Rain on Poppies

F I N A L L Y .... we received some much needed rain here in my little section of MerryLand. It came in the form of a dousing storm -- two nights in a row -- but it was rain nonetheless.

As I have been thinning and moving stuff over the past weeks, the soil is like powder -- painfully dry. Today in the garden, everything is clean and bright and oh so happy to have had a sip of the wet stuff.

Three more Oriental Poppies have performed:

Brilliant:


Garden Glory:


and Raspberry Queen:


Out in the Back 40, the lovely Japanese Snowbell is a showstopper. It stands at about 8 feet now, with the lowest branches only about 3 feet off the ground. I'm dreaming of the day to come when it is large enough to sit fully under. Here's what it will look like up above as I sip a cocktail under the branches:

And here's a close-up of those magical blooms ... first they look like little eggs, then open to pure white bells with yellow clappers:

We hit a few yard sales this morning and I bought a tiny two-spouted ceramic vase (actually, porcelain I think) that will be perfect for violets. During my garden tour, however, there was nary a purple violet to be found. However, still blooming strong is this beauty:

Mom called it the "Maryland Violet" cuz she found it while wandering around a creek where my brothers were fishing as little lads. She had never seen it before in her native Virginia, hence it must be a "Maryland Violet." It is unusual in its branching habit, which none of my other violets follow.

So, we're off now to the Lithuanian Festival ... pictures coming soon!