Thursday, July 20, 2017

The sacrificial pears


1 month ago, 2 weeks ago, 3 days ago

I dread having to thin fruit but this year the nashi decided to take a break from last year's abundance of blossoms and produced only one cluster of flowers. That cluster turned out 5 perfectly shaped pears and from past experience we knew that either a few go, or we end up with puny fruit or nothing at all.

Well, the nashi must've done a happy dance every time we cut one off. From left to right: a month ago, 2 weeks ago, and 3 days ago. I just checked the tree and the remaining 2 are TWICE the size of the third one.

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Sunday outing at a lotus and water lily fair


Apparently all things to do with gardening are never quite over and done with (the last transplant went into the ground weeks ago) as long as there are events out there to catch my fancy. I had this water lily event in Cittadella highlighted because my first thought was "Water plants? Why not!"


Of course that was my garden-obsessed self speaking, because no matter what crazy ideas ran through my head, the MotH wasn't having a pond, however small, installed in an area known to attract frogs, toads, water snakes (harmless), and God-knows-what-else the dogs might kill and drag into the house. Our neighbor had a fish pond within earshot of our bedroom; the toad that inhabited it would croak all night long. My husband was sure to remind me of this if I had tried to argue the aesthetics of ninfea floating in a limpid man-made pool.


Somewhere in the not-too-distant future I will have one of these in my yard. I can always argue that they're cheaper than expensive jewelry and designer perfume. We didn't leave empty-handed though, as these plants demonstrate.


Mediterranean Creeping Thyme


Large-leaf shiso


‘Frans Hal’ daylily

Today's high: 31°C / 88°F