June would not be June without clay pots and cauldrons and planters of red geraniums (cranesbills) blooming on the thresholds of houses in the village, and today is the fourth day of the quintessential summer month. How can it be? The season has just arrived, but the midsummer solstice is only three weeks away.
Beau and I have noticed on early morning walks that many of this year's geranium offerings are accompanied by purple petunias and marigolds. There are also some splendid coleuses in rainbow shades, and sometimes all four dwell comfortably in the same pot, geraniums, petunias, marigold and coleus. What a riot of aestival color!
My gypsy soul craves spectacular coleus strains like "Dragon Heart, "Rainbow Dragon", "Kingswood Torch" and "Chocolate Covered Cherry", and I am looking for other places in the garden to plant them this year. Ditto some of the more arty amaranth varieties in local nurseries like "Joseph's Coat", "Molten Fire" and "Early Splendor". Whatever I add this time around, it has to be something the little bee sisters will love.
A big pot of geraniums on our threshold is a long standing summer tradition. Every year I think of their ancestors, the jubilant foremothers who graced our threshold for decades and welcomed everyone who came to the red (Benjamin Moore 2080-10 Raspberry Truffle) front door. I remember their shape, their color, their texture, their green and rather peppery fragrance, their unfettered, ecstatic flowering. They were perfect expressions of summer, and I always thanked them, each and every one.
Happy June! May there be joyous blooming in your own precious life.
1 comment:
Red geraniums are so 'New England' This year I made the mistake of going for "Midnight Gold" which is unusual but not as appealing as reliable red. I also was taken by electric green coleus "Wasabi" and a lovely "Main St. La Rambla". Large pots of them are a cooling welcome. Oh, the joys of plants.
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