A symphony of colours...Byline: Elizabeth Shaheen I frequently walk out into the garden with a book in hand and a cup of tea in the other, intending to become engrossed en·gross tr.v. en·grossed, en·gross·ing, en·gross·es 1. To occupy exclusively; absorb: A great novel engrosses the reader. See Synonyms at monopolize. 2. in the book. But within minutes I espy es·py tr.v. es·pied, es·py·ing, es·pies To catch sight of (something distant, partially hidden, or obscure); glimpse. See Synonyms at see1. a task that magnetises me to it for attention. Dead-heading the annuals and wildflowers is a demanding job at the moment. This is so necessary to pre-empt pre·empt or pre-empt v. pre·empt·ed, pre·empt·ing, pre·empts v.tr. 1. To appropriate, seize, or take for oneself before others. See Synonyms at appropriate. 2. a. an early curtain call, for otherwise they will concentrate on making seed rather than a second - and maybe more - flush of bloom. That's not to say that I don't allow the plants to seed down, for indeed I do, but by dead-heading them it prolongs the season. I am mesmerised by the sheer ingenuity and versatility of the garden plants. Our garden jewels awaken in me wondrous inspiration. It is a place of indulgence and fulfilment, igniting great euphoria and resonates in love. It is a place where I continuously experiment with new plants sown from seed and believe it or not, from a packet of mixed ornamental annual grasses we have "wheat" growing in the wildflower bed. Yes "wheat". It is as strong and as lush-green as the English pastures from whence it came. Each zephyr causes the picturesque ornamental grasses to undulate undulate /un·du·late/ (-lat) 1. to move in waves or in a wavelike motion. 2. to have a wavelike appearance, outline, or form.un´dulatory their blades of blue to emerald green to rich burgundy. They complement so many other flowers, whether in the garden or cut for the vase. These utilitarian plants are great gap fillers for our springtime beds and borders, and as their seed heads turn, with age, to skeleton ivory or rustic brown and even chocolaty brown they provide a second charm as their seed heads and foliage dry before lapsing to the ground, filled with the promise of a rebirth when nature - not I - dictates. A number of the bulbous bulbous /bul·bous/ (bul´bus) 1. bulbar. 2. shaped like, bearing, or arising from a bulb. bulbous having the form or nature of a bulb; bearing or arising from a bulb. Brodiaea "Koningin fabiola" are just budding-up as I write. The buds will burst forth displaying umbels Umbels is a flower cluster having stalked flowers arranged singly along an elongated unbranched axis, as in the lily of the valley, in which all the individual flower stalks arise in a cluster at the top of the peduncle and are of about equal length. of starry-blue flowers carried atop 50cm stems. The grassy foliage is richly green. It is from the onion tribe. The genus hails from western US and parts of South America. Perfect orange, starry to cup-shaped flowers are born from Ornithogalum dubium. These bulbous plants grow on the raised bed just by our front door. I praise them each time I pass them by, for they offer such sweet charm and are commonly known as "The Star-of-Bethlehem". Ornithogalum is a large genus of around 80 species native to Africa, Europe and western Asia. In the bog garden blooms an architectural phenomenon - Zantedeschia aethiopica. This magnificence is more readily known as the calla lily calla lily see zantedeschia aethiopica. or arum lily. Its swirling spathes are reminiscent of a white silken gown. They hold a story-book charm and I can just imagine fairies at play, swinging in and out from its spadix. Edging some borders - and some are planted in garden pockets and pots - are freesias. Their astounding a·stound tr.v. a·stound·ed, a·stound·ing, a·stounds To astonish and bewilder. See Synonyms at surprise. [From Middle English astoned, past participle of astonen, beauty perfumes the air and their presence in our garden causes me to marvel at how fortunate we are to live in a climate where we can grow such blooms of abundance. The Anemone anemone (ənĕm`ənē) or windflower, any of the perennial herbs, wild or cultivated, of the genus Anemone of the family Ranunculaceae (buttercup family). "St Brigid" has performed so beautifully, but, alas, its season will soon draw to a close. I shall allow the plants to die down completely. Then I shall dig up the corms and wash them off and leave them to dry in the shade. Once done, I shall store them until next autumn in a brown paper bag, either in the garage or in a cool cupboard in the house. Charm oozes from the Ranunculus Ranunculus a very large plant genus of family Ranunculaceae; the buttercups. All of them should be regarded as potentially poisonous. The species listed below have been reported as causing poisoning in animals. "Mischung Mixed". They have played such an important role in the garden symphony. Their simply gorgeous, rose-like blooms add such enchantment to the borders in shades of milk-white, soft-yellow, carroty-orange, rich-red to soft-pink - such perfection to marvel at. Ranunculus hail from temperate regions and are therefore suited for planting in our garden in late autumn to bloom in March. Another bog-lover is Mimulus
"Monkey Magic" has pristine-white blooms with contrasting splashes of vibrant red spots. This is the season of early spring and the garden is a flower concert - a joy to be in. Drifts and clouds of colour dance in the garden breeze. Although the effects of many are fleeting, it is so often their very evanescence ev·a·nesce intr.v. ev·a·nesced, ev·a·nesc·ing, ev·a·nesc·es To dissipate or disappear like vapor. See Synonyms at disappear. [Latin which bestows on so many of these plants their mystical magic. Copyright [c] 2008 Gulf Daily News Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |
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