Monday, May 9, 2011

Blue Lobelia

Last year my dad started a new fundraiser for his Kiwanis Club, the Mother's Day weekend flower sale. It was a wild success, as was the second annual event this past weekend. He modeled it on the Kiwanis flower sale in Akron, Ohio, after visiting family and hearing about it there.

So, loyal to my dad, the local Kiwanis causes, and to flowers, I added sweet annuals to my perennial gardens yesterday.  I love tiny blue trailing lobelia, so that is in a couple hanging pots. I am also hoping my fantastic Swingtime Fucshia returns in its pot! Something is growing in there! Last year it bloomed gloriously, was entirely eaten by caterpillars, then bloomed gloriously again.

Meanwhile, violets (the state flower) are blooming in the yard, along with wild strawberry. Both of these infiltrate the garden beds. My friend Lorel laughed when I told her I transplanted violets from the back yard to the front, as she yanks out and tosses all wild violets, but I am still trying to get something to grow naturally and return in front, shaded by two large trees.  The violets are taking, and the lily-of-the-valley are valiantly returning.

Speaking of valiant, my poetry workshop, given the assignment of a poem-a-day in April, survived and resumed yesterday at the picnic table on my patio! With sparkling Prosecco and Rex-Goliath Free Range Red. Wine, poetry, beautiful blue sky on Mother's Day.  What could be better?

If you need some blue lobelia, and didn't have a Kiwanis flower sale fundraiser handy, you can go here for these.

6 comments:

Nancy Devine said...

i'm envious of your planting. it's still early here. we could still get snow. ;)

Hannah Stephenson said...

Lovely flowers...sadly, I do not have a knack for gardening :(.

Glad to hear the writing is going well, too!

Sandy Longhorn said...

Beautiful flowers and perfect for a blue Monday post. Thanks! I am so jealous of your poetry workshop. It sounds delightful and supportive.

Kathleen said...

We've had a cold, late spring, Nancy, but not as cold as yours!

Hannah, mostly I admire other people's gardens. Mine is a wild Eden that I tend, somewhat vaguely, trying to plant and position perennials so it will eventually tend itself! But I do love these annuals and spots of color!

Sandy, yes, it is such a nice group. I'm the "teacher," but I learn so much!

Maureen said...

Gorgeous violets and lobelia. I have just a couple of small places where I can plant flowers and anything I plant has to take lots of sun and trend toward little water. Geraniums do well but I'd like to find something a bit more lush and exciting.

Kathleen said...

Lantana, native to Australia and sort of invasive there, I hear, thrives in the sun and during the dry times here in the United States, Maureen. It comes in all kinds of wild colors, and multi-colors! It's an annual here in the Midwest, not making it through the winter.

These are actually both lobelia!