Juggling life through a bi-polar lens. Sometimes up, sometimes down. Mostly trying to tread water in the middle. Creating a likeness to a normal life. Whatever "normal" is...

Wednesday 7 May 2008

ABC Wednesday......

P is for PURPLE......

Lots of purple coming up in my garden. Most of this was planted by the previous owner of this house. I thought that maybe she had just been mad on purple, given the number of purple flowers. Then I read that purple and blue plants grow in the shade whereas brighter colours might not be shade tolerant: more than half the garden is in shade for more than half of the day.

I think this is Honesty.....

This osteoperum (sp!) was cut from a huge spread of the stuff in my mum's garden. This is its first flower here. I'm glad it's "taken".
This is Periwinkle......
.....it was spreading across the ground and choking everything else, so I've cut it back a lot. Now I'm trying to train it upwards. I think it looks good against the glossy ivy.
Ahh... an iris. My favourite flower. These ones are huge. And something I didn't find till I cut back some almost dead lavender. What a nice find!
Now that the weather has cheered up, I'm enjoying getting out and planting some new things. Today I'm looking for a suitable patch for some fennel. I never imagined I'd get into gardening, but I love it.

... this is what I love:
  • the smell of the soil as I dig;
  • the lift I get inside when I see something I've planted and looked after is thriving;
  • using herbs I've grown in our cooking;
  • the birdsong, and the cheeky brave robin that keeps me company;
  • making two gardens in one- a tidy bit to admire, and scruffy corners and edges to keep the wildlife happy. .....P is for perfect!
*****

For more info ABC Wednesday posts, go to

Mrs Nesbitt's blog

where you will see info on how to join in, and a table of links to those taking part.

*****

30 comments:

Pernille said...

Very nice P's and wonderful shots.

Have fun:)

Rune Eide said...

As I wrote another participant today: I didn't know there where so many Plants that started with P! But Pretty, non the less...

Kyanite said...

Oooh! Very pretty!
Well, ytpo know Ilove my flower photo's.

And, PLEASE, ask Bob & Dilly to my pawty, they are of course invited.
Sorry!, I just presumed they would come...

Paulie said...

All great P's but I love the purple Iris the best.

Petunia said...

Pretty perfect purple P post;)

Leslie: said...

PERFECT choice for today! I love all shades of PURPLE, too.

Thx for your kind comments on my post. :D

FO - 2 said...

Pretty, pretty, pretty!
PERFECT! :)
You describe gardening perfectly as well. Love it! :)

Ida

Texas Travelers said...

Love your "P" posts.
Beautiful flowers.

Nice photographs

"P" is Posted.
Come visit,
Troy

Katney said...

The purple flowers are very lovely. The ones I have in my garden are iris and lavender. In the mountains we have lupine, Jacob's Ladder, and several other purple flowers.

Neva said...

I love iris's as well.....lots of nice purple...I had no idea they like the shade better than brighter flowers...good to know.
Mine are posted!
Neva 1
Neva 2

AVCr8teur said...

You have lots of pretty little flowers in your garden. You have a green thumb which I wished I had.

Janet said...

Such beautiful purple flowers! I can't believe I didn't think of purple since it's my all time favorite color!!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful purple flowers. Nice P's.

Jan said...

What a wonderful P post. I love your photos.

kRiZcPEc said...

flowers with purple petals...great choice for your P post

nancy said...

Purple is Perfect. The Periwinkle is beautiful. Too invasive, huh?

Marie said...

This is a very nice purple post! Thank you very much for visiting my blog. I showed the beautiful parts of my neighborhood only. If I had shown the ugly ones, I think nobody would have visited my blog again. I am a countrywoman who would like so much to have a garden and beautiful flowers to take care of! I really don't like living in a city. Have a nice long weekend.

Dragonstar said...

I love purple as a colour, but I hadn't realised about the shade thing. I have some Periwinkle, too, Pinched from elsewhere last summer. It's taken well (I think it likes to take over) Maybe I'll try your ivy idea, it looks good.

Silly Goose said...

Hmmm. Purple flowers like shade? I NEVER thought of that. Purple seems to one one of those garden colours that other plants look good next to = red, yellow, orange, green, blue. Most purples don't pop out at you so they give a garden depth colorwise...a least that's what I think. LOL

Miss_Yves said...

Very pleasant pictures !
I am also fond of this colour and iris !
And I fear next week,next letter too!
Miss Yves

Jo's-D-Eyes said...

Hello Helena,
(I love your name) I am impressed by your great layout and wonderfull purple flower, You have a very beautiful blog here:)

Please feel welcome and visit my ABC P from....

JoAnn's D Eyes

nonizamboni said...

Helena! These are wonderful 'p' words. Your garden looks so cool and inviting--love the osteoperum. I grow a pot of them every summer.
I have to say that your blog has been like a breath of fresh air for my spirit--and, I didn't know anyone else liked the movie Midnight Run like I do!
Happy day!

Nydia said...

Your flowers are so beautiful! And the purple fits like a glove in your garden. Hope you manage to keep it like that! I also have a little herb garden, but ufortunately my plants are in pots, once we have no soil on my veranda. But they're growing and season our meals! :) Thank you for stopping by at my P post with kind words.
Kisses from Nydia.

Daryl said...

Purple is one of my favorites colors ... promise!

:-Daryl

Lake Lady said...

Great idea and presentation, Helena! Purple Irises are my favorite, too. Thanks for visiting my P Posts, too!

CherryPie said...

Such lovely flowers :-)

mrsnesbitt said...

Phew! Just catching up having spent a few days away on the motorbike catching some sunshine. Your post reminded me of this poem...LOL!


When I am Old
I will wear Purple!

When I am an old woman,
I shall wear purple - -
With a red hat which doesn't go,
and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension
on brandy and summer gloves and satin sandles,
And say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
and gobble up samples in shops
and press alarm bells
and run with my stick along public railings,
and make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
and pick flowers in other people's gardens
and learn to spit!
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
and eat three pounds of sausages at ago,
or only bread and pickles for a week,
and hoard pens and pencils
and beermats and things in boxes.
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry,
and pay our rent
and not swear in the street,
and set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner
and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me
are not too shocked and surprised
when suddenly I am old,
And start to wear purple!

--Jenny Joseph

VP said...

I too have a 'purple patch' at the moment - it's great isn't it!

Jane said...

Lovely purple flowers. Have been thinking about you and shade-loving plants. Here are a few I've found:
Hostas, Hellaborus,Aucuba Japonica, Pieris, Skimmia, Myrtle Vinca Minor. They are all plants with various leaf colours. Some flower, some don't.

Mrs Mac said...

**thanks for all your messages!***

expatkat- thanks for the info re shade-loving plants! I did try hostas once- the slugs loved them. LOL!

'JoAnn's-D-Eyes'NL -thanks for the compliments on my layout and blog!!!

Mrs N- thanks for that poem, it's one of my favourites!!!

nonizamboni- thank you! And yes, Midnight RUn is brilliant! I never tire of it!