May 1-7: Photo Project Week 18

It was a gorgeous week here. I got all of my flower pots planted. I walked downtown a couple of times, but most of my pictures are from in around where we live.

I have not lived in a climate where I can grow peonies for a very long time. These were found around the block from our house and were a good 10″ across. Peonies were my grandmother’s favorite flower and I love that I get to see them again.

My grandmother always had pots with begonias. It was far too hot in the South to grow these. They need cool and shade in order to thrive. These are potted in my front pots on the north side of the house where they only get sun for about two hours mid morning. The little splash of colour to liven up the front of the house brings me much joy.

Here in Germany most people plant geraniums in pots. I hate geraniums. I worked in a greenhouse many moons ago and we spent January – March planting geranium cuttings. It was awful work leaning over potting benches for hours and hours. That is why I hate geraniums. They grow beautifully here, but I will not have them. In my pots I have million bells, osteospermum, bacopa, verbena, and sweet potato vine. the purples and bright greens ended up being the theme, but there is a splace of orange in there from the million bells.

I have wanted to plant these for a very long time. I am hoping that they will take over and completely cover my mail box. I also have a bit of purple bacopa in the pot to bring the colour to the front as well. We shall see what happens. In the last four days, they have grown about 10 inches and are slowly crawling up the legs of the mail box.

We have speedwell planted in our house in the US, but here it grows wild. The little purple flowers are all over our back garden.

Around the corner from our house is a fence that is completely covered with Clematis. I know there are different varieties and this spring blooming one is gorgeous and obviously very happy planted here. I have come to realize that I love vines and climbing flowers; Wisteria, Roses, Clematis, even Ivy.

Along with Ivy, and clover, and moss, and speedwell, and tiny little bit of grass, our back garden has buttercups. Buttercups bring back memories of living in England as a little girl and trying (and failing) to make a daisy chain with buttercups. I never did learn how to make one. But I can enjoy these in the corners of my yard.