god knows they are used to that!

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  3. Your garden is stunning, I am hiring Barry! In the top pic, what makes up the tall greenery? I've always liked that kind of tall walkway and ...mock orange, ours has just started blooming too and for four years I've been unable to remember what it's called, isn't the scent amazing?
    As we actually have heat just now, it's one of the few summers where I've been in the garden, it's amazing just to live out on you own patch of land.

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    1. Nope - you gotta hire me on this one - is all me - he does almost NOTHING in the garden! There is huge hostas and bee balm and daisies (the latter of two having now opened up yet) in the top pic. It is nice to be out in the sun, isn't it!

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  4. Oh your garden will miss you too but will be awaiting your return. Enjoy your trip.

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    1. And I will take pictures of Edith Wharton's garden and show them to my garden when I get back!

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  5. The "odd weed"? I am awash in weeds. We were doing so well before all the humidity heat. The delphiniums have been beautiful in all shades of blue. Cilantro has taken over. The woodchuck has chucked through the broccoli.

    Will you get to Tanglewood in the Berkshires? Fun to attend a concert while taking a fancy picnic you can get in Lenox; we saw Diana Krall there last summer. Edith's place is quite something.

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    1. I am not sure if we will get to Tanglwood - there is no one big there in concert whilst we are there - but never say never! I only have white delphiniums and only a few now - so funny how things come and go! And of course the bee balm and daisies are garden hogs..

      My woodchucks (or groundhogs as we call them here) like the swiss chard and the italian parsley! Can't wait to see The Mount!

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  6. Oh I'm feeling guilty I've been ignoring my garden! I was meant to get out there yesterday but it is so hot here just now. Today I will give it some love and compliments!
    Your garden is so lush and perfect just now, get the kids to take pictures while you're gone to email you!

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    1. Good idea! By the time I get back it will be scarlet with the bee balm! Good luck today - my weeds are crazy due to the heat and rain and the mosquitoes!

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  7. Your garden looks lovely! Have a wonderful time on your vacation! (take photos!)

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  8. How apropos! I was just about to email back but found some of my answers here! It is not the first time I hear about lacking to plants, so I am going to try the chatty method when I plant. It may make all the difference!

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    1. They mock me here but I am oblivious to the mocking! We had a rainfall last night and I was out staking the foxglove and the phlox this morning!

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    2. Good that you knew what I meant despite the silly autocorrect. Now, what does one talk to tomatoes about? How to achieve the better shade for their complexion? Or should I just tell them about my research? I doubt they'd be interested in hearing the links between mainstream cinema and the political :)

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  9. Hi Wendy, I hope that your garden survives your time away! Good luck with your packing!

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    1. As long as they water!!! Watering is the key to all happiness!

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  10. Hi Wendy, your garden is gorgeous! Get your children to take photos while you are away!

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    1. I will try, though I think I will have the only camera with me! :-)

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    2. That's what their smartphones are for ;-)

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  11. DIGGING IN WMM, always happy to see you, but if I had all that right on my stoop would be so hard to leave. Confessing serious envy of you, Tabs B&P, Dani etc. Just hoping for lavender share or maybe I will have to get some floral crazy pants like Tiffany Rose? Meantime Liberty button-downs will have to suffice. Sappy tag LOL, woke cat again.

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  12. I know just what you mean. Last year I left for a two-weei business trip in August and when I returned my Brussels sprouts were reduced to skeletons from the cabbage moths. If I were there they would have been netted and a good crop harvested in the end. Enjoy your vacation and enjoy the changed garden when you return.

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    1. That is the kind of thing that is heartbreaking after early efforts! As long as I am here for Tomato season, and I made it for peony, so the next thing is bee balm!

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  13. Thank you for sharing your gardening pictures. I have to confess, I am neither a gardener nor a cook. But, I love looking at recipes and pictures of other people's gardens.

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    1. well you can't be good at everything and you are such an amazing needleperson (needler? knitter seems like it couldn't emcompass all you do!)

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Kindness is a virtue...