An Entire New England Garden in One Week

Yes, two blog posts in just two days!

Confession - this is mostly a picture post. Confession number two - there's a little exaggeration in the title of this blog post...or maybe a lot of exaggeration: Not an entire New England garden in just one week here in Washington, but close enough. It's only May 9 and I'm seeing flowers and plants in gardens in Washington that I normally wouldn't see until late June, July, and sometimes August. I saw a sunflower plant that was three feet tall this week. The damn thing almost reached over and slapped me a "high-5!" Actually, I was so impressed, I offered to give it a "high-5." I believe that the sunflower sighed and breathed, "You must be a damned northerner." This brings me to my main realization - which is that Washington, D.C. is actually quite southern! There's a lot of debate about whether or not this is the case, but I'm not really speaking culturally, I mean geographically and in terms of the "plant hardiness zone." After all, it's right next door to Virginia and I would definitely consider Virginia southern, without a doubt. So, here's what I've been seeing around my neighborhood the last two weeks.


 A beautiful "front yard garden."


Irises. Yes, irises in full bloom. Actually now, on May 9, they are fading. 

I don't know what this sweet thing is, but I'm sure that my sister-in-law Boyer will know.  

Open-faced peonies. We have these at home, but we don't see them until late June or July. Many of the peonies have actually gone by.   


What are these sweet things called? I can never remember. They bloom all summer and add so much color to our gardens at home. This is in the front yard of the house where I live.  


Have you ever seen a yukka look more robust than this? This, too, is on my block. 


Without a doubt, one of the most attractive gardens I have seen in Washington.  


The hostas are in full bloom and yesterday I saw some putting out blossoms.  


Wisteria. How I love the name of this plant. So sweet. This has been blooming for a while now.  


This looks a bit like Russian sage, but I don't think that it is. Maybe it is in the salvia family? I've been seeing a lot of salvia.  


More peonies.  


The clementis is also in full bloom.  


Just look at this rose bush! Rose bushes all over Washington are in full bloom, but none are as beautiful as this one. 

Tomorrow I head back to New England for a few days to undertake some of my first official duties in my new position at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. I've been hearing about the rain and gray skies. If people are not suffering yet from SSAD - spring seasonal affective disorder - they likely are now. I'm hoping to spend some time in our gardens this weekend, so fingers crossed for blue skies on the Powwow River in Amesbury. 

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