The rosy
leaves are those of a gooseneck. Gooseneck has graceful curving white flower
spikes (thus the name) and autumn brings this colour change to those branches
that lie close to the ground. You can see the dried and brown remains of a
flower spike in the centre of the photo and at the left a few white florets.
Years ago I
had a gooseneck-free garden, but I wanted it after seeing my neighbour - full of glee - snatch it up at a
plant exchange. In retrospect I think perhaps she was a 'plant' (at a plant
exchange - ha ha!), paid to use the ploy to encourage innocent gardeners into
taking it off the hands of the donor. I have gooseneck now - boy, do I have it!
Want some? It grows very well. Very well indeed. It is lovely, but like the
plume poppies I wrote of last year, it does well where happy, and it ain't
fussy!
The purple
on the right - can you tell what that is? Mint! I was amazed to see this colour
- are you? Or does your mint do this every year with the frost? Mine doesn't.
Or perhaps I've just not been around at the right time.
The rich
green in the centre is perennial sorrel - a gift this summer from another
neighbour. I'm looking forward to seeing how long I can continue to harvest the
spicy/lemony leaves for soups or as a lively touch to a salad. If you haven't
got a plant, and enjoy a zingy flavour - get some. It's yummy. You might not
want to plant it between gooseneck and mint, however. Mine is going to need
strong elbows to keep its place there!
I've not
been home much this autumn, and finding something to photograph that's not
covered in weeds is quite a challenge. I hope that the weather will hold long
enough for me to get the garden put to bed, but it will have to hold until
December since that's when I'm home next.
Happy
holidays - of every kind*,
Edie Jane
*being
unspecific takes the pressure off the timing of the next installment of 'What's
Blooming'. Those of you getting email updates know it's been a while since the
last one, and someone pointed out to me that pretty soon that one would be
current again!
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Edie Jane Eaton, Tellington Method Instructor, Feldenkrais Practitioner.
