Amaryllis..you are not too smart!

My meanderings take me a lot further down "Memory Lane" than actual footage on the hillside.  More oft than not, I come across something that causes a flood of memories to fill the mind.  I am thoroughly happy to say that most if not all of these memories are happy ones.  Perhaps this is one of those sure signs of aging or perhaps I cannot shake the upbringing that I had as a wee one on the farm.   There was always a lot happening back on that farm contrary to the current popular belief that farm life is relaxed and "laid back".  Far from it...life was not easy nor was it "laid back".  Sure we had a lot of fun just being kids but we also did a lot of work.  Nowadays it would be called "child abuse" but back then it was called "doing our chores".  None of us considered it to be wrong, abusive nor mistreatment in any way.  It was just life.  I had to laugh when my oldest son, Mark, set up this blog thing.  The whole thing was his idea and he presented me with the format all preset.  All I had to do was write...hmmm..fine..I would write.  What amused me was that one line under the title..."Living the simple life on the Mississippi Gulf Coast"!  Ha!  The merely brings up connotations that I am a "lady of leisure"!  Again..far from it.  I rise at dawn and set to work early.  The yard and garden require daily attendance.  The housework, canning, laundry and cooking cannot be left undone.  Later, if and when I have time, I work on art pieces or crafts.  Finally...I write!

But now I have wandered completely off course from my meanderings.  Today, I came across a lovely Amaryllis in bloom.  This is the first one for this season and I was tickled pink!  This particular Amaryllis is no special hybrid but just one of the throwbacks to a time long ago.  Pop always raised hundreds of the flowers.  He took special care of his bulbs..they were his pride and joy.  I had many before Hurricane Katrina washed them to parts unknown but now I have just a few.  Mark and Joanna (son and daughter-in-law) did give me some of the hybrids a few years ago. Hopefully, they will bloom again this year.  But this one was just what Pop called his "Old Place" lilies.  I am supposing that his mom grew them as well.  I recall how the driveway on the farm made a huge circle..no, more of a teardrop shape..on the west side of the house.  It was in the "V" of this teardrop that Pop had a huge flower garden filled with Amaryllis bulbs.  Every spring, the bed would be a vast array of colors.  The blooms would all bob their heads in the gentle breezes and be one gigantic blob of reds, oranges, pinks and whites.  Pop was always partial to the whites while Mom loved the dark reds.  Me?  I love them all!

A few of the Amaryllis from Mark and Joanna.  These have not bloomed this year,  yet.

There is a legend about how the Amaryllis got its name.  It seems that mythology says that a young maiden named Amaryllis was deeply in love with a handsome shepherd (or gardener depending on who is telling the tale!) named Alteo.  Though Amaryllis was quite lovely, the young man was more interested in plants and flowers than courtship. (hmmm?)  He made the statement that only the maiden that could bring him a new flower would receive his love. Amaryllis visited an oracle to get a bit of advice.  The oracle told her to pierce her heart with a golden arrow every evening and then walk the trail to his house. She was to do this for thirty days in a row.  (Well, that right there would have done it for me...nope, not piercing my heart with any arrow..golden or not!)  Still, Amaryllis did what she was told and, of course, left a trail of blood behind her on the the trail. (Obviously, contrary to medical knowledge, piercing one's heart with a golden arrow will not lead to instant death!  And..you can still make a hike to see your beloved after doing so!) Ok..back to the story!  On the last day, she pierced her heart, started to bleed and left on that hike.  No sooner had she started down the trail than she found lovely flowers that had never been seen before!  She grabbed up armloads and toted them to Alteo.  He was amazed!  He had never seen such beauty..oh, and Amaryllis suddenly did not seem so bad either!  They were married and the new flower was named after the girl..Amaryllis..of course.  Aww...such a lovely tale!  Ha!!! I think not!  Sounds to me like that guy was a jerk and Amaryllis did not have a lot of sense in that pretty little head!  But at least our flower had a name!  Amaryllis..one showy flower!

Meandering the Garden Path

The wind whipped the petals off of many of the roses today, which made the garden look a bit bare. There are many, many buds still on the bushes so in a few days the rose garden will again be dotted with color and not be just a thorn garden. I am having a problem with black spot on the leaves this year and have decided to try a "home remedy" of apple cider vinegar with a few other ingredients added in for good measure. Once I figure out just what all would be helpful, I will post a recipe for the spray.

Although the wind tore up most of the roses, the jasmine and Deutzia Scabra held their blossoms well. These must be some tough plants! The Deutzia Scabra is full of snow-white "feathers" and is a cutting off of a bush from long ago at my parents' house. Theirs sat at the corner of a large circle driveway and was quite massive. Mine, though, is still small even though it is about ten years old. It has had a difficult time growing. Hurricane Katrina literally ripped it from the ground and buried it under a pile of debris. There it sat for several months until I was able to dig it out. Once I located it, the Deutzia Scabra was replanted and then had to be moved again once the gardens were designed. All of that moving could not have created the best of growing conditions, but still, it blooms on, proving that this is one tough plant! Hubby calls it the "Feather Tree" because of the appearance of the blooms. This year once it finishes its bloom cycle, I will trim it back and root a few cuttings. It should do well.

Other plants that are holding their own through the wind are the Amaryllis blooms. As large as these flowers are, they are pretty sturdy. These were gifts from my son and daughter-in-law. The bulbs that they sent were of a nice, healthy size and have bloomed every year. This year, a few must have multiplied as I have four new ones in the garden. I love the soft rose color of this one named the "Susan". Also a few "wild" or throwbacks to the original Amaryllis have shown up this year. These "Old World" bulbs have sort of an orangish tint to them and are striped with yellowish-white. They are small in comparison to the others but I still think there is a place for them in the garden.

A bit further down the pathway are the irises. I am pleased to see that the purple irises are in full bloom and are loaded with buds, but for some reason, my yellows have never set any buds. I am wondering if I should lift them out of their bed and replant them in a better place. Perhaps the yellows need more water. I might try potting a few and sink them in the pond. I would love to make a "bog garden" some day. I think the irises, elephant ears and water hyssop would do well there. In the creek bed, ferns, irises, and water hyssop abound, so I just need to "create a creek"!

Then there are the weeds! Most people will call Oxalis a weed but I rather like the little blooms so I let it grow where it will. This is also known as wood sorrel and grows from a tiny bulb. It grows wild in the woods, ditches and fields but since it has taken up residence in my gardens, it is now a landscaping plant! I love the natural way this plant will spill out of container gardens, fill up empty spaces between larger plants and blend right in with the vegetables in that garden. The stems and leaves of the plant contain oxalic acid so some care should be used with the plant. Not that there is enough to cause immediate problems but still care should be taken. This little plant can have free rein in the garden as far as I am concerned!