Memorial Day

As a kid I remember making visits to the cemetery on Decoration Day now Memorial Day to say a prayer.  The memories of the war were still fresh in everyones minds.  The mood is different now--I think we've lost the sense of a shared sacrifice.  What I also remember is the large peony clumps that were in full bloom on that weekend.  In my southern garden the peony blooms are long gone.  Now I mark the holiday with the blooms of Lacecap Hydrangea.  In the evening just after dusk the flowers seem to sparkle like candles.  This is my oldest hydrangea--over 15 years old and about four feet tall.  

I couldn't decide which of the close-ups to use so here's both.

The next flower to begin blooming this week is Campanula Pantaloons.  I struggled to find  a spot that that it liked--it seems to need some shade--in mostly sun it was stunted.

I missed getting pictures of the white and pink Astible but caught the red in bloom this week.  I moved and divided the clump in late winter so I'm surprised that is is blooming so nicely.

Another hydrangea that is blooming now is Oakleaf.  This one is in mostly shade so it is leggy compared to those in more sun.  This week I saw an Oakleaf with 12 inch blooms in a six lane street medium.  It was stunning--too much traffic to take a picture though.

A new rose in my garden this year is Black Jack.  The first blooms are nice and it is a strong brancher.  This will be a keeper.

I thought I'd add two more that are blooming now.  Lambs Ear is a favorite of mine--I just like to touch the leaves.  The flowers are good for arrangements too.  I planted it from seed 25 years ago.  The next is Tall Verbena.  The plant itself is sort of spindly but the flowers seem to be light emitters.

This weeks church flowers--full buckets this week.