20 May 2014

L'ancolie

We have a patch of garden where the flowers called ancolies or columbines come up every year. They're perennials. There are blue ones and pink ones.



I got three garden plots tilled up yesterday. For two of them it was the second tilling of the season. They are definitely ready for planting. The third plot was one that we had let fill in with weeds, and tilling it was like tilling ground that hadn't ever been tilled before. It was hard work, in other words, for both me and the machine, but I think that plot is ready for planting now too. There's one more plot to till, and it also has grown over, so it won't be easy. The ground here is hard, rocky clay.

Vegetable gardening is hard work. When the weather brings us a good garden and good crops, however, it's worth it.

10 comments:

  1. I am sure your hard work will be rewarded many times over.

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  2. The act of veg gardening is the best gym membership out....
    it pays for itself!!
    In the UK those flowers are called Aquilegias...
    but my Gran called them her Granny's Bonnets...
    the main wild form is blue, in different shades...
    there are wonderful cultivated versions in many different shades...
    some idiots have even created "double" versions that, in my opine, just look an untidy mess.
    Have fun tilling...
    the ground will be easier after today's rain...
    won't it? Please....!

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    Replies
    1. Tim:
      In the Eastern United States, as far as I know, wild Columbine is a brownish yellow.

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    2. chm...
      they occur all across the Northern hemisphere...
      it will be crossing the one you know with the European and other varieties that have given us the wonderful rainbow of colours that we can now buy the seed of....
      at great expense [25 €cents a packet at Lidl!!]

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  3. Those pink flowers are so beautiful. We also call them aquilegias but the name "columbine" sounds prettier - rather Shakespearian.
    We have some in our garden that are such a dark purple that they are almost black. They're one of the things I will miss when we move, but luckily they're easy to replace and grow.

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    Replies
    1. Jean, try digging one up, putting it in a pot and bringing it with you! If it likes you, it will survive. P.

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  4. I think of you and your huge veggie garden(s) whenever I am doing my tiny little plot of tomatoes... or even a new hosta bed... or even hauling a bag of mulch. I know that you have a great tiller (thank heavens!), but, still, it's so much work!

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  5. Vegatables garden means a lot of work but you have have healthy veggies. So it worth working.

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  6. We've got columbines that come up everywhere - blues and pinks and all shades in-between as I think they like to share!

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