Fleeting Beauty and Dew

[Note: clicking on any of the photos in my blog will usual open up a larger version. Make sure you click on the photos in this entry to see the closeups.]

The fleeting part is being so busy that I can't stop to either smell or watch the roses grow. I miss having the luxury of standing amongst my beauties to enjoy their splendor. The past week or so, all the roses have gotten from me is a quick "Ah, you're still there, gotta run" or "How pretty! Gotta run!" or "Good, you're not dead, gotta run."

This morning I was up earlier than usual and stole the minutes it took to take some photographs of flowers all dewed up.

Here's a photo of the free Red Cascadia Petunia that Springhill sent me. They actually sent three red Cascadias when I told them one white petunia (out of 15) never grew. Getting three red Cascadias was a super sweet consolation! Now that I see how pretty the red petunias are, I'm planning on getting some next year. The dew really sparkles on the red Cascadias. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

The Cascadia Petunias are amazingly gorgeous. The three red ones are still young so they aren't all sprawled out yet like the white ones. Once they grow even bigger, the weight will cause them to cascade down over the railing. Seeing a six foot long waterfall of white petunias is going to be way cool. Alas, since the deck faces a farm field out back, only the deer will get to enjoy the petunia waterfall all summer. I'll just have to drag my guests down to the backyard so they can turn around to see the petunias. Yep.



There are about five different shades of pink/coral geraniums in the boxes with the white petunias on the deck railing. This is one of the more pale ones.



I finally figured out which miniature roses to mourn, now that most have bloomed. By process of elimination, I've been able to figure out the dead roses are: Orange Honey, Green Ice and Sugar Plum. Rats, I really had my heart set on seeing Orange Honey and Green Ice. All three dead roses were crucial to my color schemes in the pots too.

Toy Clown doesn't have buds yet. Well, Toy Clown might not have leaves either... I'll have to examine that pot more closely and see if Toy Clown is still living. Earthquake looked too sorry for a photo so I guess it's not the "morning type."

Check out the gorgeous dew on the Rise 'n' Shine miniature rose. This blog has a small version but the full size photo really shows the detail of the dew. It's fascinating how the surface of different flowers holds dew. I may have lost four miniature roses but the ones that did bloom are wonderful!

If I had known how easy it was to get a plant in the ground, I would have planted them in a more timely fashion.

...thinking... ...no, better make that:

"If I had known how easy it was to get a plant in the ground, I would have planted them sooner," she said while there were... ahem... no less than THIRTY FOUR angry plants on the deck impatiently waiting to get out of their teensy, shipping containers... Gasp! Two flats of flowers are actually leaning away from each other in claustrophobic faints... panting, panting for more space.


I better add Potting Soil and Composted Manure to my shopping list this weekend or the plants might do something drastic.

Rise 'n' Shine really is a pretty little yellow rose. I should have put three of these in one pot for a real show on the deck.











Lavender Lace is the biggest of the miniature roses. It's about 1 1/2" across. This rose looks more lavender in mid day light than at sunrise.




















Stars 'n' Stripes seems to put out more buds than the other roses. Today I'll fertilize the three pots of miniature roses and see if that helps them get more blooms.
















Sheri Ann is such a pretty color. It looks less orangish later in the day.




I like how the petals curl into points on the Sheri Ann and Rise 'n' Shine roses.




Ok, seeing these photos has me convinced I'm really missing some important beauty out there.
If I don't have time to plant the plants, smell the roses or watch them grow, my priorities must be outta whack. Time go get out the old TO DO list and see what can be crossed off.
Let's see... scratch off
- - - Wash Floors
- - - Clear Dining Room Clutter
- - - Mail Bills
- - - Drive to Appointments
- - - Work...
There, I'm feeling more optimistic already!