Color Recall

Brown and gray are the current colors in the garden.  Gone are the veggies, blooms and herbs. We have transitioned to rest mode, yet colorful memories remain.  The yellows of the abundant sunflowers, spiraling roses and  multi-layered chrysanthemums  have not faded from memory.  The reds of the zinnias, lilies and ’Chrysler Imperial’ rose linger.  The oranges that made an appearance among the zinnias, lilies and dahlias still register in my mind’s eye.  The treasured  blues in the salvia, catmint and Russian sage played a pleasant contrasting role.  There were pinks popping up in snapdragons, the ‘Painted Porcelain’ rose , the ‘Southern Belle’ dahlia as well as in the ever-blooming shell pink landscape roses.  A dash of purple comes to mind as I recall the fall’s ‘Grape Crush’ New England aster and spring’s parade of purples amongst the irises.  Coral, beautiful coral, showed up early in the peony ‘Coral Charm’ and lingered in the ‘Fragrant Cloud’ tea rose as well as in some of the snapdragons.  White was more sparse but climbed upward in the newly planted ‘Tsukiko’ clematis.  Daisies were prolific with white petals and the ‘Anouska’ , a white double oriental lily was exquisitely trimmed in pale pink.

All those vibrant colors are captured somewhat in my digital library but are richer in my mind. Though presently my eyes register dull neutrals when I gaze at the garden, in my spirit there is a vibrant promise of colorful new life in the coming gardening season!  Though my feet rest, my hands hold plant catalogues and the fingers walk down the aisles of their pages while the fireworks in my head dazzle with possibilities.

Come Spring 2024! We will be rested and ready for you!

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