Psyche Opening the Door into Cupid's Garden, c. 1904,
J.W. Waterhouse (1849-1917)*
Who knew Cupid was a gardener? Of course he used a classical landscape design. And a whole lotta lawn. But Cupid's not to blame; the anti-lawn movement was centuries in the future.
We're in Cupid's favorite week with you-know-what in the air. These are my garden loves. Yours too?
- Striped flowers
- Nibbling the first leaves of agastache
- Wild violets
- Rangy rhododendrons
- Garden swings
- Afternoon sun shining through redbud leaves
- Crows yelling at each other while they roost for the night
I got an early Valentine when the inspiring blogger Deja Pseu at Une femme d'un certain age tossed a Beautiful Blogger Award my way. In return I had to list seven things about myself. If you are a femme and hitting un certain age, drop those seed catalogs and rush to her always fab blog.
My Valentine to Deja Pseu--a candy heart that says TRÈS CHIC.
P.S. Gardening chic is not an oxymoron if you follow Angela's advice at Gardening in my Rubber Boots: use Armor All to shine up your Hunter Wellington boots. What do you bet Psyche had Wellies on with that pink gown of hers?
*Mr. Waterhouse was an English painter. This painting is in the collection of the Harris Museum, Preston, Lancashire, England.
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22 comments:
Congratulations on the well-deserved award. Your mention of wild violets brings back fond memories. Way back when, my friends and I would stop and pick wild violets on our way home from school and bring them back as gifts for our moms. They are still on of my favorite flowers.
A favorite garden love of mine is sitting on the patio in the evening watching the fireflies flit around the yard.
Debbie, Violets and fireflies--thank you for your evocative stories.
Congratulations on your awards DP! Thank you for the links ... I did go to GRB... and enjoyed seeing my beloved boots featured... hopefully she might have suggestions for getting them off more easily! Some of my favorite loves in the garden are :
Walking in the spring garden with lilacs and later peonies touched by the moon's glowing light... covering my face in their blooms.
Fireflies are pretty high on the list too, as are migrating and nesting birds flitting about the gardens just after sunrise. Their songs in spring add such an enchanting element to the garden.
Happy Valentines Day! ;>)
Carol, Mmm, can't wait for lilac season--and peonies, and nesting birds!
Ah, the other commenters mentioned fireflies. I loved them when I saw them for the first time in Iowa, but they don't live around here in Spokane. I love watching the fat bumble bees having their way with my dainty flowers, though. And the way the start and stop humming of the bees on my catmint reminds me of one of Bach's Brandenberg concertos - wish I could remember the number of the one I'm thinking of, where the melody is repeated by a couple of violins and maybe a viola or something, all overlapping each other in perfect harmony. That's what the bees sound like to me.
VW, What a nature lover you are to hear the bees playing not just Bach, but a specific concerto. I hope someone will give us the concerto number. I can testify that your catmint is so lush it would inspire bees to great feats of musicality.
Congrats!!
And I love the picture you posted... cause I always wear those kinds of dresses while in the garden, too! :)
Dirty Girl, Glad to know you're maintaining high standards in garden attire ;-)
Armor all on the Wellies?? interesting concept!
congrats on your blog award.
Thanks for searching out such wonderful pictures, as that of Psyche. And the idea of juxtaposing her with Wellies is a real hoot. Fair enough, as she had desperate adventures ahead of her.
In the Bay area, the manzanita are showing clouds of dainty, pink blossoms. We do not have the usual masses of bees among the blossoms; I will hope they come.
Janet, Looks like the Armor All really brings up the shine on the Hunter boots. Or we can stay with the older boot "patina" for the vintage look. I'm uncomfortably close to vintage myself--I'll go for shiny boots.
Melanie, Thank you, and congrats on your exciting Book Contract!
Catherine, I agree, it's comforting to think of Psyche properly shod, instead of struggling along in sandals. Here's hoping that your manzanita are soon covered in bees, humming musically.
Watching the hummingbird in the red bee balm. So tiny---so beautiful---couldn't come from this world. Maybe there is a hummingbird planet?
DP, loved your list of garden loves (that's repetitive, but given the theme, it should be OK). Didn't know agastache was edible, so I learned something, too. Amid all the practicalities, it's good to step back and remember to enjoy our gardens.
I enjoyed other people's garden faves - one of the few disadvantages to living on the West Coast is the lack of fireflies. We do see the occasional glowworm here, though.
VW, I think I know which Brandenburg you mean - but I can't remember which one it is, either!
Jenny, Wow!
(And of course we would look like Godzillas on Planet Hummingbird)
Pomona, Glowworms? That's happy news! I respectfully request a future ID on the Brandenburg. The common name for agastache is anise hyssop, so I think I'm safe in encouraging my grandkids to eat those leaves.
Are we sure Psyche didn't levitate? Well, regardless, I like the idea of those Wellies. And what do I love? That my garden changes all the time...
TM, I believe Psyche was a mortal at this point in the story, squelching along in Wellies. Thank you for the reminder on enjoying the garden changes. It's too easy to try to resist winter weather instead of appreciating what it brings.
Congrats on you award. You love your flowers and all the beautiful things about nature. It is very clear to see. The pictures you show on your blog inspires others. Keep up the good work. Your blog means a lot to all of us.
Welcome Paula Jo! Thank you for your kind words.
I am in awe of your talent and clever wit, Daffodil planter. Combined with your bloggers clever comments, I stand mute. Well, okay, I'm sitting. Congratulations on your well-deserved award.
Spring: My camellias are blooming, bulbs are poking up through the ground and my fruit trees are budding. Please Dog no frost.
Astrid
Always enjoy your posts and belatedly, congrats on your blog award. This year California really can use those Wellies! I can't wait to see the wildflowers soon...
Jane (GardenGates)
I enjoyed your post even tho we are very different:) I have agastache but never tasted them (they smell great); wild violets are rampant and have replaced my grass; Rhodies aren't leafy enough; and the crows drive away my songbirds. Favorite things for me would be the scent of lilacs, butterflies in the sunlight and the first ripe tomato off the vine. Congrats on the award.
Marnie
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