Gypsy – Ethel Merman Circa 1959
Mine is a very specific form of insanity. I’m insane about flowers. I don’t really think this disorder shows up in the hallmarks of traditional psychology, does it? I’ll have to ask my two nieces who have PhDs……. I am guessing it shows up somewhere as a subset under the heading: too-far-gone-obsessions. Further, I don’t know what it says about me in that I am perfectly ok with being this far gone down the road to hopelessness. If this is insanity, I want to stay here! For, here is a place where I can mutter my “oh my Gods” and stop as many times as I want, snap as many times as I want, and be in my own little haze of rapture, and lose myself completely. It makes me forget about all my problems and worries be they big or small. I am in my own zone of happy place euphoria…………..
I was only 5 years old when Ethel Merman sang (rather, belted) out Stephen Sondheim and Jule Styne’s famous song, “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” in the play on Broadway, Gypsy. I never saw the play and I have no recollection as to how or why I would even know about this song. It’s only that I found it swimming around in my head over and over this morning as I circled and circled around these glorious flowers. Maybe I saw it on Ed Sullivan or something.
It seems a bit odd that I should be posting about Roses before Peonies. It makes me feel a little disingenuous as I very primly stage myself through the season. But, being that it’s been so darned cool for May (and I did call the NYBG this am to see if their Peonies were in full bloom – they are not) and so I made it a point of rolling on over to The Farm this morning to take in this week’s show. Low and behold, I ran head-0n into the best-ever treat for a cloudy mid-May morning! Yes, June is generally for Roses but, I did see some flowering Knock-outs in Basking Ridge already and, if you want (need) to push it a bit, you can by visiting your local garden center.
I just spent, literally, 3 hours over at The Farm at Green Village ogling roses. They have the most stellar collection in right now and, if you are anything like me, you should run over there right away. They have a great collection of David Austins. Interestingly though, I didn’t see any Lillian Austin, Abraham Darby, or Pierre de Ronsard (Climbing Eden) all for which I am a huge sucker and would have filled up the car yet again. David Austin has done a masterful job at recreating a new line which is reminiscent of the old cabbage rose variety – another of my absolute favorites. There is now a gorgeous full-blown specimen in just about every hue. If I were still able to dig like I used to be and had good soil here, I’d be expanding in all sorts of directions………. But nowadays, every digging project involves getting someone else to help, which involves making a plan – it’s actually a very good deterrent for me for I have become a full-blown plant hoarder.
Everything outside, by the way, is looking very good at this point. The cool and wet over the last few weeks have set the stage for a very nice blossoming out this year. I am hopeful.
Here is some of the collection of photos I took this am – along with some of my beloved bees mixed in. They, by the way, appeared to be in a tizzy similar to mine. I spied a hummingbird hovering and would have run off after it, but I was deep in a conversation about Roses with a lovely gentleman, and it would have been totally rude.
So, if you are a gardener, or just like to peruse, take a look here. You can use these as a little catalog of offerings to begin your season’s additions to your space. I was on my best behavior and only came home with 5 Drift roses to add to my collection out front. They were too beautiful to pass up. The rest of my sunny spaces won’t accommodate any new additions, unless I open up some new beds. 🙁
The following photos, at least to me, are not repetitive. If it hadn’t been well after lunchtime and my tummy started growling, I’d still be there. I may in fact, go back with my 35mm this afternoon after this darned drizzle ceases. Well, enjoy! I hope you get as much gratification as I did wandering around and around.
Pink Hues – always my favorite:
Cream and Apricot:
Yellow:
Bright Orange:
White:
Red:
And, rhododendron and Peony:
Whatever capacity you have for gardening – big or tiny – they garden on the cliffs in Positano in the smallest of spaces, or, even if you only have space for one small pot, run out and gift yourself one of these beauties. I guarantee that each and every day when you open your door and step outside, you will be cheered by its gifts of change and beauty. Pick your favorite color. Keep in full sun. Watch with hawk eyes for those dastardly japanese beetles. Water and fertilize. And all will come back to you!
Happy Days!