Canadian Author & Memoir Writing Coach
The summer vines are nearing the end of bloom-time.
But – oh! – they were so lovely when they were blooming!
My favourites, Clematis, flowered in different shapes and colours.
Some bloomed all summer, and some bloomed twice.
So here’s to the blooming vines in all our gardens: those that have already given their all this summer, and those that are hanging on and blooming their last.
And, as summer ends, I offer a warm welcome to the morning glories who are now ‘in their glory’.
The only pansies we’ve had past the month of June were the dead kind.
If not dead, then seriously bedraggled.
That’s why I stopped planting them each spring, and always planted other stuff instead.
Annual plants that last longer. Like blue salvia, pink snapdragons and ivy.
But our landscaper friend Blaine brought us some bulbs and pansies to put in pots in early May.
Container planting is the only gardening I do these days, so I was happier than a pig in mud.
The hyacinth and daffodils bloomed heartily and died back. But the pansies kept blooming.
And blooming.
The rain beat the flowers down, but they’d spring back soon after.
Mid-July and they’re still blooming.
So here’s to the indomitable Pansy.
Long may you live!
For fascinating facts about the pansy, or viola:
~~
Gundy Schloen is passionate about photography.
So: add her passion for photography to her passion for flowers and what do you get?
Beautiful photos of flowers, of course.
Over the years, Gundy has taken thousands of photos of flowers.
Flowers in her own garden and flowers wherever she goes.
Like the Oshawa Peony Festival a few weeks ago. (Oshawa is a city east of Toronto.)
So I asked her if I could feature just a few of the photographs she took there.
But choosing just a few was very difficult. I really liked this one, above.
Then again, I liked this photo below and the one below that.
Gee whiz – I liked a lot of them.
And aren’t these ones below just luminous?
Beautiful flowers…. and beautiful photography.
Well done, Gundy and thanks for allowing me to feature “a few” of your stunning photos.
Photos copyright of Gundy Schloen.
Every spring for years now, my dear friend Les and I have fiercely competed in The Bloomin’ Bulbs competition.
We two are the only participants.
Whoever has the first blooming spring bulbs is the winner.
But in the weeks ahead, we’ll both be on high alert, because we’ve proven ourselves …uhm… untrustworthy.
One year I brought a blow-dryer outside, trying to warm up the air around my not-quite-blooming daffodils.
And as for Les …. well….
Please follow the trail from here:
From: Cynthia Reyes
Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2014 4:58 PM
To: ‘Leslie Lawrence’
Subject: I have SEVERAL crocuses bloomin’!Â
I have SEVERAL crocuses bloomin’ now!
Two yesterday, several today.
And I just remembered: it’s the Bloomin’ Bulbs competition, so Hellebores don’t count, Les!
Have you any real bulbs yet??
~~
From:Â Leslie
Sent:Â Monday, April 14, 2014 9:05 AM
To:Â Cynthia Reyes
Subject:Â Re: I have SEVERAL crocuses bloomin’ now!
Well, you are probably well ahead.
It’s hard to be in competition with the Reyes Estate.
A Few Things have poked their heads up vigorously through the leaf mulch.
However, we don’t have much of a display.
Lawrence el Veraz
 ~~
On Apr 14, 2014, at 9:19 AM, Cynthia Reyes  wrote:
Les – that is beautiful!
I have no daffodils blooming.
When I read your email, I braced myself for another fake photo – but this is great!
It looks like you won the contest this year, because those daffodils have been up for a while – right?
Darn, drats and heck! I hate losing. But if I had to lose to someone….. I’m glad it’s you!
~~
From: Leslie
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2014 9:46 AM
To: Cynthia Reyes
Subject: Re: I have SEVERAL crocuses bloomin’ now!
Hi Cynthia,
Well, I’m glad you liked the photo.
As for fake photos, though we have this keen competition, I assure you I would never spend a lot of time scheming to send you a photograph taken last spring in order to accomplish the nearly impossible task of fooling you one last time.
Not me.
Lawrence el Veraz.
~~
On Apr 14, 2014, at 9:50 AM, Cynthia Reyes  wrote:
Oh my God!Â
You did it again, didn’t you?
I don’t know why I get hoodwinked every time.
And this time – completely.
Duz a leppard change his spots?
Duz a photo-faker change his ways?
Obviously not.
Ay, caramba!
~~
All this to say: keep your friends close, but keep your gardener-friends even closer!Â
~~
Dedicated to my dear friend Lawrence el Veraz.