Deadhead Flower Patch

Well, hello Delphinium. I see you've already made a little lady friend. 🐞

Happy Spring Equinox to all. 💚

This year I've been trying to grow healthier habits. It has been an upward climb. Mental and physical health have been at the forefront. Things like giving my own body the same bounty of water I give to the plants. The simple yet painstaking act of cooking myself nutritious meals. Going to sleep at a reasonable hour. Resuming counseling. Cutting back on social media (posting, especially). I even made the difficult but necessary decision to put my primary business (and all consuming passion for the last ten years) up for sale.

Like the garden, I've grappled with natures challenges and obstacles. Some of it made me stronger. But some left marks. Marks that made my stems a little more crooked and my petals a little less pristine. Marks that changed who I am at my very roots...

And during all of this, the garden still grew. Still had sweet bird song on the breeze. Still had lively bumbles flitting between the beds before turning sleepy and dozing in the dahlias instead. Still surprised with unexpected and hidden treasures.

Still blossomed despite anything and everything that another season threw at it.

It remained one of the very best teachers.

And now its time for rest.
So today I tucked in the tulips and daffodils for their winter sleep. And as I did, I let myself bask in those warm (and fleeting) rays of sun. I let the ants crawl on me, and the lady bugs inspect me. I enjoyed the finches and their song, and I got dirt under my nails (and, let's face it, everywhere else).

I also completely undid all the good work my massage therapist did on me this morning. 😅 But thats how it goes. Growth, and healing, and life... are messy.
So we may as well dig in the dirt.

"Flower work
is
not easy.
Remaining
soft in fire
takes
time."

-Nayyirah Waheed

The flowers that were a "let down" last year, have been the stars this year. Nature is a funny thing. Sweet Peas and Phlox are thriving, and the Dahlias are slowly being coaxed by the warmer temps.

The Anemones are being extra stubborn and are still putting out blooms, even if its not as steady. I'm just letting them take their time. 💚

APPARENTLY... I was really feeling the purples and creams when I ordered seeds last year.

The Ranunculus may be tapering off, but the anemones? They just keep 🌟giving🌟.

This season has been a polar opposite of last in so many ways -- Nature wise, and me-wise.
But for now, the perennials are doing their thang and doing it well!

Delphinium and Yarrow.

It's Plumping Season, BAYBEEEEE!!! 🥳

Excited to rehydrate these beautiful babes and get the rooting sesh started!

This year I'm doing a combination of Success Hanoi, Elegance Bianco, Pastello and Milka as well as Pon Pon Alice Ranunculus from . Anemones have a stunning lineup of Mistral Plus Bianco & Rarity, Mistral Rosa Chiaro and a Levante Mix. 😍

I leave you alone for ONE DAY and you fully pop!
Oh who am I kidding. How can I stay mad at you?

Hello, Beautiful! 😍
The first tulip has popped!

Guys. I GREW THIS IN A BASEMENT.
🤯

Nature is f*cking amazing.
Introducing, hydroponic tulips! I, 100%, do not have the space to grow hundreds of tulips outdoors. So I thought we would give these prechilled babies a try! Sadly, many arrived with fungal growth. I did my best to salvage what I could beyond the ones that were a definite toss, so there's really no telling if all of them will bloom or not. But that's part of the excitement, isn't it?
Who needs gambling?!