I fell off the flower wagon
Remember how I was giving up flowers for Lent? I really meant it. What? This? No, it’s not a flower. It’s a colored pencil I was sketching with in the garden.
Oh all right. I’m busted. It’s almost a flower. One of my first spring indicators, in fact: ‘Amethyst Flame’ iris, a division from my old garden.
Since I’ve fallen off the wagon already, I may as well show you my budding Texas bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis ). Blue is such a coveted color in the garden. The bluebonnet can be relied on for true-blue color. Wait—is this another crazy pink bluebonnet? Oh no!
Well, there’s nothing crazy going on with the ‘Blue Elf’ aloe, whose coral-orange blossoms stand tall on asparagus-like stalks.
I take it back. There seems to be a flying pig on the loose over there.
At least the humble spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis ) is dependable. There’s nothing crazy happening here, just sweet, purple blossoms attracting the season’s earliest bees.
How could I have considered giving up such sweetness? No, it’ll have to be chocolate instead.
Ha!
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
I am sure I speak for all of your viewers – we are glad you had a change of mind. However, giving up chocolate might make you seem fanatical.
Truly, it would. Ah well, there’s no chance of that either. —Pam
Now honestly, Pam, did you really think you could give up flowers for more than, say…an hour or two? That would be stretching a confirmed gardening addict’s willpower much too thin.
Welcome back!
It’s lovely to see your first spring indicators while white is still the prevailing color here. I’d settle for seeing a flying pig. Anything to break up the monotony 🙂
I wish I could send a flying pig or two your way, Kerri. Or, better, an iris or two. Hang in there. —Pam
The first picture of the iris could almost pass for a colored pencil. I wish they could actually make one with a rich shimmery purple color like that. I would probably find myself coloring like a kid again if they did.
Colored pencils have come a long way since we were kids, Robin. There are sparkly ones nowadays, though I still prefer the old matte finish myself. —Pam
Gosh, that little “flower fast” didn’t last very long. I on the other hand, am still going strong giving up weeds for Lent. Oh, and love that pink bluebonnet, or is that a pinkbonnet? Anyway, it’s going to be pretty!
I know you remember the “pinkbonnets” from last Spring Fling, Carol. When I dug up a few seedlings to bring to my new garden, it looks like I collected those renegades instead of the original blue ones I prefer. But I’ve made such a fuss here at Digging over the accidental purchase of those thriving pink ones that they may become one of my signature plants. Now would be ironic. —Pam
Hahaha. The title of your post made me laugh. This time of year would be really hard to give up flowers. 🙂 I love the pictures. Thanks for the smile.
You’re welcome, G4L. I’m glad you enjoyed the forbidden flowers. 😉 —Pam
Oh welcome back, Pam! No one thinks any less of you for falling off the wagon. You made me take a second look at the pencil! For just a second you made me think it really was a pencil.
It really does look like one, doesn’t it? That or a witch’s pointy fingernail. —Pam
I, for one, am relieved that you fell off the wagon…I don’t know if I could last 6 weeks without a flower post from Digging! Especially, now when your gardens are so alive with springtime blooms! Are you sure you don’t want to rethink that chocolate decision! Gail
Ah, you know me too well, Gail. Giving up chocolate or flowers would be a hardship. —Pam
Not chocolate and certainly not plants, Pam! You have the most wonderful pots. And that pig! I came very close to buying a flying pig similar to that but multi-colored in Edom last week. Next time perhaps…
Brenda
It’s fun, that pig. I got mine at Round Top antique weekend. —Pam
Good luck with the chocolate, Pam. Weak and spineless, I’ve never been able to make it through Lent without succumbing to its temptation 🙂
Giving up chocolate was a joke just like the flowers, Joey. I know myself too well to make that sort of promise. 😉 —Pam
Giving up flowers for Lent? What were you thinking of? Glad you decided to give up chocolate instead, much more easy, wouldn’t you say?
Hmm, that’s a tough one, YE. Luckily I’m not really giving up either! —Pam
Sorry you fell off the wagon, sort of, I love the photos!!
I’m glad you enjoyed them, Darla. —Pam
You need to make easier sacrifices like me. For Lent I’m giving up on Spring. I believe the first sign of spring this year will be seeing pigs flying north in a sausage formation.
I can see why you might give up on Spring, Wiseacre, after all the ice and snow you’ve been posting about. But wasn’t the ice melting? —Pam
I for one did not believe your resolve for one minute!
I couldn’t fool you, Nicole! —Pam
If you gave up flowers for lent, you’d seriously bum me out. I’m just now learning everything I can about local flowers that attract local pollinators and other beneficial bugs!
My biggest bee and butterfly attractors at this time of year, Karl, are Mexican plum, native spiderwort, Carolina jessamine, Anacacho orchid tree, and Salvia greggii (which is almost in bloom). —Pam
Hi Pam, not fooled here, although I did study the first photo for a while trying to figure if it could possibly be a colored pencil. Everything looks so fresh and happy, the sun must have been just right and is not too hot yet either. Hope you are enjoying your days in the new baby garden. But giving up chocolate would be tough to do. One year I gave up gum and didn’t even miss it. One year I gave up shaving my legs! Don’t try it, it gets too warm for long pants all that time in Austin. I was in PA at the time, not a problem there. HA:-)
Frances
That’s funny, Frances, although I have to say that giving up shaving doesn’t sound like much of a sacrifice to me. 😉 —Pam
Another pink bluebonnet … it’s as difficult for Rice grads to tolerate that Aggie Maroon as it is for UT grads! That reminds me, I saw a neighbor one alley over watering the edge of the utility easement yesterday. I couldn’t tell from where I was standing but I think he might have bluebonnets growing there. I believe I’ll walk down there now to see!
I can only just stand it by calling it pink, Cindy. If you call it Aggie maroon this Rice owl may have to pull it out. —Pam
I can’t imagine giving up chocolate OR flowers Pam! I’m glad you fell off the wagon – I’m enjoying the spring preview. It’ll still be awhile before spring makes it to Chicago.
But I bet when it gets there it arrives with a bang. I can’t wait to see a Chicago spring during the Spring Fling. —Pam
Of course I chuckled over this title after reading your last post! And then giggled over Frances’ confession about not shaving her legs. Isn’t Lent supposed to involve a sacrifice of some sort? It would be no sacrifice for me to give up razor burn! Lovely flower pictures. Not even my hellebore is blooming in my garden yet. Patience is STILL a virtue, right? – VW
Especially for gardeners, VW. I hope you thaw out soon! —Pam
I had a feeling that wasn’t going to last! I’m glad you fell off the wagon so we can all enjoy images of your lovely flowers.
I had a feeling it wouldn’t last too, MMD. 😉 —Pam
Love it. Reminds me of how beautiful the pointy little hosta eyes look in the spring when they are only peeking out of the ground at about two inches – each variety a different color. Fresh and beautiful.
Sometimes it takes a close observer to enjoy spring growth even before it unfurls. Gardeners are good at that though. —Pam
I’m so glad you didn’t have to give up the flowers. It does look like a pencil and a beautifully colored one at that. Nada blooming here but it won’t be long. The snowdrops so want a warm day to burst out of their sheaths. The crocus to follow. Who knew aloe could be so pretty.
What surprised me about aloes is how hardy some of them can be. An African variety grows in the ground in my old garden and blooms wonderfully. ‘Blue Elf’ is cold-tender though. —Pam
I’m glad you slipped. No flower photos for us for the entire 40 days. That would be too painful. I’m loving that iris. Does it stay that dark blue?~~Dee
It’s really more purple than it looks here, Dee. But quite pretty nevertheless. —Pam
Pam, until today, I have never seen a pink bluebonnet. Was that a “happy accident?” I love it. Where can I get some seeds? If you’re really digging yours up, email me and I’ll come right over.
kat
Hi, Kat. As I understand it, Texas A&M horticulturalists instituted a state-wide search for a pink or red bluebonnet a few years ago, and then they bred some naturally occurring ones for the Aggie maroon hue. I prefer blue bluebonnets, and I only ended up with pink ones due to a mislabeling at the local nursery. I’m not wild about them, but they’ve been a running joke in my garden for a year, so I can’t bring myself to pull them up. 😉
I’m sure you can find them at any nursery around town. Or I could try to save you some seeds, but apparently if blue ones are growing nearby they will cross-pollinate, and next year’s pinks may revert to blue. —Pam
I saw some of these aloes actually blooming while in TX. They are even more beautiful
when seen in person. Giving up flowers for Lent??? That sounds very severe to me. teehee
I’m glad you saw some aloes blooming while in South Texas, Lisa. They are so exotic looking, aren’t they? —Pam
Pig or no big, the very fact that aloe is blooming is quite noteworthy to me!
They’re different, aren’t they? My ‘Blue Elf’ would be a good hummingbird magnet if any hummers were here this early. —Pam
As much as I’d like to, I’m not going to say “I told you so!” Nope, not me. I’m not like that.