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Pics of the garden from early May

These photos were taken by my horticulturalist sister when she visited early in May, along with her (likewise horticulturalist) friend and our two nieces (our brother's daughters). Big, fantastic visit. It was raining, with discouraging results for what had been a fabulous though early spring flowering, but out we went all the same. So, here goes:


'Général Schablikine'


'Mme. Gregoire Staechelin', also known as 'Spanish Beauty'. This is a poor grower for me.


'Jaune Desprez' drooping under the rain.


'Etoile de Lyon', and just as fabulous as this shot suggests. The beetles are tragically fond of this variety. I spent some time this spring training a portion of it up onto the small pergola over the path that leads out of the yard, and cutting back canes that had invaded 'Blush Noisette' and other areas where it had no business being. My experience has been that all Teas with lengthen their canes and climb if given support; I hope EdL will do the same. The rose chafers seem less ready to attack blooms that are hanging down, as from the top of the pergola, so I hope I'll have more near-flawless flowers to admire when next it comes into bloom.


We had an early spring and have not been enjoying the early summer: it's been hot, sticky, dry with it all, and generally unpleasant. Yesterday the weather changed. In the afternoon thunder began to rumble in the sultry sky as the clouds formed and rose. I was visiting friends over in the next valley, higher and closer to the mountains than we are, and after a while my friend sent me off home to avoid my getting caught in a deluge. At home we were treated to a prolonged spectacle of wind, lightning, and thunder, before, around dusk, it finally began to rain. I don't know how much precipitation we got, but I can hear the water running in the drainage at the bottom of our valley, and that's a good sign. A good watering of our own land would certainly be welcome, but rain up in the mountains is good, too, as it goes to fill the reservoir which supplies our water. This morning is cool, fresh, and foggy, and oh so beautifully green.



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