Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Thanks for the nectar

I didn't know that a peony bud and a black ant were the perfect couple. Thanks to a phenomenon called biological mutualism, the ant sips a tiny bit of nectar from the bud without disfiguring it, while the peony benefits from the ant's predatory nature as it wards off other insects that can harm the flowers.There are so many surprises in a garden. The biggest surprise will of course be actually harvesting fruits and vegetables.That's all some weeks away since the last frost in Minnesota is sometime around Mother's Day, and things are just getting started. A few weeks ago I didn't know what any of these things popping out of the ground were. I can name them all now, and I've learned not to believe everything I read about them. Dame's rocket and Solomon's seal are a weeds (a.k.a.wildflowers with a propensity for spreading) according to some, but I'm hoping they pop up again next year. My goal is to have a garden full of native plants, very loosely choreographed--a bit shaggy around the edges where it meets a lawn that, I hope, will be taken over by wild clover.
Going outside is the first thing I want to do in the mornings, or at least walk around looking out all of my windows. It's a kaleidescope out there. A turn of a calendar page changes blossons to leaves, or a blooming redbud to a blooming Japanese barberry. One day the pinkie-sized flowers of the false starry lily are replaced by lillies of the valley.In a week a dead looking stump transforms into a grape vine. Soon the ferns will be knocking on the windows asking to be let in.
Bob Dylan is 80, and in a couple months I'll be asking where all the flowers have gone.

4 comments:

Julesarose said...

Best part of the day: waking up, and going outside with the dog to check what's new. And clear the rabbits and squirrels out of the yard.

Debby said...

I just have to know. Is your banner picture Afghanistan?

Denise Emanuel Clemen said...

It’s Ryolite. A ghost town near Death Valley.

Milky Tea said...

Hi Denise. I was visiting my blog (Sinners Almanac) which you kindly frequented way back then 😄. I was visiting my old posts to collect pics of my brother (he passed away some years back) in which post you commented. And just wanted to say Hiya! You can reconnect with me at my email if you have it already. If not just holler at me here. I will give it to you in a pm or something. In that post you said you like Sufi stories, nothing like em! Hehehe. Well praying the Lord is keeping you safe and smiling outside and inside. 🤲😊🤲