I took a few days off to relax after many straight days of work. I lucked into decent weather so I made time to commune with my garden.
This poor little Spirea bush has been taunting me for a few years now. I love its lime green leaves next to the purple of the Campanula Glomerata. It is a prize winning combination. But the bush has been dying off in bits and pieces each year.
This year was the worst. About 80% of the bush is not leafing out- no amount of pruning will hide this fact. I have always had difficulty in giving up on a plant that is not quite dead. I feel it has a certain right to keep trying.
Unfortunately gardening is about creating beauty. This bush is not beautiful. So I began the terrible task of surgically removing its ugliness from the masses of young Campanula.
I consoled myself with some visions of health & beauty, like the just leafing out Smoke Bush & White Bearded Iris.
Or the electric blue of the almost unwelcome guest of Ajuga.
Or the silvery lamb's ear next to a pink azalea.
I was astride my trusty steed. The sun raking obliquely across the field of oats (or maybe not). When suddenly our eyes locked and we both stood still. Unable to speak.... to name what was happening to the both of us. It was, it was..... it was.....
