A Perfect Spring Garden

 A garden is a fleeting thing. Plants may flower only once or go to seed after repeated blooms. Hungry deer or insects may chew up a flower in its prime. Startled animals might tromp through the garden. I feel lucky to have seen this garden in a state of perfection. The larkspur and cornflowers stood tall, a symphony of cool colors. Here and there a poppy nodded its hot, fluttering head. Happy bees hovered. One day later, heavy rains had knocked petals from the poppies. The larkspur were sodden and tangled, tipped over at odd angles. Yes, a garden is a fleeting thing.

Clematis and Hydrangea

 There are so many colors in the world and yet sometimes deciding which ones to use can seem like an impossible decision. This is when I like to go outside and really pay attention to what nature has to say about color relationships. This particular hydrangea has is valued for its showy chartreuse leaves, I am never thrilled by the soon-to-open pink blooms. Too wimpy to hold their own against those bright leaves. But the magenta streaks of the neighboring clematis are bolder. Together, they hint at a zingy combination that has me searching through my fabrics, planning a design.

Weller Pottery

 Ohio has been known for it’s ceramics since the 1800s. Potteries sprang up from Cincinnati to Zanesville. The ceramic wares known as  "Art Pottery" range from rare museum-worthy Rookwood vases to mundane molded pieces that turn up at yard sales. I was taken by this collection of Weller bowls and vases from the 1930s. Most are a pattern called Cornish. The elegant shapes, leafy designs and cheerful colors are so appealing. Pick one up (carefully!) and run your fingers along the surface to experience the soft vellum finish, a hallmark of art pottery from its heyday.

Blue House, Blue Garden

 This is my dream house, at least for the moment. Built a century ago, it still shows its Arts & Crafts architectural roots. As a child growing up in apartments, an architectural feature like an arbor (or even a garden) seemed like something found only in storybooks. Right now, at the height of spring, the irises and wisteria harmonize, all singing notes in shades of blue. Later this summer, other colors will join the chorus. 

Ragwort Path

 A plant with a sunny countenance and some unattractive nicknames is blooming along a path that runs through some townhouses. It adds cheer to an area above a small creek. In rural areas, ragwort is not welcome. It can sicken cattle and horses. In the UK it is considered a somewhat noxious weed. But ragwort is also a welcome food source for many pollinator insects. It is the primary food source for some rare and endangered moths. So don’t feed Stinking Willie or Staggerwort to your pet cow but do appreciate its beauty and its place in our ecosystem.

Bluebells Up Close

  In April, one particular house has a yard crowded with bluebells. Stately old trees shade this house in summer but now they are just beginning to form leaves. It's the perfect woodland environment for bluebells. I get down to flower level and study the elongated bells and the tight pink buds. The half-opened flowers shade seamlessly from pink to blue. Any dyer would be proud to achieve such results. Soon the trees will leaf out and the bells will drop into the soil. But the magical bells will return next spring.  

Wisteria On A Brick Wall

 On a breezy spring day, a blur of lavender caught my eye further down the block. The spicy scent of a wisteria in full bloom drifted my way. I stood under it, marveling at the crowd of panicles swaying in the breeze. Vines of this age and sturdiness have been known to collapse fences or pull down drain pipes. This wall is the perfect companion for such a twining, twisting plant.