23 May 2016

Blooms

These flower photos might give you the wrong idea today. They were taken on Saturday, when we had sunny weather. Now we've been in a deluge for 24 hours. I lay awake much of the night listening to hard rain beat against the roof tiles and skylight windows up in the loft. And it's still raining now, but not as hard for the moment.


Anyway, the peonies out back have finally bloomed, as you can see above. They were growing here when we moved to Saint-Aignan in 2003. We had made an offer on the house in December 2002 and the deal was closed in April 2003. It's hard to believe it was so long ago.


Another spot of color that the people we bought from, Jean and Josette, left us are these purple-blue bellflowers around the front of the house. They put on a good display at this time of year and are perennials. As you can see, the amaryllis bulbs I brought back from North Carolina recently have started to bloom too. More photos when the rain stops.


Jean and Josette also left many rose bushes all around the house. Some of them are just starting to flower now. I hope the hard rain hasn't knocked the petals off the blooms. By the way, we often get very hard rains at this time of year.


Finally, one more shot of a peonie. Josette, who'll turn 89 in a few days, used to call this place « un havre de paix dans un océan de verdure » — "a haven of peace in an ocean of greenery" — and this time of year you can see why. Obviously, there are colors other than green, too.

17 comments:

  1. I love peonies almost as much as irises, along with wisteria and most other flowers! And your photos are great.

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    1. chm and I seem to have the same taste in flowers. Pivoines are so wonderful...they're showing up as cut flowers in our stores now; don't know how long they last in a vase, though. Of course, purple bearded iris will alwyas be my #1.

      I haven't a clue what the bellflowers are, though they are lovely. We don't see them here...that I've noticed.

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    2. Diogenes

      The bellflowers are sold as Phlox Subulata ( creeping Phlox) in North American nurseries. Blooms can be muddy hot pink, bright rose, and magenta and you can have some cultivars that are white, soft lavender-blue, clear pale pink to deep pink, clear scarlet, and lavender.

      If you like purple bearded iris, you should also look for 'Superstition' which has a mysterious dark purple/ebony black colour. Looks great in the late afternoon sun.

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    3. Bonjour Cousine,

      These blue bellflowers are not Phloxes, they're Campanula, and in this case, it looks like Campanula carpatica. If they sell it under the name of Plhox subulata, they don't know what they're talking about.It's a completely different plant.

      Have you ever seen a black iris? It is amazing!

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    4. P.S. I should have googled Superstition before answering you,Cousine. LOL
      A slightly more brownish iris used to be called deuil de Louis XVI. Cannot find it.

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    5. Beaver, thanks for the heads up on 'Superstition' - it looks amazing!

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    6. Bonjour Cousin ,

      It's my mistake - I didn't realize that Ken's garden is far ahead of mine and I didn't have a closer look at the enlarged picture to differentiate them. My creeping phloxes are blooming now and the campanula most probably by the end of June. I have both in my plate-bande so that there are always some blooms going on during our short spring/summer - thus my confusion.

      I have got the black irises in the front of the house facing west - thus my comment about the sun.

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  2. Despite yesterday's grotty weather... It is brighter now....and the sun is out!!
    The radar images show it should have just finished at yours....
    Give it a day and the potager should be just about right for working.
    Lovely pix...
    Reet cheery!!

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    1. We had 26 mm of rainwater in the gauge this morning. Add to that the 11 mm we got night before last, and ... well, way too wet.

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  3. I am sure you don't need my help with the rhubarb, but just in case, these are some lovely sites for some rhubarb ideas.

    http://madaboutmacarons.com/?s=rhubarb

    http://www.livingtastefully.com/passions-to-pastry-blog/rhubarb-galette-a-garden-tour-et-bisous

    Your flowers are a little slice of heaven. SoCal is too warm for the lovely peony and lilacs, so I live vicariously. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Thanks for those links. I'll have a look. We always have an abundance of rhubarb here.

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  4. Peonies are so beautiful and often last only a short time because of spring rains. Wonderful photos! I will have to wait a few weeks yet before my peonies are in bloom.

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  5. I love peonies ! and this color is wonderful .. I wish I could have on growing in a big pot on my terrace .

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  6. Josette's description is right on!

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  7. Obviously, you are a nurturer, Ken! You've kept those flowers of Josette's in tiptop condition as is evident for your photos!
    Yesterday I saw the light pink pivoines (didn't look for the species - I'll check when I return) for sale in large bunches. I live with deer so no chance I can grow them - I have to enjoy the ones I walk past or in photos/blogs!

    Mary in Oregon

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  8. So pretty! I'd call those blue ones campanula too; we have some.

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