Admiring the Flowers

I finished stripping and scraping wallpaper from the dining room yesterday--it doesn't sound like much of an accomplishment for the day, but it was quite a process.

We were back at the 'other house' early this morning after rushing through chores at home..

J. continued painting while I made half a dozen trips to carry out all the wallpaper which had been removed from 2 bedrooms, hallway, living room and dining area. I managed to get a bonfire ablaze [we can do that in the country] and most of the rubble reduced to ashes before a shower moved in.

An early morning stroll among my flowers indicated that the first lovely flush of spring blooms is on the wane.

These photos were taken Saturday and Sunday.

The trellis full of clematis now holds only ripening seed heads.

The iris have faded.

The peonies are drooping and shedding their elegant silky petals onto the ground.

The tree lilies are beginning to open.

The orange variety is always the first to show its colors.

Each poppy is a 'queen for a day' before the petals drift to the ground.

I believe this shade of red is new this year.

There may have been one feeble red one last May--perhaps I shook the seeds around.

Passionately flamboyant!

A tousle of fringed petals.

Shimmering in the morning sun.

Capturing the beauty before time snatches it away.

Rosa rugosa, "Charles Albanel".

I despaired of this rose flourishing. It is a low-growing sprawler--rewarding my patience with fragrant blossoms this year.

Unlike most years, I didn't start trays of seedlings this spring.

I planted a packet of nigella [aka love-in-a-mist] in 2010.

A few plants have volunteered each year since.

The negella have expanded to a flourishing clump.

Lovely shades of lavender and blue.

I will definitely harvest and save some seeds.

My forays into the garden attract feline companionship.

Nellie 'hides' in the fronds of achillea.

What lovely green eyes!

Bobby and Edward relax while I twitch tiny weeds from the herb plot.

Achillea [yarrow] raised from seed.

I had several large clumps of this color so have taken one to he fledgling garden at the 'other house.'

Willis saunter over to give his advice.

The peonies are blowsy--past their first beauty.

This foxglove, raised from seed, pleases me immensely.

Comments are much appreciated, though I haven't found much time to respond.

I tell myself that the renovating of houses and gardens will eventually slow down and whatever is left of me will be free to write, read, settle my feathers!