Garden Exchange Extravaganza

Well. 

 This wonderful fifth season, Sprummer I call it, has produced one merry March.  Watching lilacs, iris and peonies bloom and blossom this early in the year has truly been a phenomenon that leaves us shaking our heads and tsk tsking over what April and May perhaps will look like.

The excitement of the early blooms that bring peonies and red buds budding at the same time, reached the interest of our Gardening Exchange.  A garden tour in March has formerly been unheard of but we gardeners pay no mind to the calendar when it comes  to admiring the bounty that this March has brought forth.

 Gardening Gail jumped on the Garden Tour bandwagon for the season by hosting at her home last night. GG is located on a well traveled corner of our little community and she is known for the floral displays that she affords us all in most seasons.  I could not wait to see in detail all the floribunda that I had been admiring in my car as I passed her home.  I was not disappointed.  The colors, the textures and the aromas of the first blossoms of spring filled my senses and creative tank.  I asked GG if she if ever could remember lilacs in March and she stated that she thought it was a first.  Gardening Gail is a timeless, I presume octogenarian, and I trust her memory to affirm what I already suspected: This Has Been One Crazy Season.  First, no winter to speak of and then, the earliest of bloomery in recent memory.

 Gardening Gail will tell us the real name for the flowers that she produces and the history behind them.  I know I should write this information down, but in the midst of the tour and the oohing and ahhing over each distinct, beautifully designed flower (thank you God!), I just never get around to that helpful detail.

 I did, however, photo document most of the varieties that were on parade last night in their Sprummer finery.  To be around a group of women obviously so enthralled with this year's display of God's artistry, well, it certainly was a lovely diversion from the cares of the world.....


GG certainly knows how to keep us coming back, providing a feast for the eyes then a yummy sandwich supper complete with homemade bread and two desserts!
See what I mean?

 Feast your eyes of Gardening Gail's lovely garden.  If you need to know a name of any of these, I can find out for you.  Go ahead; give me another excuse to visit GG's expansive yard again!

 

 Lenten Rose, Hellebore

 Lenten Rose in it's early color.

 The richest, most fragrant lilac I have ever encountered.  We all just pulled down branches and breathed deeply.  Heaven must smell like this...

 A small fragrant white lilac...

 This beautiful pine stands guard over the the yard.  It's strong lines called for sepia.

And I finished with the beloved dogwood.  I just read the legend of the dogwood this week.  The legend says the the wood used for the cross of Jesus was a strong tall dogwood.  After using this wood for the deadly deed, the tree was cursed for ever growing large and tall again. And to remind us every Lenten season, it's flower would be in the form of a cross; four petals with the tinge of 'blood' on each side.
That is the legend.  A good reminder of the season as we look on in awe the beauty of the season.  Thank you Father....






                                                 .........................................................






(P.S. I brought along a photo of my Crazy Wild Wisteria to Garden Exchange.  After giving it it's proper due, GG proclaimed that we should all go over to my house to see this beauty.  The evening wore on and as we prepared to leave, GG shot up and said, 'We need to leave now to see the wisteria!'  We gathered our things and shot out of the door, eager to beat the sunset....In the blue gray light of an early spring sunset, we gathered by my pergola to stand in awe of the amazingness of it all.  A wonderful finale to a wonderful evening.  Twelve years ago when I planted the wisteria, and a few years later when Hubby built my pergola just for it, I could never have envisioned the lovely annual treat that God had in store for me.  Surpassed my wildest imaginations....Thank you Lord.....)