10 June 2008

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day--The Meconopsis edition


Because Carol is a wonderfully gracious and understanding gardener and blogger, I know she'll forgive me for posting a bit of a bloom day report ahead of schedule. Because with our weather, who knows what will be happening by Sunday, when Garden Blogger's Bloom Day is really scheduled to happen?

Things are chaotic here. Not only am I busy with work, etc, backed up with emails to answer and other things to do, the weather has been moody as all get out. Decent enough during the day--after the fog lifts--warm, even hot, and raining almost every night. As a result the garden is LUSH with growth, from poppy seedlings to perennials and shrubs to weeds. Yes, weeds. I have plenty. I call them native plants for the most part.

However, one part of the garden is in reasonably decent control, because it's planted so profusely that it mostly controls its weeds. This is the part out front by the door. When I go out to fill the hummingbird feeders, I'm invariably smitten by a rainbow of flowers, foliage and fragrance. But I didn't see this coming yesterday.


The photo at the top of this post was taken on Sunday afternoon--less than 48 hours ago. This photo above was taken about an hour ago. What do you see? I thought you might notice it.

Regular readers of bloomingwriter know that there are some plants that give me fits. Yarrow, Russian sage, and others that want perfect winter drainage usually expire for me. Tomatoes ripen ONLY in the greenhouse (after they finally get planted, of course). But there are many things that grow well here, and for inscrutable reasons, I do fine with the coveted blue poppy, Meconopsis betonicifolia. We have a few plants, and normally I add one or two each year just in case some of them arbitrarily die (that happens) or behave monocarpically, flowering and THEN dying (that also happens).

Three years ago tomorrow, my beloved father died of Alzheimers disease. It's hard to believe it's been three years already, and yet he'd really been gone from us since about 2001, lost in the hideous fog of Alzheimers. A few short days later that summer--on Father's Day--one of my Meconopsis bloomed for the first time. I went on to put that flower's photo on the cover of my first gardening book. (Optimistically, I call it my first book. Whether I go ahead and finish a second one is still up in the air).

Tomorrow will be an introspective day. I don't talk to people much on that day, other than family members, and am inclined to disappear somewhere, whether into the woods on my horse or down the road to somewhere else. Or I might just sit in the garden and look at the message that my Dad sent to me today. Tomorrow, it will be fully open.

Thanks, Dad. Still miss you, and always will.

17 comments:

  1. I know your memories will be of great comfort to you today. Beautiful photo of that elusive blue poppy most of us cannot grow.

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  2. Jodi, I truly believe some things are not just coincidence. They happen to bring us comfort. I hope you are comforted by the blue poppy. May your memories be only good ones.

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  3. Jodi, I hope you find peace in the blue poppy.

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  4. The universe is really an interesting place, and I think the plants and flowers are far wiser than we are.

    Congrats on the ever-elusive-for-the-rest-of-us blue poppies!

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  5. What a sweet and tender tribute to your dear dad, Jodi.

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  6. The rules committee of the Garden Bloggers Bloom Day (that's me) have agreed that your early post is certainly allowed, and appreciated. The blue poppy is beautiful and knowing that it reminds you of your father, makes it all that more special.

    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

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  7. Your dear father is surely smiling down upon you today.

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  8. Some days, I can feel my dad's arm around my shoulders. Sounds like you had one of those moments. Being able to grow the blue poppies is a sign of how special you are. Sending you a big hug, Jodi.

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  9. Thank you for sharing the special significance this poppy has for you, Jodi. While all of us may envy this lovely blue poppy, I think there is a reason why it grows in your garden. Wishing you nothing but good memories.

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  10. Hey Jodi, how are you doing? I love the pictures, very good! I wanted to let you know that I have tagged you today. You can read the details on my blog here http://ayardinfortpierce.blogspot.com/2008/06/tagged-by-patient-gardener.html
    I hope you come and play with us. Have a great day!

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  11. Having lost a parent - I can relate to the introspective feeling you get on that anniversary day. Gardens can be a wonderful comfort during those times ...

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  12. Hi there Jodi, glad I popped by tonight :-)

    I always think of you when I look at my meconopsis and mine is in flower now also but coincidently on Sunday it is Father’s Day here in the UK too.

    What can I possible say that would be of comfort to you? Just know that we will all be thinking of you :-D

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  13. Well, not surprisingly - this post put tears into my eyes. Having just 'celebrated' my first Mother's Day without my Mom (with her having passed away only three weeks prior) sure made me realize how for years this day will be one where I, too, will want to hide away with my own thoughts - and will have to find my own new way to celebrate. How wonderful that you have that blue poppy blooming! (They're beautiful, by the way - but I can only say that from a distance, since they aren't very happy down here). For the past two months I have been slowly planting different things from my Mother's Virginia garden into my own - a few blueberry bushes, many different kinds of irises, anemones, and lilies - all flowers that I'm sure that I'll wander around in on Mother's Days to come.

    What a wonderful post. I hope your Sunday goes well, and I'm sure that alot of folks will be sending you warm thoughts. I know that I will.

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  14. Jodi, I truly believe in these beautiful signs. Now I realize the significance of the blue poppy for you. Tomorrow will be my first Father's Day without my dad, who passed away on Easter morning. I as well will be looking to the garden to see what message might have been sent my way:).

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  15. What a beautiful tribute to your dad! I have not tried growing these. I think I must!! I have 2 peach poppies that would be delightful with these.
    Remember a few months ago when I asked for advice on a fence? Well we have been building a custom fence for our front garden, Stop by and see. It should all come together in the next 2 weeks as the local Garden Tour is coming through then!
    Carol
    terranovadesign.blogspot.com

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  16. A beautiful meconopsis photograph - very special.

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