May Flowers

It is mid May, a wonderful time for gardeners in northern Illinois.  It's finally time for planting.  

at Ozzie's Greenhouse, north of Hinckley

These geraniums exerted their siren song and drew me into the greenhouse at Ozzie's where I couldn't resist the dark red Calliope geraniums.  Their deep red was so luscious, and geraniums are a particular favorite of ours.  For many years, I had one geranium that I moved from one house to another and it grew in a large pot, most recently in our dining room.  I finally had to let it go a few years ago, which kind of broke our daughter's heart.  She is too sensitive.  I think we let her read too much poetry as an impressionable youngster.  She may have even read my favorite flower poem, "The Geranium" by Theodore Roethke.  I just hope my new geraniums meet a happier fate.

Calliope dark red with Diamond Frost Euphorbia

"The Geranium"
When I put her out, once, by the garbage pail,
She looked so limp and bedraggled,
So foolish and trusting, like a sick poodle,
Or a wizened aster in late September,
I brought her back in again
. . .
Near the end, she seemed almost to hear me--
And that was scary--
So when that snuffling cretin of a maid
Threw her, pot and all, into the trash-can,
I said nothing.
But I sacked the presumptuous hag the next week,
I was that lonely.

I also planted a couple of tomato plants (in pots so they can try to find the minimal sun in the yard), basil, parsley, nasturtiums, and rosemary.  Window boxes are still to come.

Hope things are blooming where you are!


Linking to:
God's Growing Garden
Mercantile Muse