The Nature of Things

As our self-isolation continues, I seek and find daily solace in my garden. There is always something happening there. In the front garden, the Dietes, popularly called "butterfly iris" around here, are beginning to bloom next to the old birdbath. Can you see a resemblance between the bloom and a butterfly? The camellia is nearing the end of its bloom cycle but still has a few blossoms. This Encore azalea is named 'Autumn Lily' but could just as rightly be called 'Spring Lily.' Hibiscus and dianthus blooming together. In the backyard, the muscadine grape vines are beginning to green up. And the loquat tree is loaded with fruit. Know any good recipes using loquats? Our warm weather recently has brought out the frogs. They serenade us with their nightly chorus. This one is a southern leopard frog. And this is a little green tree frog trying to make itself invisible against a crinum leaf. My husband recently weeded the bottle tree bed for me, but when it came to ...

I'm still reading The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel. It's a very long book and full of informative details. It takes close reading which makes it slow - but very enjoyable - work. I say all that to explain that I don't have a review for you this week and so, instead, I offer this placeholder. In addition to being slow reading, my progress on the book has been slowed because I've been spending quite a lot of my daytime hours in the garden. It is that time of year, after all. The garden demands my attention after its (relatively short) winter nap.  In the vegetable garden, the curly kale is at its sweet and succulent best. The sugar snap peas on their trellis are just beginning to bloom. They need to get a move on. Spring is heating up fast.  Next to the vegetable garden, the wild blackberries are beginning to plump up. The green anoles are out and about. This one enjoys a sunbath while resting on one of my succulent plants.  The gerbera daisies are beginning to ...

I will be on the road later this week and away from my garden on June 15, or Bloom Day as it is known to garden bloggers around the world, so here is a pre-Bloom Day look at what's blooming in my garden this month. It's almost summer and the summer phlox is in bloom. There are lots of white blooms in the garden this month. They help to bring a note of coolness to my hot garden space. There's almond verbena with its wonderful scent. Too bad I don't have smell-a-blog. The white crinums are blooming. And so is the white 'Texas Star' swamp hibiscus. And the datura, sometimes called devil's trumpet or moonflower. But here's the real moonflower, and, yes, it's still blooming, too.  The beautyberry bloom is not much to look at; the real attraction is the colorful berries that come later. This pretty little white flower is blooming in my wildflower bed. I'm not sure what it is called, but I think it is some kind of alyssum. Also in the wildflower bed is...