Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
From mid-Summer: July 19, 2017
In the meditation circle: Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) on Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)
The spider-like flowers with protruding stamens make the Blue Dasher appear fairylike.
Preparing for the Fling on this rainy summer morning. Will be great to meet fellow garden bloggers.
Rainy Meditation
Rainy Meditation
Rainy Meditation
Snowy View Of Meditation Circle
Promising myself to work toward renovating the garden, I launched pbmGarden with an initial post on January 7, 2011.
Undoubtedly, making a public commitment in an online journal helped me stick to a few of those early improvement goals. The labyrinth and meditation circle is one achievement from that period.
Snowy View Of Meditation Circle
In the intervening six years plants, plans and even enthusiasm for gardening have cycled through high points and low.
An unexpected benefit stemming from penning that first garden entry has been receiving the support of gardeners from many corners of the world. Entering the wonderful community of garden bloggers has been a joy. I thank you readers for your kind comments, helpful advice and generous spirit, all of which have led to genuine and cherished friendships.
Snowy View Of Meditation Circle
Today the garden is decorated with a winter coat of white, just a couple of inches of fine powdery snow, though six to eight inches had been predicted. The smaller amount is cover for a treacherous icy layer beneath.
For those of us living in this area, temperatures are extreme, as this forecast illustrates:
SAT SNOW AND SLEET 27°F/ 8°F
SUN MOSTLY CLEAR 27°F/ 1°F
MON PARTLY CLOUDY 31°F/ 16°F
The exact numbers keep changing but frigid cold promises to make traveling the little winding curving roads leading out of my neighborhood dangerous to nearly impossible for the next few days. In the fifteen years of living here, snow plows have come through only once.
Normally I would not mind waiting it out but this has proved a particularly frustrating and disruptive weather event, affecting a planned all-weekend activity and threatening an important appointment for early Monday. Deep sigh. Deep sigh. Deep sigh.
Lessons learned from walking this meditation path are more valuable than ever today.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Snowy Meditation Path
December Solstice (Winter Solstice) Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at 5:44 am. This day is 4 hours, 51 minutes shorter than on June Solstice.
Frosty Thyme In Meditation Circle
Frost rimmed foliage of Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Lil’ Ruby dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea)
Tuesday View August 23, 2016
Cathy at Words and Herbs hosts the Tuesday View, encouraging garden bloggers to post a photo of the same view of the garden week by week and note the changes.
We were away last week so it has been two weeks between Tuesday views. This scene was taken at today at 8:29 a.m. Again the sunlight has found the tops of the trees but has not yet entered the garden, the contrast making for a poor quality photograph. The sun is not actually so harsh as this looks, but the image underscores how on summer mornings moments in the garden are best enjoyed during this early shady period.
The fescue grass is dying back, patchy with brown spots and an annoying annual grass has snuck into the lawn over the past several years. It grows faster than okra and cannot be kept trimmed.
One of the original thymes along the path has turned completely black the last two weeks. It began discoloring after I trimmed around the pavers, so perhaps I damaged it but I think it is stressed from the weather. In past years it has recovered but it looks messy now. The Pink Chintz thyme in the center is still blooming and Angelonia contributes lots of color.
Tuesday View August 23, 2016
Overall the garden is in retreat. There will not be much to see from here on out until early spring when bulbs start peeking out again.
Thanks to Cathy at Words and Herbs for hosting the Tuesday View. Check out her featured view and those of other gardeners.
Meditation Circle
Cathy at Words and Herbs hosts the Tuesday View, encouraging garden bloggers to post a photo of the same view of the garden week by week and note the changes.
This Tuesday view was taken at yesterday afternoon at 4:53 p.m., about an hour after a storm cloud dropped a small amount of rain. Thunder continued to rumble as I took the photograph.
I have not gardened at all for a week. Most of the thymes still are doing well but some of the original unknown one has died back in a few places (visible at about 4 o’clock in the picture). Otherwise there is little change from last week.
Meditation Circle
Thanks to Cathy at Words and Herbs for hosting the Tuesday View. Check out her featured view and those of other gardeners.
Tuesday View August 2, 2016
Cathy at Words and Herbs hosts the Tuesday View, encouraging garden bloggers to post a photo of the same view of the garden week by week and note the changes.
This Tuesday view shows the early morning garden at 7:14 a.m., under an overcast sky. Several storms this week brought welcome rain, but one also knocked down the larger of two Rudbeckia laciniata (Green-Headed Coneflower) against the fence.
There are fewer flowers this week. The biggest change I notice this week from last is how brown the neighbors’ sycamore tree has become. At center behind our fence in the photograph, this Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore) is often brown and unsightly by this time of year, but until now it had seemed fine this summer.
One of the first things I planted in the meditation circle was Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue), used to form a wall at one of the turn-arounds help guide walkers along the path.
Meditation Path with Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue) at lower right.
This penstemon is evergreen and has proved to be reliable and has produced lots of new plants. They show up in random spots. I leave them for a while and eventually move them into other parts of the garden.
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue)
Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue)
Another penstemon planted at the same time has a lovely purple flower but has proven much less hardy. It is Penstemon mexicali ‘Pike’s Peak Purple.’ Only one has survived through the years, but I am trying to nurse and encourage it. This summer it has done well and is reblooming now.
Penstemon mexicali ‘Pike’s Peak Purple’ and Angelonia ’Serena White’
Penstemon mexicali ‘Pike’s Peak Purple’ and Angelonia ’Serena White’
To wrap up this Tuesday view I must mention the angelonia as it continues to brighten up the meditation circle.
Angelonia ’Serena White’ with Angelonia ’Serena Purple’ in the distance
Thanks to Cathy at Words and Herbs for hosting the Tuesday View. Check out her featured view and those of other gardeners.
