Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snow
Lies the seed that with the sun's love,
In the spring becomes the rose.
My front, side and back yards are ablaze in color. Hydrangeas, lilies, azaleas, lilacs and, most surprisingly, roses. Why is this surprising? Because I don’t do a doggone thing to help them thrive. Now, granted, there are a few spots and brown areas, but when you focus on the big picture… WOW!
Maybe part of the credit goes to the wet spring we’re having here in the Midwest. My hydrangeas are in botany heaven—never ever have they been so resplendent. Can’t find any info on it, but I think they earned their name because they love to be hydrated. While researching that point, however, I discovered that I must have alkaline soil.
The exact color often mirrors the pH of the soil; acidic soils produce blue flowers,
neutral soils produce very pale cream petals, and alkaline soils results in pink or purple.
—Wikipedia
Kind of wish my soil was more neutral—the creamy are dreamy! But I’m not complaining. Every morning as I sit at the kitchen table sipping coffee, I gaze out the windows at the beauty that surrounds me and say a little prayer of thanks.
—“The Rose” lyrics by Amanda McBroom
My front, side and back yards are ablaze in color. Hydrangeas, lilies, azaleas, lilacs and, most surprisingly, roses. Why is this surprising? Because I don’t do a doggone thing to help them thrive. Now, granted, there are a few spots and brown areas, but when you focus on the big picture… WOW!
Maybe part of the credit goes to the wet spring we’re having here in the Midwest. My hydrangeas are in botany heaven—never ever have they been so resplendent. Can’t find any info on it, but I think they earned their name because they love to be hydrated. While researching that point, however, I discovered that I must have alkaline soil.
The exact color often mirrors the pH of the soil; acidic soils produce blue flowers,
neutral soils produce very pale cream petals, and alkaline soils results in pink or purple.
—Wikipedia
Kind of wish my soil was more neutral—the creamy are dreamy! But I’m not complaining. Every morning as I sit at the kitchen table sipping coffee, I gaze out the windows at the beauty that surrounds me and say a little prayer of thanks.