It’s too early, and we haven’t yet had enough hot days, for the garden or the soul to need a refresher. Some years – like the previous summer for instance – it had already been hot and sunny for days on end, zapping the garden of moisture and the coolness of a reprieve. Of course, now that our pool is open we’ve had a cold rainy stretch every few days. Good for the garden, not so much for those who enjoy sun and heat.
Usually we are deep into the high days of summer now – the sunlight lingering longer than it will at any other time of the year – and we are often yearning for some cool refreshment. At that time, this wild sweet pea, kept in tight check and restraint, and its clean blooms are a glorious respite from the heat of the day.
This plant takes the hottest days and maintains itself until it finishes flowering. At that point I cut it back to the ground, at which point it resurrects itself, sending up a fresh mound of foliage and often a second flush of flowers for later in the summer.
We would all do well with that kind of freshening up now and then. Knock it all down and start all over again. A chance to make something better.
