What A Color!

Radiant Blue., a photo by Leenechan on Flickr.

I didn't realize how faded the flowers were on this poppy anemone when I first bought it. In person, the new flowers are the most amazing dark, denim blue.

I'm disheartened by how poorly these plants do in warmer weather. Maybe it was just the shock of the sudden temperature change? Either way, we won't be seeing 85 degrees for a little while. Unlike most plants, these babies seem to be perfectly happy to live indoors. Odd.

Good news.

"Prairie Harvest" is looking better today.

Our largest oriental poppy "Princess Victoria Louise" has a big hairy flowerbud growing from the base. Barring fungal infections and attacks by small mammals, we might actually see some perennial poppy blooms this year! I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

The purple lilac hedge is getting ready to bloom. I should have known, because this morning my allergies were so bad that tears kept pouring out of my right eye while I was eating breakfast. We can't bring any cut flowers inside but roses because everything else we grow is poisonous to cats, and it's just as well. I am most allergic to peonies and fragrant lilacs. They give me a big time sore throat. It's a miracle that I don't have pet dander allergies!

But oh, the floral arrangements we could make in the height of peony season...

Kristen and I are also keeping our fingers crossed that our white Chinese Tree Peony "Green-on-White Jade Tower" might actually bloom with its proper crown shape this year, rather than the single flowers we've been seeing for the past few years. It grew two feet taller this spring, so I think it's happy!

I have other things to write about besides flowers. I wonder if I'll ever get to that?