Category Archives: Flowers

Some of the first plants I ever grew were the tuberous begonias. Unlike the common begonia that was available for mass planting, these were larger and more temperamental plants. They demanded dappled light and coaxing from their tubers before they would reward with rich blooms such as the ones seen here. The foliage was just as handsome, and together they made a powerful punch. Yet for all of that, their form never quite appealed to me. It was slightly erratic, as if it couldn’t quite make up its mind to be upright or trailing. I don’t like that kind of indecision.

This year, I gave them another try, and though the color and beauty of the flower form remains enchanting, and the leaves are as pretty as I remember them, the form still irks me. I keep expecting the taller portions to flop over, debating a stake before letting nature decide if and when it should fall. Too many things in gardening are ungovernable – I don’t need another. So enjoy these luscious flowers for now; their time is limited and their tubers will not be saved.

I have no idea how this wild sweet pea came to be in our garden. Unlike the equally-questionable Japanese knotweed specimen that I actually planted (a variegated and less rambunctious variety than the wild one) I don’t recall intentionally putting this pea in. Yet there it was, so I stuck a wire frame for support into the surrounding area and watched the plant climb.

Unlike the early-season sweet peas that are more delicate, and more varied in flower color, this version is hardy, but lacking in charms like fragrance. It’s also an invasive weed in many areas, but if you haven’t grown up with it, the blooms are just as enchanting as the more refined garden version. Its perennial nature is also a nice boon if you happen to miss the early planting season for its showier counterpart. (Yes, I missed it.)

When confined and controlled, even the most invasive of plant pests can be beautiful when examined singly. If dandelions were as rare as Adonis, they’d fetch similarly exorbitant prices. Scarcity is a powerful thing.

While it will bloom for much of the summer, it tends to get quite scraggly-looking as soon as the first flush of blooms is done. As soon as that happens, I like to cut it back to a foot or two from the ground and it will send up a fresh mound of growth, often resulting in a second flush of blooms later on in the summer, when flowers and color are more badly needed.

Behold, the evening primrose. Scientifically known as Oenothera, these perennials also go by the more apt moniker of ‘sundrops.’ Either way you refer to them, they are a burst of bright color at this time of the year, and provide a striking anchor for a perennial bed or border. They spread quite well, and will reseed if given the chance, though their blooms are so happy I can’t imagine many would be too upset by this gentle bit of invasiveness.

As is often the case in such matters, the most fiery of blooms are often the most fleeting, and while these yellow stunners unfold over a number of days, they will not last much longer into the summer, so take this into count when you’re counting on color for late July and August. They will occasionally offer some autumnal color, however, so don’t fully dismiss them. The best plants are full of such surprises.

Perfectly-timed to fill in when the traditional lilac just begins to fade, the Korean Lilac offers an even more potent fragrance to ride on the spring wind. The flowers are, individually, a fraction of the size of the common lilac, but massed in clouds of blooms, as is their habit, their perfume can spread throughout their surroundings. That’s a damn fine trait for a scent this sweet.

They can grow into decent-sized shrubs, and the two in our backyard will need to be cut back as soon as they finish their show. (As a general rule, the best time to prune any flowering shrub is immediately after it finishes flowering. Most of us forget that next year’s blooms are based on the growth that’s happening now. Pruning things later in the season runs the risk of pruning out those buds.)

This plant also has neat and tidy foliage, the kind that seems to defy the mildew that plagues many other lilacs. That’s a boon for the hot and humid summers of the Northeast.

The Lenten Rose is still in full bloom. Traditionally one of the earlier bloomers, as it was again this year, it’s only coming into its own now because we had such a late start to the season. However, over the weekend it seems that Mother Nature decided to catch up a bit, and those peonies I thought might last after Memorial Day seem hell-bent on doing it on time no matter what. The Lenten rose continues its blooming cycle, and as this specimen is about ten years old, it’s mature enough to put on a lovely show.

These plants are notorious for taking their sweet time to bloom, but once they start, they offer this sort of scene rather reliably, no matter how torn and ragged last hear’s leaves may at first seem. It is best to cut them off if too badly worn – this also instigates a new flush of fresh foliage. At any rate, we are back on track.