tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24721065502982986792024-02-20T20:35:36.448-05:00DIRTIERThe Monthly Garden MemoirDianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.comBlogger202125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-21814734296631437872016-08-29T07:28:00.003-04:002016-08-29T07:28:58.421-04:00<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5"><tbody></tbody></table>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Monthly Garden Memoir </span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">Dianne B</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Volume 71, I Feel So Lucky</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I sat – or stood or knelt – in
amazement watching glorious spring combinations unfurl from hellebores
to fritillaria, tree peonies picking up the spectacle when the magnolia
petals fell and then that subtle but breathtaking slide from allium to
iris</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150122" border="0" height="436" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150122.jpg" style="height: 436px; width: 378px;" title="P1150122" vspace="0" width="378" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">from spring’s new growth to summer’s extraordinary colors</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150131" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150131.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1150131" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And then Life in The Hamptons whirled by, so I have been remiss in this reportage since May.<br />
Ergo, I will try to deftly edit and only delight you with the very best floral combinations of this fly-by season:<br />
<br />
I planted 50 Allium karavatiense in the sunniest spot<br />
and nearly every one made lush fat blue leaves </span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140987" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140987.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140987" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The fiery growth of Andromeda (Pieris 'Mountain Fire') jousts with chartreuse new growth of the Sunnylands spruce </span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140678" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140678.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140678" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Not a Japanese maple, but Acer japonica<br />
coming into its own</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140698" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140698.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140698" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Abies koreana outdid itself in cone-bearing and the<br />
white-tipped Thujopsis dolobrata behind it is growing like mad </span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140701" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140701.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140701" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Probably suffering from too-early and too-late planting<br />
(remember that Paris voyage dans Novembre) tulips were definitely lacking this year,<br />
but the Tree Peonies were Out of This World </span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150108" border="0" height="419" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150108.jpg" style="height: 419px; width: 434px;" title="P1150108" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Particularly proud of the expanding Trillium because<br />
dividing it is a really hard job</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150017" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150017.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1150017" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Several variations on circles and triangles elicit<br />
my naming it The Geometric Garden</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150251" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150251.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1150251" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">My absolute favorite dwarfish multi-layered<br />
Japanese maple from another of our great nurseries,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.lynchsgardencenter.com/"><span style="color: white;">Lynch's</span></a> in Southampton</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="P1150034" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150034.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1150034" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And no one got to see the Fringe tree (Chionanthes) but me and the monkey, it came and went so fast —<br />
by mail from the great <a href="https://www.forestfarm.com/"><span style="color: white;">Forestfarm</span></a></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150192" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150192.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1150192" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and I know these Calla Lilies don’t look real, but I swear they are Zantedeshia aethiopica and are blooming<br />
in our disputed Zone 6b/7a for the 5th year –</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150185" border="0" height="436" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150185.jpg" style="height: 436px; width: 328px;" title="P1150185" vspace="0" width="328" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I do cover them in a burlap blanket for winter,<br />
but they stay in the ground<br />
<br />
The Asiatic lillies are admittedly stiff, but this<br />
Netty’s Pride makes a good bridge between the allium<br />
and the real lilies</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150209" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150209.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1150209" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The old-fashioned martagon lily<br />
(the original Turk’s cap, I think)<br />
beguiles in front of the Crape myrtle<br />
and Cornus controversa</span>
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<td><img align="none" alt="P1150262 (1)" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150262%20%281%29.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1150262 (1)" vspace="0" width="326" /></td>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The serendipitous simultaneous bloom of the Korean dogwood, purple Iris and Clematis ‘Silver Moon’<br />
from <a href="https://donahuesclematis.com/"><span style="color: white;">Donahue’s Clematis Nursery</span></a></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150303" border="0" height="308" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150303.jpg" style="height: 308px; width: 434px;" title="P1150303" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And this graceful Clematis (I think
tangutica) billowing from the top of the funky lionshead maple doesn’t
have big garden impact but it turns me on</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150289" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150289.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1150289" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Five blooms on one Acanthus is pure heaven</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150338" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150338.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1150338" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"> and, of course, there were myriad amazements<br />
uncapturable on this screen</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>GOOD TIPS</strong><br />
<br />
This gathering basket can be had from <a href="http://www.surlatable.com/"><span style="color: white;">Sur la Table</span></a>.<br />
It has received the seal of approval from my wonderful (step) sons Marc and Charles who seriously gather<br />
on their 5 acres in Sonoma</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 5" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/Image%205.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Image 5" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Don’t underestimate the fecundity of the fragile but most beautiful Japanese Iris ensata...</span><img align="none" alt="P1150282" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150282.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 368px;" title="P1150282" vspace="0" width="368" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">If you cut them at first bloom they last for weeks as there are many hidden underflowers in what looks to be a one-shot bud<br />
<br />
Perseverance... this variegated Hydrangea paniculata from <a href="https://www.forestfarm.com/"><span style="color: white;">Forestfarm</span></a> has been limping along since 2010 with<br />
no sign of a flower till this year</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150343" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150343.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1150343" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">It probably hasn’t helped that it is in the shadiest<br />
part of the garden</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>MAIN LINE MEGA-GARDENING</strong></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I alluded to this trip outside of Philadelphia in the last DIRTIER — my first with the wonderful<br />
<a href="https://hahgarden.org/"><span style="color: white;">Horticultural Alliance of the Hamptons</span></a> —<br />
but neglected to show you even one gorgeous image.<br />
Here are some crowning moments...<br />
<br />
Mind you, this is mid-April and it had been<br />
unseasonably warm<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.scottarboretum.org/"><span style="color: white;">Scott Arboretum</span></a><span style="color: white;"> </span>at Swarthmore.<br />
Really – had I gone to school there I’m sure I would have taken up gardening long before my fifth decade began...</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140269" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140269.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140269" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140234" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140234.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140234" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and surely I would have done my acting turn<br />
in this thrilling amphitheater<br />
<br />
<br />
The next stop was the private garden of Charles Cresson,<br />
a manic gardener with lots of heritage with several quirky<br />
details that, of course, turned me on:<br />
<br />
a gorgeous mossy barn roof</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140260" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140260.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140260" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and a penchant for my beloved Arisaema</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140252" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140252.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140252" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.mtcubacenter.org/"><span style="color: white;">Mount Cuba</span></a><span style="color: white;"> </span>– actually in Northern Delaware<br />
Many simple, restrained and elegant acres. </span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140303" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140303.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140303" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">A preservation garden full of natives that was graceful<br />
and classy - not weedy and ordinary - and<br />
stately buildings speak highly of the DuPont taste level</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140287" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140287.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1140287" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Oh the trillium - zillions and many kinds</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140292" border="0" height="324" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140292.jpg" style="height: 324px; width: 436px;" title="P1140292" vspace="0" width="436" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Oh the uvularia</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140284" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140284.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140284" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Our group of devotees</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140298" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140298.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140298" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">We also went to <a href="http://longwoodgardens.org/"><span style="color: white;">Longwood Gardens</span></a>,
where I had twice been before and was once impressed. But now, with
gathering sophistication and after seeing more refined and exquisite
gardens, it looked positively vulgar. More like a gigantic commercial
park, packed to provide sensation after sensation, than a garden.<br />
We did have a nice lunch there though<br />
(choose the private dining room, not too pricey and good)<br />
<br />
How many pink hyacinths does one really need?</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140306 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140306%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1140306 2" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140310 2" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140310%202.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140310 2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">...and this is not Christmas<br />
<br />
Fortunately, that was followed by the second private garden stop and was it a beauty...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Somehow my radar had never picked up on <a href="http://www.davidlculp.com/"><span style="color: white;">David Culp</span></a>,<br />
his partner Michael Alderfer and their gorgeous garden named Brandywine Cottage. David’s book, The Layered Garden,<br />
is the sort that would seem indispensible to me.<br />
<br />
We pulled up to a cliff-like entrance that was skirted in Sasa
veitchii which is the wierd but divine bamboo pictured earlier that they
have and I have,<br />
but is rarely seen elsewhere...<br />
<br />
here is mine with its papery-edged old growth<br />
in divine contrast to the freshness of primrose<br />
and shiny leaves of baby Black Mambos</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140982" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140982.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140982" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">so I was impressed from the first moment.<br />
In mid-April this terraced rise was covered,<br />
and I mean covered absolutely,<br />
in Hellebores of every size, color and kind - bar none</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140345" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140345.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140345" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">you can’t really see them here – but it was startlingly munificent.<br />
And in this two acres (maybe not quite) they had the ultimate in everything the way I like it including rocky troughs</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140332" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140332.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 387px;" title="P1140332" vspace="0" width="387" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">All sorts of eccentric little (and big) touches</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_6113" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/IMG_6113.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_6113" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Wild with a little bit of taming</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140341 2" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140341%202.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140341 2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The pictures are lousy but these
guys were real, had a good sense of humor and didn’t even care about
some whopper dandelions, which<br />
would have driven my Lys Marigold crazy</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"> I hear Dave is going to show up in
East Hampton to speak... at which time I plan to snag them to visit here
because if anyone ever would appreciate my attitude – it would be them –<br />
I'll let you know when they come<br />
<br />
The very last stop was</span><br />
<a href="http://www.rarefindnursery.com/"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Rare Find Nursery</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140611" border="0" height="340" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140611.jpg" style="height: 340px; width: 434px;" title="P1140611" vspace="0" width="434" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">what would a garden trip be if you couldn't buy something -<br />
my Redbud</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">But before we left the Main Line, the final stop was<br />
the fabled <a href="http://www.chanticleergarden.org/">Chanticleer</a>.<br />
I have heard so much about this garden, even raves<br />
from the highly-discerning Jack Larsen,<br />
that I thought it could never live up to my expectations<br />
or its own elevated reputation...<br />
I was wrong - this is a garden for the ages<br />
<br />
Look at this idyll for example</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140424" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140424.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140424" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and now a close up of one little corner,<br />
easy to see why this garden is right up my alley<br />
with its preponderance for moody colors, many fritillaria and that wonderful Melianthes major – Antonow’s Blue </span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140427" border="0" height="264" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140427.jpg" style="height: 264px; width: 434px;" title="P1140427" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">It is 30 acres of heaven imagined and kept by<br />
8 quasi-head gardeners,<br />
each with their own vision and area<br />
(Compare this to LongHouse, which is half the size it's true,<br />
operates with one wonderful Horticulturist,<br />
Alex Feleppa, and a bare-bones garden staff of 4)<br />
<br />
Chanticleer is endowed to the hilt and employs<br />
many people to keep it perfect. The great thing is, perfection in
their estimation is not measured by repetition or manicure.<br />
<br />
A few more views:</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140415 2" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140415%202.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140415 2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140375" border="0" height="305" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140375.jpg" style="height: 305px; width: 434px;" title="P1140375" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Yes, there is a stately house one can pass through too</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140386" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140386.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140386" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">It’s gorgeous – plan to spend hours and hours there</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140365" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140365.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1140365" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Not a Japanese tea house, but one of the rest rooms – they each have art inside and startling flower arrangements</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140392" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140392.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140392" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and there are even charmingly presented explanations<br />
and plant descriptions in each area</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140397" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140397.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1140397" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">This is John Thomas – he runs the place magnificently</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140355" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140355.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1140355" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Everywhere you turn there is another good idea</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140349" border="0" height="397" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140349.jpg" style="height: 397px; width: 434px;" title="P1140349" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">or something to take your breath away</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140352" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140352.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1140352" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140374" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140374.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140374" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">YOU MUST GO!<br />
<br />
<br />
But arriving home to April here on Davids Lane —<br />
I felt quite happy</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140532" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140532.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1140532" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>A FEW OUTSTANDING HAMPTON<br />
and OTHER HAPPENINGS</strong><br />
<br />
Saint Luke’s held a fabulous exhibition of ecclesiastical<br />
textiles and objects from the 13th to 18th C.</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 4" border="0" height="386" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/Image%204.jpg" style="height: 386px; width: 434px;" title="Image 4" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">With Lys and the amazing collector, Jill Lasersohn,<br />
to whom the gorgeous garb belonged.</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="PUT THIS WITH ST LUKES-6569" border="0" height="300" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/PUT%20THIS%20WITH%20ST%20LUKES-6569.JPG" style="height: 300px; width: 300px;" title="PUT THIS WITH ST LUKES-6569" vspace="0" width="300" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="SacredThreads-8-7884-medallion detail" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/SacredThreads-8-7884-medallion%20detail.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="SacredThreads-8-7884-medallion detail" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="ST LUKES-news-6443" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/ST%20LUKES-news-6443.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="ST LUKES-news-6443" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="SacredThreads-25A-7841" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/SacredThreads-25A-7841.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="SacredThreads-25A-7841" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="SacredThreads-34-7821-Detail" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/SacredThreads-34-7821-Detail.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 432px;" title="SacredThreads-34-7821-Detail" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">This sumptuous raiment and regalia looked ravishing in our Romanesque Church, though it is only 110 years old –<br />
it too was made in a time when craft and art were utmost<br />
and it housed this collection<br />
like a velvet gloved hand<br />
<br />
The Best Now-You-See-It---Now-You-Don’t<br />
Trick of the Season was<br />
definitely this life-size giraffe that mysteriously<br />
appeared in the Nature Trail...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="DurellGodfrey-Giraffe-7842" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/DurellGodfrey-Giraffe-7842.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="DurellGodfrey-Giraffe-7842" vspace="0" width="290" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"> Durell Godfrey Photo</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Unfortunately the Village of East Hampton didn’t get the joke and it was swiftly removed. <br />
I thought it added a lot to our sometimes stoic village <br />
<br />
My rugged godson Jordan, spending weeks<br />
in Nicaragua building houses<br />
... that outstanding guy on the left is him</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="JORDAN-6793" border="0" height="300" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/JORDAN-6793.JPG" style="height: 300px; width: 400px;" title="JORDAN-6793" vspace="0" width="400" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I had a wonderful visit from 46 smart gardeners from the<br />
Hardy Plant Society and of all the things they seemed to commend – the long-needled Yew in the bottom right<br />
seemed the most impressive to the most erudite among them<br />
... go figure...</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150341" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150341.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1150341" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And the event of events, which happened to fall on the same weekend as my wonderful birthday, was our<br />
SERIOUS MOONLIGHT 25th Jubilee Benefit Gala<br />
at <a href="http://www.longhouse.org/"><span style="color: white;">LongHouse</span></a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-25/in-the-hamptons-few-party-goers-will-admit-to-playing-pokemon"><span style="color: white;">Bloomberg News</span></a> gave it a good summary,<br />
so see this if you can -<br />
<br />
and here are a few more HighLights:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"><img align="none" alt="LHR-AmandaGordonBloomberg-03" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/LHR-AmandaGordonBloomberg-03.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="LHR-AmandaGordonBloomberg-03" vspace="0" width="434" /></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-size: 18pt;"> <span style="color: #333333;"> Nico Muhly Performs</span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"><img align="none" alt="LHR-AmandaGordonBloomber-04" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/LHR-AmandaGordonBloomber-04.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="LHR-AmandaGordonBloomber-04" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">Lys Marigold, Dianne Benson and Angela Mariana Freyre</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="LHR-AmandaGordonBloomberg" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/LHR-AmandaGordonBloomberg.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="LHR-AmandaGordonBloomberg" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Nico Muhly and Cindy Sherman</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">When we say Serious Moonlight at LongHouse we mean it</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="LONGHOUSE_20160723_SFZ_0231" border="0" height="373" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/LONGHOUSE_20160723_SFZ_0231.jpg" style="height: 373px; width: 544px;" title="LONGHOUSE_20160723_SFZ_0231" vspace="0" width="544" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Cindy Sherman’s divine contribution to our Great Auction<br />
in an Issey Miyake bathing suit,<br />
an outtake from our collaboration in the 80's</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="116701-1467386914-Sherman 2-xl" border="0" height="514" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/116701-1467386914-Sherman%202-xl.jpg" style="height: 514px; width: 339px;" title="116701-1467386914-Sherman 2-xl" vspace="0" width="339" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Another great piece of art by Michael Combs</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 3" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/Image%203.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 344px;" title="Image 3" vspace="0" width="344" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Jack Larsen, our founder, and Ayse Kenmore<br />
in a magical outfit.</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 1" border="0" height="334" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/Image%201.jpg" style="height: 334px; width: 439px;" title="Image 1" vspace="0" width="439" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And of course, we couldn’t say
Serious Moonlight without a nod to David Bowie – so the great Nona
Hendryx paid tribute and Matko put on his red shoes and danced</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Matko and Dianne-Image 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/Matko%20and%20Dianne-Image%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Matko and Dianne-Image 2" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And when Jack surprised me with an award, they flashed several pictures on the screen, including this sweet one<br />
and now she’s 21!</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 15 3" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/Image%2015%203.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="Image 15 3" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">It was a wonderful night...</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="LHR Benefit-Amanda Gordon Bloomberg 2" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/LHR%20Benefit-Amanda%20Gordon%20Bloomberg%202.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="LHR Benefit-Amanda Gordon Bloomberg 2" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">But perhaps the most long-term exciting event of the gardening season is this:<br />
Lys Marigold has till now only found immediate gardening satisfaction in rooting out dandelions<br />
but the Twilight Battle Against the Slugs has intrigued her<br />
and now we are winning!</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150348" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150348.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1150348" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>FLORIOGRAPHY</strong><br />
<br />
You probably think this is going to be about<br />
my beautiful dog Flora,</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="FLoriography-0007-news" border="0" height="329" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/FLoriography-0007-news.jpg" style="height: 329px; width: 333px;" title="FLoriography-0007-news" vspace="0" width="333" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">but no<br />
It is the cognomen for the Language of Flowers<br />
developed in the more romantic Victorian era<br />
...and it was quite precise<br />
Red roses for passionate love<br />
Purple for seduction<br />
and<br />
White for purity, of course</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150138" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150138.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1150138" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150142" border="0" height="328" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150142.jpg" style="height: 328px; width: 436px;" title="P1150142" vspace="0" width="436" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>MY GARDENING PRIDE AND JOY</strong><br />
The Arisaemas, Jack in the Pulpits of 2016</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1140647" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140647.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1140647" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="P1140685" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1140685.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1140685" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">A. sikokianum in 'bloom'<br />
<br />
the simple, most common A. triphyllum happy<br />
in a neglected corner</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150018" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150018.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1150018" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">This tender A. amurense is a heart stopper, no?<br />
From<a href="http://www.plantdelights.com/"> Plant Delights</a></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150027" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150027.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1150027" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">A. sikokianum when the bloom has petered out but the variegation in the leaves becomes more apparent</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150293" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150293.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1150293" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">the ethereal and romantic A. candidisima from <a href="http://odysseybulbs.com/">Odyssey</a></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150236" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150236.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1150236" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">A. consanguinem coming into its own<br />
and forming its drip tips</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150030" border="0" height="324" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150030.jpg" style="height: 324px; width: 434px;" title="P1150030" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">A. ringens Black Mambo in all her glory<br />
<br />
An inveterate retailer at heart,<br />
I have decided it is time to sell<br />
a few Arisaema ringens ‘Black Mambo’</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150094" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150094.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1150094" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">They are totally hardy, in East Hampton anyway<br />
<br />
For you takers, I will dig them in the next week or so.<br />
Not equipped to ship, they can be called for on<br />
Davids Lane in East Hampton Village.<br />
Plant Delights has them for $24.00 but, as usual,<br />
they are out of stock.<br />
Please respond and let me know how many you would like at $20.00 each. First come, first serve.</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Anyway – I do feel so lucky living such a beautiful life<br />
in such gifted circumstances<br />
<br />
Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.<br />
Bob Dylan<br />
<br />
This is not The Nature Trail – this duck prefers our pool</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150112" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150112.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1150112" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Oh Magnolia </span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150051" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150051.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1150051" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">keeping me company while delicately weeding the moss</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1150141" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/026309f901/P1150141.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1150141" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Till next time...stay happy</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Yoko Ono Wishes from LongHouse to Her repository in Iceland</span></span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="0" name="_rlcdn" src="https://rc.rlcdn.com/425416.html" width="0"></iframe>Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-90697581288326861052016-02-14T19:05:00.001-05:002016-02-14T19:05:26.541-05:00Warm Garden Thoughts on a Cold Cold Day<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Papyrus, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Every-so-often Garden Memoir</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">Dianne B</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Volume 69</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Well it’s been a crazy time since I have last been in touch...<br />cherry blossoms on Montauk Highway<br />before Christmas</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">were just one<br />of the unlikely circumstances on which<br />we careened into 2016</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_5111" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_5111.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_5111" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">To catch up:<br /><br />Arrived from glorious autumnal Paris<br />( November a perfect time to be there)</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4223NEW" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4223NEW.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="IMG_4223NEW" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">to a garden full of many hued leaves and gigantic mushrooms growing in the back forty...</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #444444;">Only two days later, news of the horrific attacks<br />in Paris hit us hard.<br />Having just been there, it was more difficult to comprehend what must have thrown<br />a dark change of mood<br />over the City of Light.</span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><br /><br /><br /> <span style="font-size: 18pt;">We were giddy with joie de vivre during our divine two week stay. Lodged in a charming duplex</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_1301" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_1301.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_1301" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">on a cobblestone street</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 4" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/Image%204.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Image 4" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"> right in the heart of the oldest part of St Germain.</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="StAndreArch" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/StAndreArch.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="StAndreArch" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">This was a joyous neighborhood – just like the one<br />they targeted.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #444444;">So awful. So sad.<br /><br />But before this happened,<br />we had a wonderful time.<br /><br />A few of our Parisian highlights:<br /><br />The new Picasso Musee is superbly light-filtered</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4064" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4064.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4064" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and filled with the gentle Picasso drawings one<br />seldom sees:</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4058" border="0" height="324" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4058.jpg" style="height: 324px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_4058" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4060" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4060.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 371px;" title="IMG_4060" vspace="0" width="371" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and things, of course, that you can never<br />see often enough</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4085" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4085.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4085" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4097" border="0" height="356" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4097.jpg" style="height: 356px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_4097" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">These empty black frames represent Picassos that<br />have not been recovered from the Nazis.<br />Chilling.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Parisian enamelled doorways are simply the best</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4249" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4249.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 297px;" title="IMG_4249" vspace="0" width="297" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Their sense of color even better than the Italians.</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4259" border="0" height="442" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4259.jpg" style="height: 442px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_4259" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Wouldn’t these enhance any garden?<br />So easy to locate stone fragments in Europe...</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4025" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4025.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_4025" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">...so difficult to get them home<br /><br />We went to many <strong>churches</strong> and marvelled</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4978" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4978.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4978" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">This one happens to be the <strong>American Church in Paris.</strong><br />The French are fortunate that the Rector in the 1870s<br />happened to be the brother of J.P. Morgan.<br />It is magnificent.<br />He was very generous.</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4984" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4984.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4984" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4994" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4994.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4994" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and this, of course, is <strong>Notre Dame</strong> –<br />more fantastic with each visit<br />and worth every minute of the wait in line</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4897 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4897%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4897 2" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4907" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4907.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4907" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4919" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4919.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4919" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">And along with the rest of the world,<br />they're crazy about The Pope</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4906" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4906.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4906" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">And we visited lots of museums<strong> </strong>–<br />which left no time for shopping,<br />except for the shoe store CLIF<br />which had all those sensible-but-chic<br />styles that the French actually wear.<br /><br />The usual and the less usual <strong>museums</strong>:<br /><br />Near the new Picasso Museum is the<br /><strong>Musee de la Chasse<br />and la Nature.</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">(or The Hunting Museum, if you prefer)<br />We would have missed this one had Kiki Smith<br />not told us that it<br />was "the most wonderful fetishization of objects<br />that she had ever seen"<br /><br />So, of course, we couldn't wait...<br /><br />It was chockablock with all sorts of<br />strange and exhilarating stuff...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">the scale of this was larger than life</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4152 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4152%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4152 2" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">the white owl in a sonorous black room all to itself<br />was the epitome of eccentricity,<br />by the weird but <u>fab</u>ulous Jan <u>Fab</u>re</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4171" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4171.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4171" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"> <span style="color: #444444;">domestic oddities, curiosities and several things<br />totally inexplicable abounded</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4198" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4198.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4198" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4165" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4165.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4165" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4180" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4180.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4180" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><strong>Musee Cluny</strong> is other-worldly in a different way -<br />filled with tapestries and<br />many not so obvious delights</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4719" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4719.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4719" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4715" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4715.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4715" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><strong>Le Monde d’Arabe</strong> had a spectacular<br />Egyptian exhibit</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4415" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4415.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4415" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">that we enjoyed with our new and wonderful friends<br />The Pattersons</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="SmilingVersion-2931 2" border="0" height="237" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/SmilingVersion-2931%202.jpg" style="height: 237px; width: 461px;" title="SmilingVersion-2931 2" vspace="0" width="461" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">We met them on our Indian voyage -<br />he was the architectural lecturer and she is<br />a Brit painter and raconteur<br /><br /><br />the <strong>Musee d'Orsay</strong> is absolutely divine –you need an<br />entire day to take it all in</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4284" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4284.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4284" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4276" border="0" height="436" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4276.jpg" style="height: 436px; width: 328px;" title="IMG_4276" vspace="0" width="328" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: dimgrey;">Lots of particularly ooh-la-la art and fabulous Orientalist </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="IMG_4277new" border="0" height="424" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4277new.jpg" style="height: 424px; width: 324px;" title="IMG_4277new" vspace="0" width="324" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and the new Frank Gehry <strong>Louis Vuitton Foundation</strong><br />smack in the middle of the Bois de Bologne<br />is a mind-blower...<br />the art is arresting and au courant but the building<br />is spectacular</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="11327_simulation_3d_vueaeriennedelafondationlouisvuittonfacadenord_original.tiff_-1940x1164" border="0" height="287" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/11327_simulation_3d_vueaeriennedelafondationlouisvuittonfacadenord_original.tiff_-1940x1164.jpg" style="height: 287px; width: 479px;" title="11327_simulation_3d_vueaeriennedelafondationlouisvuittonfacadenord_original.tiff_-1940x1164" vspace="0" width="479" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="image_a953.flvcrop.980.5000" border="0" height="431" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/image_a953.flvcrop.980.5000.jpeg" style="height: 431px; width: 365px;" title="image_a953.flvcrop.980.5000" vspace="0" width="365" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and at the <strong>Palais du Tokyo</strong> (Paris' MoMA)<br />it was the art that was great.<br />Four fabulous concurrent shows:</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_5020" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_5020.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_5020" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_5059" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_5059.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_5059" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="Vol69" border="0" height="250" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/Vol69.jpg" style="height: 250px; width: 600px;" title="Vol69" vspace="0" width="600" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Ugo Rondinone's incredible<br />homage to John Giorno</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_5063" border="0" height="311" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_5063.jpg" style="height: 311px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_5063" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and this is just one striking scene from an incredible<br />Ragnar Kvarrtson installation<br /><br /><br /> the often missed replica of <strong>Brancusi’s atelier</strong><br />which is part of, but behind, the Pompidou -<br />in its own building</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_4795" border="0" height="309" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4795.jpg" style="height: 309px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_4795" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Paris is exceptional:<br />bookstores still proliferate,<br />every gallery window is provocative,<br />at the Opera we saw a fantastic production by the new maverick Romeo Castelluci, the shops are filled with<br />unique and charming things, while the Cafes<br />are simply a way of life.<br />Parisians have every right to be so proud.<br />I forgot how much I love Paris.</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4209" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4209.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4209" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4831" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4831.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_4831" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="IMG_4540" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4540.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4540" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4841" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4841.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4841" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>LITTLE WONDERS AT HOME</strong></span><br /> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Giant mushrooms in the back 40.</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130535" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/P1130535.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 288px;" title="P1130535" vspace="0" width="288" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">The fig tree indomitably producing edible figs<br />despite its withering leaves</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130551" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/P1130551.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 385px;" title="P1130551" vspace="0" width="385" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and continued to bear fruit with no leaves at all</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130597" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/P1130597.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130597" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">The dogwood 'controversa' was more ethereal than ever as the leaves get whiter and whiter</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130554" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/P1130554.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130554" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">The clinging yellow leaves of the Japanese Maple<br />‘Sango kaku’ against the bark beginning to turn<br />its crazy shade of red</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130601" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/P1130601.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 314px;" title="P1130601" vspace="0" width="314" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">while the red-leaved Japanese maples glow in the twilight</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1130627" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/P1130627.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130627" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">The dropped leaves of the Magnolia macrophylla make a fabulous trompe l'oile-like carpet</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130611" border="0" height="311" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/P1130611.jpg" style="height: 311px; width: 434px;" title="P1130611" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and dance among the hellebores that are priming to<br />show their stuff</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130646" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/P1130646.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1130646" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Cyclamen coum leaves producing stupefyingly intricate<br />and beautiful patterns</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130581" border="0" height="280" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/P1130581.jpg" style="height: 280px; width: 434px;" title="P1130581" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: large;">and for those of you who are Cyclamen nuts,</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">the great </span><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/a03dec8f65/a915632225/37fff220ca"><span style="font-size: large;">HAH</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> (Horticultural Alliance)had a great</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">December lecture (and even better, a plant sale)</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">by John Lonsdale,</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">proprietor of </span><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/a03dec8f65/a915632225/1a6bb03edd" style="font-size: 18pt;">Edgewood Gardens</a><br /><span style="font-size: large;">who is as much a nut for standout variegation</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">and odd plants like Arisaemas as I.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">A valuable new source</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #444444;">GARDEN CONSERVANCY NEWS</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: large;">They have made a better-than-ever</span><br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/a03dec8f65/a915632225/0bb67bf0ad"><span style="font-size: large;">Open Day Directory</span></a><br /><span style="font-size: large;">+</span><br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/a03dec8f65/a915632225/90ab42bcce"><span style="font-size: large;">Hamptons Open Days,</span></a></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 18pt;">on which I am included are<br /><br />May 7<br />+<br />June 11<br /><br />The garden should be at its most floriferous and flooded<br />with all the nubile colors of new growth.<br />I can't guarantee that the magnolia will be in bloom<br />or that there will be lingering hellebores,<br />by the look of things right now -<br />there could well be a very early spring</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_5441" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_5441.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_5441" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_5435" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_5435.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_5435" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">There are fat buds and signs of growth everywhere.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #444444;">NICE CHRISTMAS PRESENT</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s always nice to know that one is appreciated.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">DIRTIER has gotten to Tom K at the </span><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/a03dec8f65/a915632225/fe41fa8803"><span style="font-size: large;">Santa Cruz Sentinel</span></a><br /><span style="font-size: large;">and he seems to like it very much. </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">So naturally – I Love Him.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/a03dec8f65/a915632225/66c258d09b"><img align="none" alt="Screen Shot 2016-02-08 at 9.12.54 PM" border="0" height="317" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/Screen%20Shot%202016-02-08%20at%209.12.54%20PM.jpg" style="height: 317px; width: 519px;" title="Screen Shot 2016-02-08 at 9.12.54 PM" vspace="0" width="519" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/a03dec8f65/a915632225/2fcd0975a6"><img align="none" alt="Screen Shot 2016-02-08 at 9.15.43 PM" border="0" height="504" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/Screen%20Shot%202016-02-08%20at%209.15.43%20PM.jpg" style="height: 504px; width: 600px;" title="Screen Shot 2016-02-08 at 9.15.43 PM" vspace="0" width="600" /></a><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1130340" border="0" height="414" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/P1130340.jpg" style="height: 414px; width: 434px;" title="P1130340" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">A burst-open tree peony seed pod...<br />beautiful and black...how long might it take for those ripe-looking seeds to produce a flower?<br />Oh – to have the patience<br />and find out for myself</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #444444;">IN AND AROUND OUR ENVIRONS </span></strong></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1090324" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/P1090324.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090324" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">I was hoping to convince the ducks, geese and seagulls to congregate around the feed pattern<br />and make a peace sign.<br />It didn’t really work, but it caused some consternation with our swan, who rarely gets out<br />of the water </span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090309" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/P1090309.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090309" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_5374 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_5374%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_5374 2" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Our Town Pond swan walked across the ice with its big black feet to get to this food.<br /><br />A more successful visual treat was created and<br />photographed by Durell Godfrey</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="1249-NATURETRAIL-02" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/1249-NATURETRAIL-02.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="1249-NATURETRAIL-02" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_4197" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/IMG_4197.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_4197" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">This could almost be a scene from our Nature Trail.<br /><br />And since, in the whirl of things, I missed sending you my dearest Holiday wishes, I send them along now with hopes that the first weeks of this new year have<br />been good to you.</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="EllenWatsonDBXmas2015-Front" border="0" height="420" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/EllenWatsonDBXmas2015-Front.jpg" style="height: 420px; width: 300px;" title="EllenWatsonDBXmas2015-Front" vspace="0" width="300" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and Dare I say ‘Peace”...</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="Image 6" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a03dec8f65/Image%206.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Image 6" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-38914079015290811432015-11-11T07:46:00.006-05:002015-11-11T07:50:14.578-05:00<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrameSecure" name="twttrHubFrameSecure" scrolling="no" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.3beb63f1e7d4b547a42d79c021627bc3.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Every-So-Often Garden Memoir </span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">Dianne B</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Volume 68</span></span></span><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">: <span style="font-size: 14pt;">October 2015 </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #666666;">Garden Heaven</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Summer’s end is just not as buoyant as its beginning , but this stunning autumn has had many joys:<br />
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Like this Acidanthera (or call it Gladioli callianthus Murielae if
you must) hovering over the new-for-me Cochicum ‘Zephyr’</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130413" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130413.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1130413" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">a sensitive bicolor from the center out<br />
(from</span> <a href="http://odysseybulbs.com/">Odyssey<span style="color: red;"> </span>Bulbs</a><span style="color: #666666;">)</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130417" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130417.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1130417" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">And don’t forget, you can cut Colchicum for a vase and they last forever – well, for a week anyway</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130463 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130463%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1130463 2" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">or you can just let them flop, that’s nice too</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130487" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130487.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1130487" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Among the dried and crinkled leftovers of the garden –<br />
amazing it survived without sacred rainwater<br />
for almost FIVE weeks --<br />
there was/is some beautiful<br />
variegation, now at its most distinctive:<br />
<br />
Caladium ‘Moonlight’ under Abutilon ‘Savitsky’s Beauty’</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130426" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130426.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130426" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and the Abutilon under the Aralia</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130429" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130429.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130429" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">The third flush of Pulmonaria ‘Samurai’<br />
(cut back hard after flowering in spring and again in July)</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130250" border="0" height="328" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130250.jpg" style="height: 328px; width: 434px;" title="P1130250" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120862 2" border="0" height="331" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120862%202.jpg" style="height: 331px; width: 442px;" title="P1120862 2" vspace="0" width="442" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">The surprise of the late-summer flowerers:<br />
Caryopteris...<br />
this one with nice lime-green foliage that keeps its color</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130427" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130427.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130427" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and this white leafed one reaching across a path to the Chinese dogwood</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130271" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130271.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1130271" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130265" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130265.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130265" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">And then there's this graceful spathe of Colocasia</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130495" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130495.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130495" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">the blues and greens of end-summer:<br />
<br />
Great Euphorbias in their glory:<br />
(Fen’s Ruby, the ferny and myrsinites, the layered)<br />
over the chartreusiness of gets-better-and-better<br />
Sedum ‘Angelina'</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130418" border="0" height="321" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130418.jpg" style="height: 321px; width: 434px;" title="P1130418" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">the moss greening up again and the<br />
Farfugium argenta bluer than ever<br />
(Boxtree Farms - TEN! years its been in that pot)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="P1130425" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130425.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130425" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">the outstanding thick green leaves
of the giant Mayapple (podophbyllum pleianthium, I think) against the
painted ferns and lamium</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120871" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120871.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120871" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and even though I usually disdain PINK, the autumn PINKS are more than welcome when they look like this:<br />
Can't deny Hydrangea Pinky Winky,<br />
even with its terrible name</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130410" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130410.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130410" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120847 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120847%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1120847 2" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">WOW! Allium pulchellum and an<br />
undeniably pink Calla<br />
The pulchellums take a few years to get going – like sun – and bloom in August<br />
Great, aren't they?<br />
<br />
And an even bigger <strong>WOW</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Aralia elata ‘Silver Umbrellas’</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130153" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130153.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130153" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">To me, that's a heavenly garden dream come true...<br />
puffier, more billowing clouds than ever<br />
(I think because<br />
it was courageously cut back<br />
in early spring)<br />
Bob Wilson said it made his trip from The Watermill Center<br />
to see my garden worthwhile -<br />
mind you, we are talking summer traffic here</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">So, one can more easily take the little ups and downs, i.e.<br />
<br />
Can you believe a gorgeous tall Golden<br />
Deodar Cedar died?<br />
Here is one last bough ...<br />
I brought it out of the shade of the old garden and<br />
into the sun of Davids Lane ten years ago..<br />
I thought it would last forever</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120380" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120380.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120380" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120834" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120834.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120834" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Our great Hampton tree expert</span> <a href="http://www.raysmithassociates.com/">Ray Smith</a><span style="color: red;"> </span><br /><span style="color: #666666;">
told me - for sure - that I had overplanted the area.<br />
Too many tress, too little space.<br />
So my, I thought, perfectly coordinated small trees<br />
next to the pool grew and grew<br />
<br />
However...</span></span><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Suddenly the place it stood all those years became a<br />
new little nook and had some light,<br />
so see a surprise that appeared,<br />
lots of cyclamen too</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130484" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130484.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130484" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and the stump/trunk turned out to be a perfect pedestal</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130205" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130205.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130205" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">STUMPERIE<br />
Is this one?<br />
I read that they are on the increase and inspired by the Prince of
Wales at Highgrove, but there were no images and so, I am imagining
that this is, albeit the beginning, of a Stumperie</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /></div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #666666;">The LongHouse Landscape Award Weekend</span></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">What can I say: it was just divine<br />
from dinner on Friday evening at<br />
Alexandra Munroe’s ocean front estate<br />
to<br />
Dan Hinkley's funny and wonderful talk at Hoie Hall,<br />
which happens to be the Parrish House of our<br />
beautiful St. Luke's</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0081" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0081.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0081" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Landscape Award Photos by Paul Aizaga</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0030" border="0" height="332" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0030.jpg" style="height: 332px; width: 434px;" title="15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0030" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Martha and our Father Denis</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="15_6357899078981812501550419_29_LHRL_20150926_AAR_016" border="0" height="578" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/15_6357899078981812501550419_29_LHRL_20150926_AAR_016.jpg" style="height: 578px; width: 386px;" title="15_6357899078981812501550419_29_LHRL_20150926_AAR_016" vspace="0" width="386" /><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Lys Marigold and Dan Hinkley</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">through<br />
the fabulous luncheon at<br />
LongHouse on the lawn with<br />
the Buckminster Fuller dome,<br />
where we honored<br />
Dan Hinkley and Elizabeth Scholtz<br />
(you know who he is, she was the<br />
driving force of the great Brooklyn Botanic Garden)</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0437_HDR" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0437_HDR.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0437_HDR" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0180" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0180.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0180" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">The tables are set at LongHouse</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Jamaica Kincaid LHR_LandscapeAwards_0826" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/Jamaica%20Kincaid%20LHR_LandscapeAwards_0826.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 289px;" title="Jamaica Kincaid LHR_LandscapeAwards_0826" vspace="0" width="289" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Jamaica Kinkaid</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Matko Tomicic LHR_LandscapeAwards_0768" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/Matko%20Tomicic%20LHR_LandscapeAwards_0768.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 289px;" title="Matko Tomicic LHR_LandscapeAwards_0768" vspace="0" width="289" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Matko Tomicic</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Jack Lenor Larsen LHR_LandscapeAwards_0947" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/Jack%20Lenor%20Larsen%20LHR_LandscapeAwards_0947.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="Jack Lenor Larsen LHR_LandscapeAwards_0947" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Our Jack Larsen speaking just the right words</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0605" border="0" height="289" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0605.jpg" style="height: 289px; width: 434px;" title="15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0605" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Dan Hinckley and Martha Stewart</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0617_HDR" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0617_HDR.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 434px;" title="15I_LHR_LandscapeAwards_0617_HDR" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">to the closing event on Sunday at Bill Smith and<br />
Dennis Schrader’s Great Garden. </span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_7767" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/IMG_7767.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_7767" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Because they are</span> <a href="http://www.landcraftenvironment.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=LANDCRAFT">LandCraft</a><span style="color: #666666;">,<br />
they have the hottest plants in the coolest place<br />
and that is no exageration.<br />
Their garden is magic.</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_7670" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/IMG_7670.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_7670" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Dan Hinkley plants in Dennis & Bill's garden<br />
<br />
It is unnecessary for me to show you continuing reams<br />
of photos, but I'll share a few:<br />
<br />
Me with Dennis Schrader under his newly constructed “Ruin”, which, is of course, filled with fabulous old finds</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 4" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/Image%204.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Image 4" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Me giving welcome at the Awards Luncheon</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DB-Image 1 2" border="0" height="289" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/DB-Image%201%202.jpg" style="height: 289px; width: 434px;" title="DB-Image 1 2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Me and my godson Jordan</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Image" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/Image.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 514px;" title="Image" vspace="0" width="514" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">in Alexandra’s Kitchen garden--<br />
<br />
If you are panting to see more, it's easy.<br />
Martha Stewart took a million good pictures of<br />
every segment of every event<br />
and they are all on her blog<br />
which you can see right</span> <a href="http://www.themarthablog.com/2015/09/a-busy-weekend-in-east-hampton-and-in-newport.html">HERE</a></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /></div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #666666;">Small Miracles of Summer PAST:</span></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">well, this is a big one:<br />
April Gornick’s great photos of the eclipse:</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="eclipse2a" border="0" height="399" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/eclipse2a.jpg" style="height: 399px; width: 434px;" title="eclipse2a" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 10" border="0" height="397" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/Image%2010.jpg" style="height: 397px; width: 434px;" title="Image 10" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> April Gornick Photos</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">She really took these, they are not some internet trick</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060081" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1060081.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1060081" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">my concrete ball in the moss garden is no competition for that, but it reminds me how indebted we are to nature</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /></div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #666666;">A Surprising Plant Buy:</span></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">DAYLILIES<br />
In my decades of gardening – these are the first –<br />
and I swear the first – I have ever bought;<br />
but somehow I had<br />
an urge for them.<br />
Seeing some purple-hued beauties in other gardens (hardly like daylilies at all) and knowing they fill a gap<br />
and get better with time,<br />
I thought I’d give them a try – we'll see if they are still around this time next year<br />
(or will I pull them out like I invaribly do with perennials<br />
I think I have to have: this summer it was Platycodon<br />
that had to go.<br />
Anyway – I ordered some purple ones and a few with that always great combo of white/cream and a burgundy center from</span> <a href="https://www.oakesdaylilies.com/"><span style="color: white;">Oakes Daylilies</span></a><span style="color: #666666;">,<br />
after some research they seemed the<br />
best, and was shocked to receive huge gnarls of roots,<br />
especially since all the ones I ordered were in the<br />
Under $10 category,<br />
plus a handwritten note which always gets me,<br />
as well as three bonuses</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130420" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130420.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1130420" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">so a big kudo to Oakes</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130448" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130448.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130448" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">So much for daylilies,</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">These are REAL Zantedeschia aethiopica<br />
and they survived "that winter"<br />
<br />
..they must be deep down in the ground by now – maybe 4th or 5th
year – and appreciative of the several layers of burlap blanket that
allowed them to withstand a bitter winter</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120629 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120629%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1120629 2" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">A magnificent Pineapple lily<br />
'Sparkling Burgundy'</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120866" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120866.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120866" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Another one</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120656" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120656.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120656" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">...from</span> <a href="http://www.landcraftenvironment.com/">LandCraft</a><span style="color: #666666;">, of course</span></span><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #666666;">REAL LILIUM</span></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">In the last issue of Dirtier, a few months ago I admit,<br />
I promised you lilies and here are a few of the best:<br />
<br />
At least the best of those left after the rabbits chomped many of
them to the ground (but it has been nice having the rabbits back this
season, though the foxes are nice too)</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120863" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120863.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120863" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Casablancas hidden in just the right spot</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120842" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120842.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120842" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">an Orienpet, cross between an Oriental and a Trumpet,<br />
I like these better than either<br />
<br />
and my favorite double Tiger lily blooming in quite<br />
severe shade...<br />
they proliferate like crazy in the sun</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120857" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120857.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120857" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">But then...one’s attention is
diverted by the ever-divine, long-present Angelica --- I said to my
young, and at 17 hopefully impressionable, godson ...<br />
this is the sexiest flower</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130040" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130040.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130040" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Probably inappropriate because he looked at me<br />
like I was crazy.<br />
I always thought Angelica gigas a biennial that spread<br />
good seed; but have recently learned they may be three-year biennials<br />
(then why don’t they call it a triennnial???) <br />
<br />
Anyway...this doesn’t come from Hortus,<br />
but I like the way it sounds<br />
“Angelica archangelica<br />
The floriferous namesake of St. Michael the Archangel, who is
supposed to have revealed its power to battle the plague, Angelica
archangelica’s luxuriant, tropical-looking foliage makes a dramatic
entrance each spring as leaves unfurl to a length of 2 to 3 ft. Flower
buds of mauve, strikingly set against its deeply divided bright green
verdure, herald the imposing lime-tinted white flowers surmounting
thick, erect stalks. This Angelica’s aromatic young shoots have long
been used as a flavoring in sweet confections.<br />
Blooms August–September.<br />
Size: 5' high x 4'–5' wide; hardy to zone 4."<br />
<br />
<br />
And this magnicicent jack-in-the-pulpit<br />
with the 'drip tips' was<br />
amazing at about 4'</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120859" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120859.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120859" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">the Black Mondo Grass among the chartreuse Lysimachia nummularia is just perfect</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130255" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130255.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1130255" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">while these blacks among the Sedum ‘Angelina’<br />
are splendid</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130220" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130220.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130220" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">This is obviously my color combination of choice,<br />
but one can get hung up on the subtler of things:<br />
<br />
like this bi-colored Arum leaf given to me by</span> <a href="http://www.kendruse.typepad.com/">Ken Druse</a> <span style="color: #666666;">that has taken 3 years to produce ...<br />
and so I really appreciate it</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130200" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130200.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1130200" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and this funny little thing – that
little red knot is all it actually does...for the longest time I thought
it was the plant called Paris, so I was enchanted...<br />
but now i've found it is actually<br />
Hydrastis canadense</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="P1120832" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120832.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120832" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">still cute, though<br />
<br />
and the painted ferns that are literally the abiding thread of this garden</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120122" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1120122.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120122" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">some are whiter ('Ghost'), some are redder<br />
They're all beautiful<br />
know i like them so much because they shower me with blessings:<br />
this profusion around my work corner<br />
(heavily shaded under Lys’ grape arbor)<br />
have appeared by magic.<br />
I have never planted even one of them.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">You can never have enough</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130051" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130051.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1130051" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130052" border="0" height="433" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130052.jpg" style="height: 433px; width: 341px;" title="P1130052" vspace="0" width="341" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: #666666;">HELLO SPRINGTIME</span></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">So put a little burlap scarf around your favorite prone-to-tenderness plants...I find it makes an amazing difference</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130546" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130546.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1130546" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">this is just the first layer<br />
<br />
Will it be a freezing winter again? Who knows...<br />
<br />
ORDER BULBS right away if you haven't<br />
...the crickets have not stopped chirping, but I have started planting anyway<br />
<br />
The very best bulbs do come from</span> <a href="https://brentandbeckysbulbs.com/"><span style="color: white;">Brent and Becky</span></a>,<br /><span style="color: #666666;">
but many have sold out already, so I would get right on your computer while some beauties are still in stock.<br />
<br />
And I don’t only herald them because they have the best bulbs, but they are very generous to boot with both<br />
St. Luke’s Church and with LongHouse.<br />
<br />
So – hurry up and order<br />
<br />
I hope you didn’t miss Susan Wood's<br />
intimate and beautiful images of John and Yoko<br />
as exhibited on the walls of the centuries-old main barn at Mulford Farm in East Hampton.<br />
The pairing of place and people is really tender.</span></span><span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<img align="none" alt="Image 5" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/Image%205.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 189px;" title="Image 5" vspace="0" width="189" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://longhouse.org/">LongHouse</a> <span style="color: #666666;">is still open on Saturday afternoon until the Saturday following Thanksgiving<br />
<br />
and the dogs, after a few scares, are fine</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130042 2" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130042%202.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1130042 2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_1564" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/IMG_1564.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_1564" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Flora with her favorite Do you Love Me monkey<br />
<br />
<br />
Lys’ fig tree is bountiful in October!</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130227" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130227.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1130227" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Life is beautiful</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1130305" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ff953aa77d/P1130305.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1130305" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">All is well<br />
and we are off to Paris......<br />
<br />
Joyeux automne to all</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
<br /></div>
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-58843511152758887772015-08-11T22:36:00.000-04:002015-08-11T22:36:11.216-04:00Ultimate Garden Chic<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrameSecure" name="twttrHubFrameSecure" scrolling="no" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.e959fce2f580398966631b5e34fc915c.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrame" name="twttrHubFrame" scrolling="no" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.e959fce2f580398966631b5e34fc915c.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Monthly Garden Memoir </span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">Dianne B</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Volume 67</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> early August 2015 </span> </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: #5f764c; text-align: center;"><img align="none" alt="P1120689" border="0" height="150" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120689.jpg" style="height: 150px; width: 651px;" title="P1120689" vspace="0" width="651" /></td>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Oh Hello Everyone</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DB" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/DB.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="DB" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Dianne portrait by Jack Ceglic now on view at Ille Arts, Amagansett</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I rarely let a whole month of garden
action go by, let alone seven weeks, without a word nor a glimpse into
lovely life lived here. Though I do tend toward more is more, as you
know, it is my aim to keep this little reportage of the bounty of the
season within bounds and so I begin with a rapturous report on my
absolute flowering favorite:<br />
the Japanese Iris.<br />
<br />
Rarely is something graciously elegant <em>and</em> dazzlingly
glamorous -- traits that can often clash -- but in the case of Iris
ensata it is not so. Because of the myriad show-offy iris, from the
diminutive early Iris reticulata,<br />
through the Siberians and right on up to those<br />
blowsy beauties,<br />
the fancy-to-almost-psychedelic Germans,<br />
the sophisticated and tasteful Japanese Iris<br />
can get overlooked. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Which is a big mistake on many levels:<br />
-consider that they need no staking or fussing<br />
-the buds seemingly appear out of nowhere<br />
-the slender, blade-like foliage is<br />
neat and doesn't overwhem<br />
like those big fans</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120568" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120568.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120568" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and they are erect but soft,<br />
harmonious but tantalizing,<br />
and the colors -<br />
well, they just never clash<br />
<br />
even this closest to magenta compliments everything:<br />
old allium, new lilies, <a href="https://www.provenwinners.com/Hydrangeas-Demystified">Proven Winner</a> hydrangeas</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120642" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120642.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120642" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">But then, of course, I only garden with colors I like anyway<br />
<br />
A few years ago, I decided I didn’t have nearly enough of these beauties, just a few faithful clumps here and there</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040198" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1040198.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040198" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and so I went on a Japanese Iris acquiring jag and found, without a doubt, the best selection at</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><u><a href="http://www.mtpleasantiris.com/">Mt Pleasant Iris Farm</a></u>.<br />
They have all sorts of Iris – they are real people – they ship
gorgeous tubers AND you have to print the order form and fill it out and
mail it to them,<br />
which I find somehow more endearing<br />
than time-consuming<br />
<br />
<br />
the bicolor one is called Ol’ Man River</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120712" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120712.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 319px;" title="P1120712" vspace="0" width="319" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">which just happens to be my father’s favorite song,<br />
I like to imagine him taking a twilight stroll with Lys</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120581" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120581.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120581" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">‘Heklun Blue’ is really blue in real life<br />
<br />
and Look at this one - with subtle stripings<br />
and barely</span>-<span style="font-size: 18pt;">there color variations</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120692" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120692.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120692" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Though everything can't be as cool as the Japanese iris, here are a few other indispensables of<br />
this summer’s garden:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">the first flush of the Voodoo lily Sauromatum<br />
popping up among a touted-by-Abby Jane Brody<br />
lime green Heuchera called<br />
'Pistache'<br />
(one in sun has withered, this one in<br />
shade has thrived)</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120419" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120419.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120419" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">the gargantuan size of this particular Allium schubertii,<br />
which gets bigger every year</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120407" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120407.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 309px;" title="P1120407" vspace="0" width="309" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">following on its heels, the droopy swan-necked<br />
Allium ‘Forelock’ –</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080053" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1080053.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080053" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">‘Forelock’ perking up – getting ready to ‘bloom’</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120435" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120435.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120435" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">‘Forelock’ standing straight and freshly opened</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120539" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120539.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120539" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and starting to fade a bit</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120572" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120572.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120572" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
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<div>
<strong><span style="font-size: 24pt;">On Gossamer Wings</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Now two weeks past, the <a href="http://longhouse.org/">LongHouse</a> gala was a glorious success and I just know that you are dying<br />
to hear about it....</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">We wanted a fragile theme that would
convey the immediacy of the evening and evoke the other-worldliness of
our treasured honoree –<br />
the artist, thinker, feminist, sculptor Kiki Smith</span><br />
<span style="background-color: red;"><img align="none" alt="IMG_3282" border="0" height="368" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/IMG_3282.jpg" style="height: 368px; width: 491px;" title="IMG_3282" vspace="0" width="491" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Pam Herbst Design</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Lys Marigold came up with On Gossamer Wings<br />
(attribute to Walt Whitman and Cole Porter)<br />
and our fabulous LH team came up with piles and piles of wonderful
ideas to convey the singular, sylph-like specialness of the evening...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Brooklyn Peaches imbued the atmosphere...<br />
they are our favorite synchronized swimmers/dancers turned nymphs for the night</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="b5Xq2KjhPwGkt48xWNHc9RnWACMgnLrGbAlw22bh9GM" border="0" height="436" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/b5Xq2KjhPwGkt48xWNHc9RnWACMgnLrGbAlw22bh9GM.jpg" style="height: 436px; width: 289px;" title="b5Xq2KjhPwGkt48xWNHc9RnWACMgnLrGbAlw22bh9GM" vspace="0" width="289" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">They were dressed in billowing garments imprinted with Kiki's design, courtesy of Nicole Miller and<br />
Mary Jane Marcasiano</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="paulaizagaphoto15g_lhrgossamar_0665" border="0" height="462" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/paulaizagaphoto15g_lhrgossamar_0665.jpg" style="height: 462px; width: 308px;" title="paulaizagaphoto15g_lhrgossamar_0665" vspace="0" width="308" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and finally couldn’t resist the water</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="ax_YEpT99MGmsLyjnxXL3ViAAXpAtek4wpWXwKdmc9I" border="0" height="289" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/ax_YEpT99MGmsLyjnxXL3ViAAXpAtek4wpWXwKdmc9I.jpg" style="height: 289px; width: 434px;" title="ax_YEpT99MGmsLyjnxXL3ViAAXpAtek4wpWXwKdmc9I" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The live music throughout the night was made by the fabulous art/sound troupe SOUNDWALL</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="WGfCK194sCr4krua2eNDHkE8paKaff_E6np7EmSEORI" border="0" height="289" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/WGfCK194sCr4krua2eNDHkE8paKaff_E6np7EmSEORI.jpg" style="height: 289px; width: 434px;" title="WGfCK194sCr4krua2eNDHkE8paKaff_E6np7EmSEORI" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">beautiful LongHouse looked even better<br />
than usual</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="15g_lhrgossamar_1123" border="0" height="473" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/15g_lhrgossamar_1123.jpg" style="height: 473px; width: 314px;" title="15g_lhrgossamar_1123" vspace="0" width="314" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="paulaizagaphoto15g_lhrgossamar_1094" border="0" height="316" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/paulaizagaphoto15g_lhrgossamar_1094.jpg" style="height: 316px; width: 452px;" title="paulaizagaphoto15g_lhrgossamar_1094" vspace="0" width="452" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">we did our best to layer Kiki Smith’s special universe into LongHouse for the night.<br />
Guests arrived through a magical mist-like cocoon/portal</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 1b" border="0" height="500" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/Image%201b.jpg" style="height: 500px; width: 400px;" title="Image 1b" vspace="0" width="400" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and changed colors as the night progressed</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="1dQGsClsievSRBu4_UZo5pY53KStHlSrgpWVtIsYUoY" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/1dQGsClsievSRBu4_UZo5pY53KStHlSrgpWVtIsYUoY.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 289px;" title="1dQGsClsievSRBu4_UZo5pY53KStHlSrgpWVtIsYUoY" vspace="0" width="289" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">We projected her delicate universe everywhere we could</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="e3caVA16dH2sXBN5sbZ7NiHpVuFGMfnXZDy9S3OBAxE" border="0" height="289" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/e3caVA16dH2sXBN5sbZ7NiHpVuFGMfnXZDy9S3OBAxE.jpg" style="height: 289px; width: 434px;" title="e3caVA16dH2sXBN5sbZ7NiHpVuFGMfnXZDy9S3OBAxE" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">We had the good fortune to nestle Kiki's life-size Women and Sheep in our LongHouse gardens. </span><br />
<img align="none" alt="11760042_879125128791075_4806478470000771211_n" border="0" height="333" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/11760042_879125128791075_4806478470000771211_n.jpg" style="height: 333px; width: 500px;" title="11760042_879125128791075_4806478470000771211_n" vspace="0" width="500" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="KikiSmith20150501_102341" border="0" height="265" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/KikiSmith20150501_102341.jpg" style="height: 265px; width: 470px;" title="KikiSmith20150501_102341" vspace="0" width="470" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">You might have noticed the black gossamer<br />
wings on my head</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_3246" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/IMG_3246.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="IMG_3246" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="15g_lhrgossamar_0994" border="0" height="261" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/15g_lhrgossamar_0994.jpg" style="height: 261px; width: 394px;" title="15g_lhrgossamar_0994" vspace="0" width="394" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Our inimitable founder, Jack Lenor Larsen wore<br />
what he calls his best Korean "business Suit"<br />
<br />
Lots of wonderful people came<br />
and<br />
it's great how they love to<br />
dress up for us</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="15g_lhrgossamar_0611" border="0" height="254" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/15g_lhrgossamar_0611.jpg" style="height: 254px; width: 383px;" title="15g_lhrgossamar_0611" vspace="0" width="383" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sharjeel and Margaret Kashmir<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="15g_lhrgossamar_1038" border="0" height="397" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/15g_lhrgossamar_1038.jpg" style="height: 397px; width: 263px;" title="15g_lhrgossamar_1038" vspace="0" width="263" /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">It was a great night...wish you all might have come</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /></div>
<div>
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Favorites of the 2015 Garden Open Days</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120400" border="0" height="392" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120400.jpg" style="height: 392px; width: 434px;" title="P1120400" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">This huge Petasites leaf standing alone<br />
<br />
It's quite incredible how stupefied many gardeners become in the presence of this indomitable too-easy-to-grow<br />
lotus-pad-like beauty</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120398" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120398.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120398" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">which is why I give it away like mad...<br />
<br />
And this ground orchid, Bletilla striata, startles them when they look close enough to see that it really is an orchid</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120532" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120532.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120532" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">(came through hard winter better than ever)</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120536" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120536.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120536" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">...and here is a recent theory of mine on which I have tried to elicit opinions from those in the know,<br />
but no one – so far – has a clue:<br />
<br />
My Tree Peony Hypotheses:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Could it be true that my two
bountiful and beautiful old Tree Peonies (old for me, they came here
from my first garden a dozen years ago) are producing herbaceous
peonies from their decidedly woody roots?<br />
<br />
Because this summer there are herbaceous peonies growing in places I have never planted them</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120374" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120374.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120374" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">right next to the Tree Peonies<br />
and in suspiciously similar coloring – more or less – as what might be the “mother”plants</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120409" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120409.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120409" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">So – could this be?<br />
Gnarly old tree peonies are giving off a second flush of herbaceous bloom?<br />
<br />
All opinions welcome...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /></div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>DIANNE'S Do's and Dont's</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Masses of Mock Orange are beautiful</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120485" border="0" height="366" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120485.jpg" style="height: 366px; width: 434px;" title="P1120485" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">but should be enjoyed on the bush.<br />
These lasted less than one day after<br />
arduous cutting and arranging.<br />
<br />
Hard to pin down anything really the color of wine except the real thing...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Here is one sweet Burgundy Anemone
coronaria meant to swathe the ground under new leaves of weeping Beech
‘Purple Fountain’, of course, the idea was to have<br />
many anemones...<br />
DO plant a lot of them<br />
and<br />
DO soak them in water overnight before planting</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120009" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120009.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120009" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Don't - I mean Never - allow a slug that you can see to stay on a bloom, leaf, trunk or stem<br />
Squash it - drown it in salt or beer or whatever you fancy - but Don't Ever Ignore One<br />
<br />
I'm convinced it's then that they take over</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<strong><span style="font-size: 24pt;">PURITY</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">White on white on white on white</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120552" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120552.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120552" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120546" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120546.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120546" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">on white on white<br />
<br />
<br />
This forerunner of all the Peonies, tree or otherwise,<br />
is the quiet special species Peony obovata</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110985" border="0" height="328" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1110985.jpg" style="height: 328px; width: 434px;" title="P1110985" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">It has its own leaf shape, its own timing</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110982" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1110982.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110982" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And this massive classic Acanthus produces<br />
only one precious flower,<br />
but that's enough</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120529" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120529.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120529" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120778" border="0" height="380" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120778.jpg" style="height: 380px; width: 285px;" title="P1120778" vspace="0" width="285" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and what is there to say about the architecture of the Onion, well, at least – <em>this </em>onion Allium Summer Beauty</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120690" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120690.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 313px;" title="P1120690" vspace="0" width="313" /><br />
<br />
<br />
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<div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>And summer’s end begins</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">It is now stiflingly hot here.
Happy to have just gotten a welcome reprieve from the Connecticut
Horticultural Society, 30 of them did not come a few days ago, <br />
thank God.<br />
Although my omnifarious layers are fascinating to me in this
nearly all-green time, we know those garden-tourers like to see flowers.
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Now I am busy trying to figure out
how to multiply my fabulous Jack-in-the-Pulpits. My knowledgeable
friend Jim Zajac told me I needed one of each sex and gave me the
quintessential tome for my library to study up; but between Arisaema
being extremely difficult to find and gaspingly pricey when you do ...<br />
it is not an easy chore</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I think this is an ‘attenuata’ kind, but it's hard to know.<br />
It has bloomed steadily and fabulously for 5 – 6 years<br />
to almost 5 feet...<br />
people are used to looking down for<br />
the moody seceretive Jacks - but for this one -<br />
It is UP - Look Up</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120452 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120452%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120452 2" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The too pretty-to-be-a-Jack, Arisaema candidisimum thrives again,<br />
but just one</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120575" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120575.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120575" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And to close for now, a few last combinations of which<br />
– I must admit – I am proud:<br />
<br />
This Clematis with the dark center bursting forth among the bewitching growth of the fastigiate purple beech</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120388" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120388.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120388" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The utter domesticity and fecudity of Clematis<br />
Mrs. Betty Corning</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120623" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120623.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120623" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and the sheer freshness of the
prolific bigger-flowered blue Mrs.Chomondeley bursting through several
layers of green and white and green</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120588" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120588.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120588" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I love the flowers named Mrs. This and Mrs. That...<br />
it's so gentile<br />
<br />
The fabulous golden growth of Cryptomeria ‘Sekkan’ behind the summer color of Japanese maple<br />
‘Orange Dream”</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120540" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120540.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120540" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">AND<br />
her own progeny...it’s a Baby ‘Sekkan’</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120615" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120615.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120615" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The last to bloom (right now) Allium pulchellum mixing<br />
with the Callas</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120801" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120801.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120801" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Oh yes, and then there was my birthday<br />
capping off July...always<br />
a wonderful occasion in the Marigold-Benson household.<br />
I'll keep the very biggest present a secret for now,<br />
but promise to treat you to another travelogue<br />
in the not-too-distant future.<br />
<br />
But this select tree came from Matko,<br />
now in<br />
a prize place in the Japanese Maple Grove.</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120614" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120614.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120614" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Subtle and gorgous Acer palmatum ‘Manyo No-Sato’ from the brilliant Broken Arrow Nursery.<br />
<br />
<br />
Oh my God...it’s a psychedelic Wood Duck<br />
Unfortunately it was not seen next door<br />
in our Nature Trail, but<br />
was actually seen by a friend in upstate NY –<br />
not a phototrick</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="beau1" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/beau1.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="beau1" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Judy Fulmer</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120488" border="0" height="293" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120488.jpg" style="height: 293px; width: 434px;" title="P1120488" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Sweet dogs cuddled up inside, much too hot for them outside<br />
even with their summer cuts</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">One last thing...you may have
noticed that I am not trying to sell you anything because it is too hot
to garden and there is little left<br />
BUT<br />
Please note...<a href="http://www.mtpleasantiris.com/">Mt. Pleasant Iris Farm</a> is not taking any more orders for 2016<br />
on Japanese Iris...<br />
They still have a fabulous selection of many others<br />
So Shop Now - They only ship in August and September.<br />
<br />
We’ll get to the lilies in the next issue</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120740" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120740.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120740" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">In between time have a gorgeous summer’s end</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1120722" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/P1120722.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120722" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">There is magic happening every
Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 at East Hampton's Mulford Farm -
gorgeously situated between our Church and Guild Hall. Susan Wood's
photos are intimate beyond belief<br />
and having them exhibited in this enchanting 17th C. barn is beyond the beyond. Don't miss it.</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Right On - evite" border="0" height="640" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/f21642ea66/Right%20On%20-%20evite.jpeg" style="height: 640px; width: 277px;" title="Right On - evite" vspace="0" width="277" /><br />
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<br />
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-6170388730787363382015-06-17T08:33:00.000-04:002015-06-17T08:33:12.625-04:00HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?<br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Monthly Garden Memoir</span></span></span><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="height: 100px; width: 75px;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">Dianne B</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: lavender;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Mid-June 2015 </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Everyone has been talking about the whirlwind spring and how late it arrived. I have found it extremely fecund<br />when it finally did.<br />But for me, the anticipation is usually as exciting,<br />if not more, than the actual thing.<br />So I couldn't be happier with its muchness<br />and having to wait a little for it.<br /><br />The peonies...so far...have been <em>incroyable</em>.<br />Yes, a little French here necessary to really get the overwhelmingness<br />of it all.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Let's face it...<br />50, well maybe 40, blooms on one Tree Peony<br />are really a LOT of flowers<br /><br />and I had SIX<br />gnarled old-lookingTree Peonies<br />blooming at the same time.<br /><br />To begin with, the buds.<br />They are the shapliest,<br />the most comely -<br />actually seductive -<br />and they are BIG.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img align="none" alt="P1120006" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120006.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120006" vspace="0" width="326" /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Never before so numerous,<br />so fanciful or so fetching.</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120326" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120326.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 275px;" title="P1120326" vspace="0" width="275" /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The individual colors are indescribably delicate</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120304" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120304.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120304" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120297" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120297.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 379px;" title="P1120297" vspace="0" width="379" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Image 5" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/Image%205.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 302px;" title="Image 5" vspace="0" width="302" /><br /> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">photo: Skye Marigold</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">I love the way they nod before closing up<br />for the evening. And burst toward the sun<br />in the morn.<br /><br />The tinges of color are just like little breaths...<br /><br />there are those who might say...<br />"Oh, what nice pink peonies</span>"<br /><img align="none" alt="P1120292" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120292.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 373px;" title="P1120292" vspace="0" width="373" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">But that would be missing the point, really, wouldn’t it?<br /><br />Not to mention the hot magentas that the Japanese refer to as ‘blue peonies’</span><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_2797" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/IMG_2797.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_2797" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> photo: Brian Craig</span></div>
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<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Another thing not to miss...<br /><br />As I write – the <u><a href="http://longhouse.org/benefit">LongHouse Benefit</a></u> is only six<br />weeks away.<br />Just as the pictures on this screen cannot capture the breathiness of the peony colors,<br />so, I cannot share with you in this digital manner<br />the ethereal nature of the evening we are planning<br />to honor Kiki Smith at our Benefit on July 18th.</span></div>
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<img align="none" alt="smith_photo_w-1000x465" border="0" height="233" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/smith_photo_w-1000x465.jpg" style="height: 233px; width: 500px;" title="smith_photo_w-1000x465" vspace="0" width="500" /></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">If you would like a real invitation, one in which the<br />very paper swishes and whispers making you want<br />to fly away<br />On Gossamer Wings,<br />just send me your mailing address and you shall have one.<br /><br /><a href="http://longhouse.org/benefit"><span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="Email-Blast-Come-Fly-long061015" border="0" height="2076" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/Email-Blast-Come-Fly-long061015.jpg" style="height: 2076px; width: 400px;" title="Email-Blast-Come-Fly-long061015" vspace="0" width="400" /></span></a><br /><br />Come to LongHouse.<br />The sixteen acres have never been more beautiful, there are refreshing new paths and gardens at every turn and the art has never been better<br />and the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fodors/10-reasons-you-need-to-vi_b_7455068.html">Huffington Post</a> included LHR on<br />their list of places to visit on Long Island.<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fodors/10-reasons-you-need-to-vi_b_7455068.html"><img align="none" alt="LHRHuffPost" border="0" height="525" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/LHRHuffPost.jpg" style="height: 525px; width: 452px;" title="LHRHuffPost" vspace="0" width="452" /></a></span><br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>As life goes, along with the exhilarating highs<br />there are the Garden BOO HOOs</strong><br /><br />The bigggest of which is the disappointment of disappearing favorites:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Last year it was my huge engaging Arisaema sikokianum that delighted everyone in its path for 4 or 5 years.<br />Just when I had come to really think of it as my own -<br />Gone.<br /><br />It didn't just skip a year, it is really gone<br />and to boot...<br />where oh where is Calista Washburn’s gigantic leather-leafed prehistoric- looking Mayapple?</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Behold last year's...</span><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_2670" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/IMG_2670.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_2670" vspace="0" width="326" /></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Might not look like much in this picture,<br />but that baby was 18" across<br />and gleaming</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Now nowhere to be seen<br />(but she did dig a little baby one for me at<br />The Garden Club Fair)<br /><br />and so far...no sign of Lupine...not one<br />and I had gone crazy and planted 8 or 10 big fat plants<br />last summer.<br /><br />Now empty spaces and no lupine</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120024" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120024.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120024" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">and...hardly a sign of Eucomis, until just yesterday<br />when I spotted a few blood-curdlingly deep red<br />new leaves</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120401" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120401.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 386px;" title="P1120401" vspace="0" width="386" /><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Fortunately, I was able to fill in a few of those empty Eucomis spaces with strapping new ones from <a href="http://www.landcraftenvironment.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=LANDCRAFT">LandCraft</a></span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120420" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120420.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120420" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> Hot Plants --- always look for that enticing logo<br />at your nursery.<br />The stuff from LandCraft is really hot stuff ...<br />and really cool.<br /><br />But you know, planting anew never oozes the<br />same thrill as nurturing<br />your very own from season to season.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">But enough boo-hooing about what didn’t happen –</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>What the spring did bring was breathtaking.<br />This is how things looked on Garden Conservancy<br />Open Day:</strong><br /><span style="font-size: 8pt;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><br />The Big Picture:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="EllenWatson0670" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/EllenWatson0670.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="EllenWatson0670" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> photo: Ellen Watson</span></span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110842" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110842.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110842" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110846" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110846.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110846" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110889 (1)" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110889%20(1).jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1110889 (1)" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110866" border="0" height="358" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110866.jpg" style="height: 358px; width: 434px;" title="P1110866" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110878" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110878.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1110878" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Some Details:</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110882" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110882.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110882" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="EllenWatson0651" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/EllenWatson0651.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="EllenWatson0651" vspace="0" width="290" /></span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> photo: Ellen Watson</span></span></span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110880" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110880.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1110880" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110860" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110860.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1110860" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">and those of you who have tried in vain to get a<br />Persian Fritillary to rebloom know that this was quite<br />the show stopper</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110901" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110901.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1110901" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110904" border="0" height="293" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110904.jpg" style="height: 293px; width: 434px;" title="P1110904" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and for those of you who have not yet explored<br />the exhilarating world of Fritillaria...this one is<br />called Acmopetala</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120067" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120067.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120067" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">it is divine: on a two foot stem<br />and<br />it always sort-of looks wet<br />Very exciting</span></div>
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<br /><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>That was May 10, and this is now: </strong><br /><br />The first of my V00doo Lilies have just emerged</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120419" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120419.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120419" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">look closely now</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120418" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120418.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120418" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The fresh white leaves of a young<br />Acer p. ‘Floating Cloud’ against the<br />wall of white azalea and above Japanese fern ‘Ghost’</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120307" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120307.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120307" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">A few Farfugiums made it through the really rough winter, deserving high praise for their insistence...<br />especially commendable is ever-faithful F. Leopard, although even <a href="http://www.plantdelights.com/">Plant Delights</a> suggests they are only good ground plants for Zone 7b and up</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120402" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120402.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120402" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">I beg to differ</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">A new cone on the Abies koreana ‘Silberlocke’ is cause for rejoicing</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120364" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120364.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120364" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">second branch from the top on the right...see it...<br />stops the observant few dead in their tracks<br /><br />AND...particularly of note here in Zone 7a...<br />Lys’ fig tree ‘Brown Turkey’ is showing signs of life<br />only because of her ever-tender wrapping</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120349" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120349.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 408px;" title="P1120349" vspace="0" width="408" /></div>
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<br /><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Variations on PURPLE</span></strong><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120313" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120313.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120313" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Allium ‘Akbulak’ (the very first to bloom) and Cammassia</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110992" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110992.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 279px;" title="P1110992" vspace="0" width="279" /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Allium karavatienesse is purply-red and a<br />really special one from <a href="http://odysseybulbs.com/"><span style="color: white;">Odyssey</span></a></span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120302" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120302.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120302" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">This velvety german Iris purple with a big orange tongue</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">is so out-there it looks fake</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">how about tie-dyed purple</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120337" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120337.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120337" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">or this really flash purple-fuschia honey</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120276" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120276.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120276" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">almost can’t-go-wrong Tulip combination</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120040" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120040.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120040" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">even better some times when singled out</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110975" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110975.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110975" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">and this tulip is called Blue Amiable, but it too is</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120037" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120037.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120037" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: purple;">PURPLE</span></span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And though it isn’t a bloom at all, as blooms go,<br />look at the first exotic Jack-in-the-Pulpit of the season.<br /><br />Its spathe serves the same sexy purpose<br />as all other flowers,<br />but it certainly has its own unique come-on .<br />Even if you are not dying to know, it is<br />Arisaema thunbergii subsp. urashima.<br />Isn't it the muskiest, dustiest most divine purple of all? </span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120063" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120063.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120063" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">(This one came from our <a href="http://www.marders.com/index.php">Marder’s</a>, but most recently the best selection is at <a href="http://www.sunlightgardens.com/">Sunlight Gardens</a> in Tennessee and <a href="http://www.plantdelights.com/Plant-Nursery/Perennial-Plants-for-Shade/Ship-plant/Mail-Order-Nursery/Contact-Us">Plant Delights</a>, of course.)</span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">To garden is to live...my motto.<br />It is the gardening side of gardening that makes me feel that way, not so much the business side.<br />You might have noticed that my<br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/">Twelve Great Gardening Essentials</a><br />have dwindled to about 6 or 7,<br />as I make a slow dance out of this<br />once-more-interesting commercial platform.<br /><br />But if it is gloves or diggers or peeping sticks<br />that you’re after...come to</span><br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/"><img align="none" alt="AtDianneB_Logo_wHead copy" border="0" height="180" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/AtDianneB_Logo_wHead%20copy.jpg" style="height: 180px; width: 112px;" title="AtDianneB_Logo_wHead copy" vspace="0" width="112" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">There are still a few tool belts and <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/">diannebbest</a> is still the conduit to the one-and-only hand-crafted monogrammed shovel made in Idaho by Farmer John.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/garden-gauntlet-glove.html"><img align="none" alt="01DBBestGardenGauntletGlovesAmazon02" border="0" height="380" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/01DBBestGardenGauntletGlovesAmazon02.jpg" style="height: 380px; width: 506px;" title="01DBBestGardenGauntletGlovesAmazon02" vspace="0" width="506" /></a></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/garden-gauntlet-glove.html">Garden Gauntlet Glove</a></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/dig-deep-weeder.html"><img align="none" alt="DBDigDeep6056 2" border="0" height="136" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/DBDigDeep6056%202.jpg" style="height: 136px; width: 600px;" title="DBDigDeep6056 2" vspace="0" width="600" /></a></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/dig-deep-weeder.html">Dig Deep Weeder</a></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/poetic-potting-trowel.html"><img align="none" alt="PPT" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/PPT.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 432px;" title="PPT" vspace="0" width="432" /></a></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/poetic-potting-trowel.html">Poetic Potting Trowel</a></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: brown;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Finnicky End-of-Spring Will Summer-Ever-Start Sale:<br />15 % Off on Everything</span></span><br /><br />(but please, don’t just order one or two pair of Little Black Gloves – it’s just too much trouble to ship)</span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Oh yes, a Gardening Event of Interest begins this weekend and concludes in August...<br />one of a kind.<br />The<a href="https://www.guildhall.org/benefit-events/garden-as-art-tour/"> Guild Hall Garden as Art Tour</a> is the <u>only</u> tour that takes place at summer’s end, which means gardens have reached their lush fullness and of course<br />edible gardens are at their frenzied peak.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">This year's theme: <strong>Garden to Table</strong> has many events</span><br /><a href="https://www.guildhall.org/benefit-events/garden-as-art-tour/"><img align="none" alt="Co-Chair Response Formnews" border="0" height="506" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/Co-Chair%20Response%20Formnews.jpg" style="height: 506px; width: 382px;" title="Co-Chair Response Formnews" vspace="0" width="382" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Although quite pricey, The Co-Chair ticket buys a lot, (and after all, it is The Hamptons):<br />two lunches in private places (one in the original Devon Colony, the other at the home of one of our coolest restaurateurs), one glamorous cocktail party at an East Hampton estate, a great symposium with five fabulous chefs and garden-style speakers, plus a knock-out garden tour.</span><br /> </div>
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<br /><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Little Tip:<br />Best way to water orchids, by far, is in the bathtub</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110972" border="0" height="348" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110972.jpg" style="height: 348px; width: 434px;" title="P1110972" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">how can I resist showing off Mother’s Day flowers in front of garden-picked tulips</span>?<br /><img align="none" alt="Image 3" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/Image%203.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Image 3" vspace="0" width="326" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and sometimes I find the tiniest things irresistible...<br />a brave little species tulip bursting through the fallen<br />(and brown and mushy) magnolia petals after all the other tulips had said goodbye</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120080" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120080.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120080" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">and I continue to learn that if you have the patience to wait for the right things they will often happen...<br />The striped-leaf lily-of-the-valley finally bloomed</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120108" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120108.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120108" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">AND – and this especially for all of you who trusted me enough to believe</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">in the impending bloom of the $50 Tree Peonies I imported from China five years ago (maybe 4) here is proof. </span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120126" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120126.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120126" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">There were three flowers, all on the one plant that survived and no, not White with Burgundy Centers<br />as I had promised,<br />but they are GORGEOUS</span> <span style="font-size: 18pt;">anyway</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120124" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120124.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1120124" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">But I promise, I will never try to import plants of any nature from Asia, or anywhere, ever again...</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110944" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110944.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110944" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1120346" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1120346.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1120346" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110946" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110946.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110946" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1110921" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/P1110921.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110921" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">One last blessing:<br />This is our Church the evening of The Garden Club Fair,<br />Memorial Day May 2015.<br />The Fair was held next door on old Mulford Farm<br />(which I must give Ralph Lauren credit for<br />paying to have much of it restored).<br /><br />This is a real picture. It is not fake or touched up.<br />We live in Heaven.</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="PeterOlsenPHOTO-1738" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/191d305b1b/PeterOlsenPHOTO-1738.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="PeterOlsenPHOTO-1738" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> photo: Peter Olsen</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /></div>
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-25233674739737232092015-05-04T14:10:00.002-04:002015-05-04T14:10:16.660-04:00IT'S MAGNOLIA TIME<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrameSecure" name="twttrHubFrameSecure" scrolling="no" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.f15fe2cd70788a40560e69fa17341d5e.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrame" name="twttrHubFrame" scrolling="no" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.f15fe2cd70788a40560e69fa17341d5e.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Monthly Garden Memoir </span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">Dianne B</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Volume 65</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: #5f764c; text-align: center;"><img align="none" alt="HeaderP1110520" border="0" height="185" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/HeaderP1110520.jpg" style="height: 185px; width: 651px;" title="HeaderP1110520" vspace="0" width="651" /></td>
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<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Yes, it is about to burst into bloom...which means it<br />
should still be pink on Saturday May 9.<br />
That is the</span> <u><a href="https://www.gardenconservancy.org/events/all-events/eastern-long-island-ny-open-day">Garden Conservancy Open Day</a></u> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and I hope you all will come to visit my garden.</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110526" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110526.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110526" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">And yes, that winter might have been
long, dark and horrible; but there are those who ADORED it...for
example The Tree Peonies. Never have they been so<br />
lush and bud-laden, but more than that, they are<br />
throwing off many new what-will-become woody stems from their gnarly old bases.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Look closely below...</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110546" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110546.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110546" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">It’s a record year to be sure.<br />
<br />
Actually, the garden has fared quite well except for those
treasured ‘Glacier Blue’ euphorbia ( really blue and fabulous when they
arrive from</span> <a href="http://www.forestfarm.com/index.php">Forest Farm</a>,<span style="color: #444444;"> but very temperamental)and I don’t see any signs of Lupine or Pineapple lilies yet;<br />
but just look at what I can see:<br />
<br />
<br />
This was the very first hint of blue when the snow had melted ... a
tiny treasured Hepatica with its shiny liverwort leaves growing among
the Cyclmen that persisted under the <em>seven</em> weeks of snow cover</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110443" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110443.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110443" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">It's adorable, no?</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The fresh red growth of this special
Japanese maple against the paper-thin frozen leaves, which have been
clinging to it since the first hard frost last December when they
stratified</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110448" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110448.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110448" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">A Fritillaria persica that <em>is </em>going to flower</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110456" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110456.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110456" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">The chartreuse center of a Hellebore I can't name,<br />
I think it came from</span> <a href="http://www.marders.com/">Marder’s</a></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110392" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110392.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110392" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">This pale butter yellow Hellebore is a subtle specialty</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110518" border="0" height="282" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110518.jpg" style="height: 282px; width: 434px;" title="P1110518" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">But not as good as this abundant swathe of Double Blacks (Onyx Odyssey </span><a href="http://soulesgarden.com/ZenCart/">Soules Gardens, Indianapolis</a><span style="color: #444444;">)<br />
perfect under the branches of a Skylands spruce</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110516" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110516.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1110516" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Shy white hyacinths that have been blooming in this dark spot for at least 10 years </span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110472" border="0" height="425" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110472.jpg" style="height: 425px; width: 434px;" title="P1110472" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and my precious patches of Bloodroot, a Sanguinaria<br />
called ‘Tennessee form’ from that fabulous<br />
snowdrop specialist,<br />
Hitch Lyman’s Temple Nursery.<br />
(no web site, must actually write to:<br />
Box 591, Trumansburg NY 14886.<br />
He writes back in beautiful script)</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110515" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110515.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110515" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">The sight of my first snakeshead lily<br />
(Fritillaria meleagris of course)<br />
growing among the starburst<br />
dwarf daffodil ‘Rip van Winkle’ </span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110531" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110531.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110531" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">just made me swoon</span><br />
<br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">And this Ganeesha, the Elephant God
of the Hindus, is a perfect lead-in to our trip to India and other
ports. Truthfully, I didn’t see one plant or one tree or<br />
anything horticultural that I haven’t seen before,<br />
(not the forte of the Indian people anyway),<br />
but in Singapore: we did see a few things FANTASTIC.</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110512news" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110512news.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 262px;" title="P1110512news" vspace="0" width="262" /></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Singapore is High Modern, admittedly socialist, but ever so impressive.<br />
<br />
This building with the ship on top houses theaters, museums and more designer label shopping than<br />
you can even imagine.</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="newsletter" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/newsletter.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="newsletter" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">As evidence of this shopping phenomena,<br />
the angular glass building is not an art gallery or<br />
opera house, it is a Louis Vuitton STORE. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I swear.</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2596" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/IMG_2596.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_2596" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">When it was announced we were visiting A Cloud Forest, that was built only a few years ago, I thought,<br />
“Oh ho-hum, what can this be?”<br />
Well, my pictures are lousy but it was the most fantastic array of
rare orchids and every single exotic growing thing you have ever seen
or even heard of:<br />
bromeliads, prehistoric ferns, totally mysterious succulents
growing in profusion on a man-made mountain with, yes, man-made clouds
at the top.<br />
It sounds awful but it was fabulous.<br />
<br />
Huge pitcher plants</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2447" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/IMG_2447.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_2447" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">300 year old Olive Trees</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2441" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/IMG_2441.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_2441" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Eel-like cactus</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2438" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/IMG_2438.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_2438" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">you have to see it to get it....<br />
so when in Singapore<br />
You Must Go<br />
<br />
<br />
Asam Tree, or Rain Trees (Tamarindus Indica) are everywhere and that is all I have to say about<br />
Malaysia and Sri Lanka.</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2578" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/IMG_2578.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_2578" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Except in Sri Lanka there was this salmony color bougainvillea everywhere</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100727" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100727.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1100727" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and some charming window gardens</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100724" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100724.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1100724" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and pathways along the waterways</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100720" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100720.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1100720" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">On to INDIA...beginning in the south at Cochin...<br />
This part of the world is particularly good with pattern</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100709" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100709.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1100709" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and color COLOR</span></span> <span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: violet;">C</span><span style="color: cyan;">O</span><span style="color: darkorange;">L</span><span style="color: plum;">O</span><span style="color: blue;">R</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100904" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100904.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 377px;" title="P1100904" vspace="0" width="377" /><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">every woman every where every day looks<br />
more or less like this</span>,<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and somehow it all works</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110041" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110041.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110041" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">but only in India</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100972" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100972.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1100972" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">And the good news is that there is
an all-out desire for education. Considering that there are 1.25 billion
people in India (average age of 27) that is a lofty goal</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100704" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100704.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1100704" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">By the way...<br />
80% are Hindu<br />
and are always adorning their gods with flowers</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110352" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110352.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110352" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and 13% are Christian...that might not sound like a lot,<br />
but 13% is 162 million people and Jesus was everywhere presented in all sorts of<br />
novel interpretations, techniques and traditions</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100787" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100787.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 293px;" title="P1100787" vspace="0" width="293" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100773" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100773.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1100773" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">In old Goa, long a possession of the Portuguese, there are tons of Churches...</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100795" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100795.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1100795" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">and the only touch of landscaping except for the hotels...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">beautiful big fat Norfolk Island Pines<br />
and good hedges</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100816" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100816.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1100816" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Gardens don’t seem to have much of a
place in population-thronged India, except for the British enclave of
Lutyens in New Delhi.<br />
<br />
In Mumbai, for example, the Hanging Garden is a big tourist stop.<br />
The Peace idea is nice, of course</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100920" border="0" height="330" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100920.jpg" style="height: 330px; width: 434px;" title="P1100920" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">but considering that topiary is the highlight, this scraggly giraffe sort of tells the tale</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100913" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100913.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1100913" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The real highlight of Bombay for sure was the residence that Mahatma Ghandi occupied for 13 years until 1933<br />
This was his bed</span>.</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100890" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100890.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1100890" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">This his library where the books look very well-worn</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100864" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100864.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1100864" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100859" border="0" height="315" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100859.jpg" style="height: 315px; width: 434px;" title="P1100859" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">You could just smell his presence and feel the pride<br />
of the people who recognized that he changed the world</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100888" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100888.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1100888" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Non-violence reigns true..doesn’t he look peaceful?</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100854" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100854.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1100854" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Breathtaking beautiful India is in the north, at the Taj Mahal, at Varanasi,<br />
in Udaipur (the lake city) and Jaipur (the Pink City)<br />
We loved the cacophony of horns and hollerers,<br />
donkeys braying and parrots squawking, tuks-tuks<br />
sputtering and over-laden trucks jostling with<br />
motorbikes and people and everything<br />
stopping to make way for the cows<br />
<br />
The cows, sacred as they should be, were my<br />
single favorite element.<br />
That they feel comfortable everywhere</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">(non-threatened, the epitome of non-violence)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and are all fat (or sort-of fat, dogs too) and suddenly, you have a different view<br />
of the garbage strewn streets upon realizing the piles are left there to feed all the animals</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110119" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110119.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110119" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110310" border="0" height="328" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110310.jpg" style="height: 328px; width: 436px;" title="P1110310" vspace="0" width="436" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">These two contented black and whites
decided they were tired and plopped down on the meridian in the middle
of a big road filled with bikes, motorcycles, tuk-tuks, trucks and
anything else you can name</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110114" border="0" height="252" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110114.jpg" style="height: 252px; width: 434px;" title="P1110114" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">just out strolling</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110109" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110109.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110109" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">I loved them all.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Jaipur is not only pink:</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110023" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110023.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110023" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">there are decisive colors and shapes<br />
and gorgeous panoplies of other pastels</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110017" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110017.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1110017" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110016" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110016.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110016" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">So, no gardens really; but flowers everywhere</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110003" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110003.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1110003" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110011" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110011.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1110011" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100995" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100995.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1100995" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100987" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100987.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1100987" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Of course, the Mughal architecture is to die for, which we came to appreciate through architect/lecturer<br />
Dr. Richard Patterson<br />
the chatteries and aedicules<br />
that make it so exotic</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100979" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100979.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1100979" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110140" border="0" height="324" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110140.jpg" style="height: 324px; width: 432px;" title="P1110140" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100973" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100973.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1100973" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">The Astronomical Observatory at Jaipur was completed in 1734 by a very clever Maharaja.<br />
It still works.<br />
They can measure time against GMT to .0002 of a second...and they do.<br />
It is the official time of India.</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110099" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110099.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110099" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110097" border="0" height="285" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110097.jpg" style="height: 285px; width: 434px;" title="P1110097" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The fact this and other treasures of forts and palaces are constantly being painted, refitted and<br />
restored is a wonderful way to keep those<br />
billion people busy</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">We loved Jaipur</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100965" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100965.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1100965" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100963" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100963.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1100963" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">and oh, yes, there were gardens to be observed<br />
from a distance</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">(the women couldn't mingle)</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100960" border="0" height="328" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100960.jpg" style="height: 328px; width: 436px;" title="P1100960" vspace="0" width="436" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100957" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100957.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1100957" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1100929" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1100929.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1100929" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">This paradisical look doesn’t really count as it was<br />
our hotel<br />
A curious feature of our hotel was the all-glass bathroom</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2648" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/IMG_2648.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_2648" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">One last tiny peek into Old Delhi,<br />
which is utter chaos:</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110176" border="0" height="232" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110176.jpg" style="height: 232px; width: 434px;" title="P1110176" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110169" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110169.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110169" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and its Anglicized sister city New Delhi</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110334" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110334.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110334" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110327" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110327.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1110327" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">two different worlds side by side</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110362" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110362.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110362" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Shantih means PEACE.<br />
(See the last verse of T.S. Eliot'sThe Wasteland)</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110136" border="0" height="118" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110136.jpg" style="height: 118px; width: 434px;" title="P1110136" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Oh yes, one more fascinating thing, in the wheat fields between Agra and Delhi there were BLUE antelopes</span>.</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110315" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110315.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110315" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="57" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 456px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="456" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">I am happy to be home and selfishly thrilled that spring was late in coming because I am really late in doing....<br />
but catching up as I revel in the wonder of each<br />
thing breaking through the earth and unfurling.<br />
<br />
Anyway...everything being late means also that the weeds are late
to sprout, the pruning has become especially obvious, and the precious
emergence of spring<br />
even more special:<br />
<br />
the purity of the first white crocus</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110384" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110384.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110384" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">the double Galanthus ‘Flore Pleno’ sure does<br />
bake my cake</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110388" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110388.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110388" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">the Hepatica among the cyclamen multiplied</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110402" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110402.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110402" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and this year I have 4 different colors of tiny but thrilling Corydalis, but I’ll spare you the subtle variations</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110396" border="0" height="324" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110396.jpg" style="height: 324px; width: 432px;" title="P1110396" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">This dreamy dogstooth violet growing among the<br />
shiny leaves of European ginger is heaven...(this special rose and white form from the great </span><a href="http://odysseybulbs.com/">Odyssey Bulbs</a></span><span style="color: #444444;">)</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110535" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110535.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1110535" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Who can ever have enough?</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110389" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110389.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110389" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110378" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110378.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110378" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">And hooray for the bravado of these crocus.<br />
They couldn’t wait for me to take that old burlap<br />
blanket off of them.</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110376" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110376.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1110376" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">OK -- It isTime to Garden! and</span> <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/">Dianne B</a> <span style="color: #444444;">is ready to fulfill some of your gardening tool needs – sort of.<br />
<br />
You may have noticed that I am phasing out of things, the Yard Bags are no more and will not be remade<br />
(minimums ridiculous);<br />
but there are still some wonderful things to be had:<br />
<br />
These dandelions were unearthed with 16” inch long<br />
roots intact by<br />
the determined Lys Marigold. See the size next to a gradiated 14” best trowel,<br />
( you can buy it anywhere, though at</span> <a href="https://brentandbeckysbulbs.com/">Brent and Becky</a><br /><span style="color: #444444;">
it’s the cheapest) .<br />
But you can only unearth these determined<br />
beasts with the</span><br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/dig-deep-weeder.html">Dig Deep Weeder</a></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1110543" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/P1110543.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1110543" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBDigDeep6056" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/DBDigDeep6056.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="DBDigDeep6056" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">and if there were ever a time to use your</span><br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/peeping-stick.html">Peeping Stick</a> <span style="color: #444444;">– it is right now<br />
as the hellebores explode and the nodding<br />
Fritillaries open</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DianneBPeepingStick01" border="0" height="307" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/DianneBPeepingStick01.jpg" style="height: 307px; width: 429px;" title="DianneBPeepingStick01" vspace="0" width="429" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="PeepingStick0051-03" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/PeepingStick0051-03.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="PeepingStick0051-03" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Happy Spring EveryOne...<br />
<br />
Mark your Calendars:<br />
May 9 – the garden is open from 10AM to 2PM<br />
for the</span> <a href="https://www.gardenconservancy.org/events/all-events/eastern-long-island-ny-open-day">Garden Conservancy</a><br />
<br /><span style="color: #444444;">
and<br />
<br />
Wednesdays and Saturdays –</span> <a href="http://www.longhouse.org/">LongHouse</a> <span style="color: #444444;">has reopened for the season and it has never been so abundant, nor have the art installations ever been so good</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="EllenWatsonLHR0233" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/EllenWatsonLHR0233.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="EllenWatsonLHR0233" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"> <span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"> Takashi Soga, Eye of the Ring, 2007</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">MAY 16 – the First Ever Most Wonderful<br />
<br />
OLD STONE STROLL<br />
May 16 3-6pm<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Stroll" border="0" height="682" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/Stroll.jpg" style="height: 682px; width: 565px;" title="Stroll" vspace="0" width="565" /><br />
<br /><span style="color: #444444;">
Hope to see you very soon,</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2829_2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/IMG_2829_2.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_2829_2" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Hmmmmm that earthy spring scent is so good</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2798" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/9aeed23477/IMG_2798.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_2798" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Mmmm tastes fine too.</span></span><br />
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-38258729657398634362015-03-16T14:46:00.000-04:002015-03-16T14:46:28.822-04:00A SPRIG OF SPRING<br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Monthly Garden Memoir</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">Dianne B</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Volume 64</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Not one...not yet...but today the birds have come back. Not sure if robins or Baltimore orioles, but they are flapping and the ducks are dabbling and diving...so soon there will be flowers.</span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">But as of today...the day we depart of three weeks in Singapore – Sri Lanka and the Malabar Coast of<br />India...I can’t see one thing in the garden...</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">so there are no pictures because they would all be<br />of snow, bare branches and some conifers that you<br />have already seen.<br /><br />The Snow Drops are even smothered.<br />The hellebores cannot compete with layers upon layer of snow engulfing them for six weeks. SIX WEEKS.<br />I don’t know what to think, but take heart after being reassured tonight by Dennis Limonius a person I implicitly trust who knows our land and our cycles because he grew up with them, says everything is going to be alright. That the broadleaf evergreens might suffer a litte, but for the most part no fear. The snow cover has been a blessing.</span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">And he said this to me in the Parish hall of our Church...so it must be true.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">SOON IT WILL Be Time to Plant</span><br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Here are the lilies I can’t get enough of...and there is plenty of time to have them in your garden this summer</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">The glorious Glorioso rothschildiana<br />Such a truly divine vine.<br /><br />Turk’s cap with butterfly!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">The Calla ‘Mango’ is the showiest in my garden and somehow magically blends with everything else</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">The famous ‘Stargazer’, I think it’s Stargazer, there<br />are many that all look alike and the fantastic thing is<br />that they proliferate.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #444444;">Here is the sweetest breath of spring.</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="new_homepage" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/5cd4528ee6/new_homepage.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="new_homepage" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: large;">How </span><u><a href="http://longhouse.org/"><span style="font-size: large;">LongHouse</span></a></u><span style="font-size: large;"> will look on April 25th when we open with our Rites of Spring and many gorgeous new installations</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 18pt;">That’s it folks -<br />See you in April with lots of exciting tales.<br /><br />And just in time for your gardening to begin,<br />here is a special</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">Dianne B Best</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 18pt;">deal...</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shop.html"><span style="font-size: large;">SPECIAL SPRING SALE</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 18pt;">Everything is 25% off until April 1st.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shop.html"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Use code: 25%OFF</span></strong></a><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 18pt;">On April 1st, when people just have to have their tools and accessories – the prices go right back up.<br /><br />Happy everything</span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1060022" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/5cd4528ee6/P1060022.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060022" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-33710361317383171612015-02-17T20:23:00.000-05:002015-02-17T20:23:08.735-05:00ODE TO EVENTUAL WINTER'S END<br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Monthly Garden Memoir</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">Dianne B</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Volume 63</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Ash Wednesday 2015</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Right now we are at the tail end of what was hyped to be yet another Bigger-than-life Blizzard and yes, it is still snowing off and on again and so... it seems like the perfect time to say Hello.<br />On the other hand, in the middle of this deep freeze, gardening wisdom wanes and pretty images are either nonexistent or buried under a thickening icy blanket.<br />The twentieth day of deep stuff so frozen that the dogs can walk on it and not sink -<br />I am sick of white snow pictures myself,<br />but here are just a few...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The coralbark maple looks particularly good</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Beginning-NandinaThrives-P1090945" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/Beginning-NandinaThrives-P1090945.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="Beginning-NandinaThrives-P1090945" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="NandinaThrives-P1090946" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/NandinaThrives-P1090946.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="NandinaThrives-P1090946" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />and the Nandina thrives...<br />actually the snowdust is very good at accentuating the hard little red berries </span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="BeginningUnderNandinaCaption-1488" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/BeginningUnderNandinaCaption-1488.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="BeginningUnderNandinaCaption-1488" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: dimgrey;">I don't think this is the nice warm snow that is good<br />for the garden,<br />but hope I'm wrong.<br />Anyway, the assymetric barberry hedges look pretty good poking up, don't they?</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Beginning--lookattheBarberry-P1090966" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/Beginning--lookattheBarberry-P1090966.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="Beginning--lookattheBarberry-P1090966" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">One very bright piece of gardening news is that<br />the great bulb grower Russell Stafford -<br />he of the most highly selective and unusual bulbs -<br />has just published a short but exciting</span><br /><a href="http://www.odysseyperennials.com/2015list.html">Perennial</a> <span style="color: #666666;">catalogue.</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="STYRAX" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/STYRAX.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="STYRAX" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <span style="color: #666666;"> Styrax americanus Kankakee form</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">I know from exasperating experience that he sells<br />out right away, so I would check it out<br />immediately. I simply couldn't resist Peltoboykinia,<br />Styrax and new-for-me species<br /> of magnolia, ligularia and lespedeza...</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="56" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 56px; width: 455px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="455" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: dimgrey;">So, instead of prosaic pictures, how about taking a little trip with me to the city fantastic, Florence?<br />We spent the first 12 days of the new year in Italy, just there in Florence, no where else - never hired a car or took a taxi and walked everywhere to really savor the place.</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="Beg--WeWalkedEverywhere--P1090935" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/Beg--WeWalkedEverywhere--P1090935.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="Beg--WeWalkedEverywhere--P1090935" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> Actually we could have even used a few more days.<br /><br />I hope you will find this following travelogue stimulating, motivating and fascinating.<br />This is how I saw it.<br /><br />And I saw it, as if for the first time, through the<br />educated eyes of Lys Marigold</span><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_2192" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2192.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_2192" vspace="0" width="325" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: dimgrey;">Her knowledge and deep love of the Renaissance,<br />coupled with college summers spent there,<br />gave us a made-in-heaven guide.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: dimgrey;">Everything is so extraordinarily beautiful because the Florentines love their land, love their art, continue to be ever so respectful of their heritage and it seems, one another</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">This loggia made it into the 17th C. by one year</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1090736" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090736.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090736" vspace="0" width="325" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Meticulous detail is everywhere</span></span><br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090501" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090501.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090501" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Yes, this musical score is entirely inlaid wood</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">We were lucky enough to be there on Epiphany when the Florentines go all out for a Gigantic Parade...</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090663" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090663.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090663" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">the Guilds and the various Hill villages sport their own costumes and colors<br />and everyone is<br />Very Proud</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090658" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090658.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090658" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">The leather guilds make matching boots and the illustrious textile makers dream up fantastic costumes</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090657" border="0" height="422" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090657.jpg" style="height: 422px; width: 434px;" title="P1090657" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and we just happened to be at the Pitti Palace</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090651" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090651.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090651" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">where the parade originates...<br />(another little miracle)</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="56" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 56px; width: 455px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="455" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Little tributes to the brilliant Florentine artists<br />are everywhere...<br />This plaque was placed in 1919 for the Fourth Centennial of his death</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090563" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090563.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090563" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Michelangelo specified the sinuous dimensions of the arc for the Trinita Bridge.<br />“Oh,” you say “that’s why it’s so graceful”.</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090445" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090445.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090445" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Our hotel is the 3rd building on the right...definitively of another time...so wonderful...so gentle,<br />both the people and the place.<br />And information to savor, it's not so expensive<br />(The Berchielli)<br />Location, location, location</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1090444" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090444.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090444" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Another godsend (literally) of being there in January,<br />the Churches still decorated for Christmas</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090572" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090572.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090572" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">and not so many tourists...<br />you see 3 of the 5 of us virtually alone in many places<br /><br />The birth and demise of Jesus, definitely the main event in an astounding panoply of art, is a tale told with a miraculous number of interpretations to match<br />his multifaceted role as Messiah, Prophet<br />and good Jewish boy..<br /><br />Since Easter is 40 days away...we’ll not focus on the end of the most famous story...<br />let’s just glory in the Good News.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The angel Gabriel conveying the miracle to Mary that she is to bear Him<br />The ultimate stuff of dreams:</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Beginning-Annunciation--P1090867" border="0" height="366" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/Beginning-Annunciation--P1090867.jpg" style="height: 366px; width: 434px;" title="Beginning-Annunciation--P1090867" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">The Annunciation</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1090772" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090772.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090772" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">perhaps the most compelling single miracle</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090700" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090700.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090700" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">The baby Jesus is usually cherubic, pink-cheeked and swaddled,<br />but there are many interpretations:<br /><br />a simple marble baby</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090576" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090576.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090576" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Sometimes he has wings</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090694" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090694.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090694" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">often crowned with gold</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090724" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090724.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090724" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">always adored</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">resonant in any material</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090555" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090555.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090555" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and often depicted as a lamb</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090730" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090730.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090730" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">This gorgeous depiction is from the Eleventh Century!</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="thesecondlamb(Jesus)pic-P1090494" border="0" height="435" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/thesecondlamb(Jesus)pic-P1090494.jpg" style="height: 435px; width: 397px;" title="thesecondlamb(Jesus)pic-P1090494" vspace="0" width="397" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="56" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 56px; width: 455px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="455" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"> <span style="color: #666666;">ANIMALS are venerated in various ways...<br />these turtles are holding up an obelisk</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="turtleholdingobelisk1973" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/turtleholdingobelisk1973.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 254px;" title="turtleholdingobelisk1973" vspace="0" width="254" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1090428" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090428.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090428" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">The cattle and the lambs are deservedly gentle</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1090405" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090405.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090405" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">dogs are everywhere, in the statuary, in the paintings<br />and on the streets</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">or if they don’t have a dog, they have a bird</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2168" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2168.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_2168" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Lions, representing the Free Republic of Florence and closely associated with the bible (and the Medicis)<br />are even more abundant</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2318" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2318.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_2318" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_2376" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2376.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_2376" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1090560" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090560.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090560" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1090491" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090491.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090491" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">We were directed to the strange and wonderful</span><br /><a href="http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/museum_of_natural_history.html">Musee Zoologico</a> <span style="color: #666666;">by our quirky friends</span><br /><a href="http://www.dransfieldandross.biz/products-all.asp">Dransfield and Ross</a><br /><span style="color: #666666;">(yes, they of the fanciful and outrageous<br />home accessories)<br />to see anatomical wax models of the medieval plague<br />arranged in strange dioramas<br />Well, they were weird as you might imagine</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090618" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090618.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090618" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">but the entire experience of the 18th C. museum was<br />even weirder.<br />I am not sure it has been rearranged,<br />or even dusted, in 240 years.<br />Well, there is electricity, so I exaggerate,<br />but the whole place is unbelievably fascinating<br />and totally old world.<br /><br />Maybe my favorite was the Big Bird room...</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090612" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090612.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090612" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="HallofLargeBirds" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/HallofLargeBirds.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="HallofLargeBirds" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Did you know Birds of Paradise have their own Genus?</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090609" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090609.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090609" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">And they are not tropical flowers at<br />all...they are birds.<br /><br />And here is the original from Alice in Wonderland.</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090597" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090597.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090597" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="56" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 56px; width: 455px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="455" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">And while I am deviating a little from<br />Churches and miracles...<br />here is another amazing museum when you need to rest your eyes from the richness of the Renaissance.<br />Near the Accademia is the</span><br /><a href="http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Museum_of_archaeology.html">Archaeological National Museum</a>.<br /><span style="color: #666666;">We went out of curiosity and Lys’ newer-found interest in all things sooty and dug up from the earth...<br />There were Etruscan, Roman and Greek art and objects,<br />and sarcophagi galore</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090751" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090751.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090751" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">but whoever would have dreamed that they have an Egyptian Collection to (more or less) rival<br />The British Museum,<br />though antiquated presentation and<br />dustballs to spare<br />dull its greatness.<br />After all, how many museums<br />can one city<br />perfectly maintain?</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="EgyptiantoRivaltheMet" border="0" height="180" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/EgyptiantoRivaltheMet.jpg" style="height: 180px; width: 285px;" title="EgyptiantoRivaltheMet" vspace="0" width="285" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">...and I have a thing for alabaster and they had the<br />most gorgeous collection of ancient canopic<br />jars and ewers and vases</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090753" border="0" height="250" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090753.jpg" style="height: 250px; width: 434px;" title="P1090753" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1090756" border="0" height="294" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090756.jpg" style="height: 294px; width: 434px;" title="P1090756" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1090765" border="0" height="394" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090765.jpg" style="height: 394px; width: 434px;" title="P1090765" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">If one got to make sweeping categorizations about civilizations, I would say...<br />The Egyptians and the Medicis had the best taste ...<br /><br />Another not-to-miss "little museum" on the “other side”<br />(or Oltraarno)...is the</span> <a href="http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Bardini_Museum.html">Bardini</a>...<br /><span style="color: #666666;">a 19C. eccentric’s collection of more , shall we say, decorative things</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2278" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2278.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="IMG_2278" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">fabulous, all the walls are blue</span><br /><img align="none" alt="2nd UnderBardiniMuseum-2242" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/2nd%20UnderBardiniMuseum-2242.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="2nd UnderBardiniMuseum-2242" vspace="0" width="325" /><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666;">The incredible concentration of museums, palaces, churches and art of all kinds makes perfect sense.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="BeforescholarsartistsandpoetstreeofLandLastSup-1997" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/BeforescholarsartistsandpoetstreeofLandLastSup-1997.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="BeforescholarsartistsandpoetstreeofLandLastSup-1997" vspace="0" width="325" /><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">All the scholars, artists, poets and any people wanting to feed their mind and feast their eyes have been coming to Florence for centuries and centuries<br />How many feet have trod this marble?</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2387" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2387.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_2387" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">So, between the great last Medici (and a woman no less) who bequeathed everything to the city of Florence,<br />with the caveat that it stay in Florence,<br />and the desire of all the fine arts in the world to want<br />to be concentrated in the same place ..<br />Voila</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">There is nowhere else like it.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="56" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 56px; width: 455px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="455" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">And of course, there are FLOWERS<br /><br />Painted in profusion</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090455" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090455.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090455" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="2296" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/2296.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="2296" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">inlaid in marble,</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090472" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090472.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090472" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Though the Boboli Gardens are a little drab in January</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090628" border="0" height="364" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090628.jpg" style="height: 364px; width: 434px;" title="P1090628" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">the floriferous world is everywhere</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="56" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 56px; width: 455px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="455" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">And for my fashion friends...there are outfits galore:<br /><br />on people gossiping at dinner parties</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2177" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2177.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_2177" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">everyone it seemed wanted to be seen</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090452" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090452.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090452" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">I love this couple</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090773" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090773.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090773" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">tres chic, non? </span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2248" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2248.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_2248" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="FashionPixP1090859_2" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/FashionPixP1090859_2.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="FashionPixP1090859_2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="56" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 56px; width: 455px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="455" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">The incredibly restrained good taste<br />of the Medicis was most<br />apparent in their Laurentian Library</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090567" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090567.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090567" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090566" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090566.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090566" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="MediciLibrary--2004" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/MediciLibrary--2004.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="MediciLibrary--2004" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="MediciLibraryFloor--2010" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/MediciLibraryFloor--2010.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="MediciLibraryFloor--2010" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and in their Chapel, where they are buried.</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2352" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2352.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_2352" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2294" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2294.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_2294" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2307" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2307.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_2307" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">a lack of ostentation coupled with<br />a profound richness</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090580" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090580.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090580" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="MediciChapel--2300" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/MediciChapel--2300.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="MediciChapel--2300" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">look at these gorgeous colors</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="MediciChapel--2313" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/MediciChapel--2313.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="MediciChapel--2313" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="MediciChapel--2346" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/MediciChapel--2346.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="MediciChapel--2346" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and these Michelangelos</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="MediciChapel--2347" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/MediciChapel--2347.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="MediciChapel--2347" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Now, that is a vase</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2314" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2314.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_2314" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090484" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090484.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090484" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Cosimo, the first great Medici and<br />Lorenzo the Magnificent look sort of alike.<br />You can see them everywhere</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090592" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090592.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090592" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">This is the chapel's Brunelleschi dome from the outside<br /><br />Looks so simple,<br />this is the inside</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090569" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090569.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090569" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and another</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090568" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090568.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090568" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="56" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 56px; width: 455px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="455" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Skye was enlightened to finally find use for<br />her three years of Latin<br />That is her godsister, gg Popcorn, with her on the left<br />Skye 19, gg 16</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_1985" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_1985.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_1985" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Of all the holy people,<br />St. John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene<br />are the most dramatic,<br />and funkier than I ever imagined<br />(surely the original beats and hippies)</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090689" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090689.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 333px;" title="P1090689" vspace="0" width="333" /><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Fra Lippo Lippi</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">And oh, Mary Magdalene, that famous famous hair</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090720" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090720.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 161px;" title="P1090720" vspace="0" width="161" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and did you ever see the serpent in the Garden of Eden portrayed as a woman...well here she is</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="EverSeenAFemaleSerpent-P1090852" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/EverSeenAFemaleSerpent-P1090852.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="EverSeenAFemaleSerpent-P1090852" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">I can't think of anything today that is<br />cooler, hipper or more sensational than the<br />sensibility of the Renaissance<br /><br />Real diversity</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="DIVERSITYP1090856" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/DIVERSITYP1090856.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="DIVERSITYP1090856" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><span style="color: #666666;">Look at Balthazar’s hair</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090693" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090693.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090693" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">What could be more sexy than this?</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090713" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090713.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090713" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Unquestionable precursor of rock and roll</span></span><img align="none" alt="RockandRollSkeleton--1986" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/RockandRollSkeleton--1986.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="RockandRollSkeleton--1986" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">And does this look like John Lennon or not?</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="DoesThisLookLikeJohnLennon--2143" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/DoesThisLookLikeJohnLennon--2143.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="DoesThisLookLikeJohnLennon--2143" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">think it is by Hans Memling, but couldn’t swear<br /><br />but there were boundaries:<br />one tenet is that the body is always covered,<br />however transparent </span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090705" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090705.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090705" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and way back then there was a lot of attitude</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090710" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090710.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090710" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="56" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 56px; width: 455px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="455" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Some of my favorite creatures were the little devils...look at this one trying to sneak up on Jesus</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="littledevilsneakinguponJesus--1987" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/littledevilsneakinguponJesus--1987.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="littledevilsneakinguponJesus--1987" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and who knows what symbolism was intended here</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2165" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2165.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_2165" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Michelangelo's David in the Academia is worth<br />all its accolades</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090707" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090707.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090707" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"> <span style="font-size: 18pt;">but if I had to choose one sculptor it would be Donatello</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090523" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090523.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090523" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090512" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090512.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090512" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090584" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090584.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090584" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Only the most famous Botticellis are under an extra protective layer of glass...</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090781" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090781.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090781" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">which means that everything is extremely accessible...<br />like it all wants to be seen<br />and they want you to be able to see it.<br />Just extrardinary in 2015</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090561" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090561.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090561" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Santa Maria Novello 14th C. – still in use</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">gg by the door of Santa Croce<br />gives you some sense of scale<br />(Plus the quiet grandeur of Florence</span>)</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090542" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090542.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090542" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Now we enter perhaps the least lavish, but to me the most precious place.<br /> There were no tourists, none, and it is almost unimaginable that the San Marco Church and Convent<br />are open to the public, but they are.<br />The frescoes seem as fresh and fragile as they must have been when Fra Angelico painted them in the cells of the monks 560 years ago.<br />There are no images or books that can do this remarkable achievement justice, but<br />here are a few because I couldn't resist</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="FraAngelicoSanMarcoMyFave--P1090873" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/FraAngelicoSanMarcoMyFave--P1090873.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="FraAngelicoSanMarcoMyFave--P1090873" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="SanMarcoP1090868" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/SanMarcoP1090868.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="SanMarcoP1090868" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="SanMarcoP1090881" border="0" height="482" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/SanMarcoP1090881.jpg" style="height: 482px; width: 495px;" title="SanMarcoP1090881" vspace="0" width="495" /><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">Superb simplicity</span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="56" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 56px; width: 455px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="455" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Everyone should spend time in Florence<br />where LOVE is everywhere all the time,<br />not just on Valentine’s Day.<br /><br />Venus (heavenly love) and Cupid<br />(good old earthly love/lust)<br />are one example</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090703" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090703.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090703" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1090413" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090413.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="P1090413" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="NearEnd--WeHadAGreatTime--P1090907" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/NearEnd--WeHadAGreatTime--P1090907.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="NearEnd--WeHadAGreatTime--P1090907" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">We had a great time</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090475" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090475.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090475" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="56" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 56px; width: 455px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="455" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: dimgrey;">A few other magic non-Renaissance moments:<br /><br />The famed East Hampton twilight...<br />on a particular day<br />I was at the Post Office when the trees actually<br />turned red...</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_1950" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_1950.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_1950" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">The Florentine light is somewhat like our light,<br />but in this instance,<br />maybe ours is even better</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_2284" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2284.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_2284" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and the strangest thing of this definitively<br />climate-changed winter<br />is the stasis of the leaves,<br />especially on the Japanese maples</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090293" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/P1090293.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="P1090293" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">the leaves are not falling off,<br />they are frozen there<br />It is wierd...<br />are you observing this petite phenomena too?</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="56" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 56px; width: 455px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="455" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Usually, at the end of my DIRTIER Newsletter,<br />I would offer you a</span><br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/">Dianne B Best</a> <span style="color: #666666;">Valentine special</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Heart Graphic" border="0" height="200" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/Heart%20Graphic.jpg" style="height: 200px; width: 600px;" title="Heart Graphic" vspace="0" width="600" /><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> but this is no time for garden tools...<br />so we will wait until the next Springier issue<br /><br />Our beautiful ducks do seem to be content on the frozen dreen of the Nature Trail</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="AttheEnd-DucksonFrozenPond-1" border="0" height="325" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/AttheEnd-DucksonFrozenPond-1.jpg" style="height: 325px; width: 434px;" title="AttheEnd-DucksonFrozenPond-1" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">but we Nature Trail lovers are getting<br />more and more nervous as it get<br />colder and colder</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">so around here we like to to keep warm and cozy ...<br />yummy homemade Chicken Soup</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_3835" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_3835.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_3835" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">satisifies everyone</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_3836" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_3836.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_3836" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_3837" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_3837.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_3837" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">and when Flora is not eating, she is reading</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="FLorawithBook" border="0" height="642" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/FLorawithBook.jpg" style="height: 642px; width: 482px;" title="FLorawithBook" vspace="0" width="482" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">don't take my book away<br /><br />and what is better on a<br />Blow-Ye-Winds night...</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_2353" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/IMG_2353.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="IMG_2353" vspace="0" width="325" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">that a delicious glass of Chianti,<br />of which I have a new appreciation.</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="09mens-arena-poem-blog480" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7e878720aa/09mens-arena-poem-blog480.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 283px;" title="09mens-arena-poem-blog480" vspace="0" width="283" /><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">‘‘Julia Drusilla Crying Botticelli’s ‘Allegory of Spring’ Flowers’’ by Francesco Vezzoli, 2013.<br />Credit © Francesco Vezzoli, 2013</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">DEAR SPRING<br /><br />Will you please hurry with your preparations?<br />We are freezing up north as you procrastinate<br />Like a rich lady with too many gorgeous outfits<br />To choose from, spending hours in front of<br />A mirror, trying them on and unable to decide,<br /><br />While we trudge to the mailbox through wind<br />And snow, extract our unwilling fingers<br />From a glove to check if there’s a letter<br />From you, or just a bitty postcard, saying:<br />I’m leaving Carolina today, hurrying your way<br />With my new wardrobe of flowers and birds.<br /><br />The tease! I bet she starts and forgets one of her<br />Hand-painted silk fans and has to go back,<br />While we stamp our feet and wipe our noses here,<br />Worrying the wood for the stove is running out,<br />The snow on the roof will bring the house down.<br /><br />— CHARLES SIMIC</span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" border="0" height="56" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/944cfd7da8/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7.jpg" style="height: 56px; width: 455px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79acc7" vspace="0" width="455" /><br />
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-53109709290889522352015-01-02T14:21:00.002-05:002015-01-02T14:21:10.817-05:00Welcome New Year, 2015<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrameSecure" name="twttrHubFrameSecure" scrolling="no" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.fe4e93d64f1afc988e99833088f71057.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrame" name="twttrHubFrame" scrolling="no" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.fe4e93d64f1afc988e99833088f71057.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Monthly Garden Memoir </span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Volume 62 Welcome New Year 2015 </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dianne B</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">Actually, it's just a hellebore and usually called<br />
Christmas Rose<br />
or Lenten Rose, but for my purpose today<br />
of<br />
wishing you all a<br />
Wonderful New Year...<br />
let’s call it a New Year’s Rose</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090351" border="0" height="333" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090351.jpg" style="height: 333px; width: 434px;" title="P1090351" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">and let’s call this a New Year’s Tree because it is<br />
so full of life</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090368" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090368.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090368" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">and Skimmia, which is a fleeting garden presence,<br />
is at this moment full of verve -- fine Christmas decor,<br />
this nice reddish-purple </span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090364" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090364.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090364" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">Holiday green and red is even better when<br />
the red’s a little richer,<br />
like burgundy or claret... <br />
those gorgeous bacchanalian colors<br />
of grapes and wine can only<br />
be achieved in nature<br />
<br />
the last leaves of Hydrangea oak-leaf</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090153" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090153.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090153" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">The lush tones of turning-toward-winter Acer japonica</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="P1090148s" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090148s.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090148s" vspace="0" width="326" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">the lush leaves of the underrated Oxalis, which is a perennial </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">for me</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090144" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090144.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090144" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02" border="0" height="54" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02.jpg" style="height: 54px; width: 188px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02" vspace="0" width="188" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Holidays have been good to us</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="1476371_10153009602779925_1346173026810499739_n" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/1476371_10153009602779925_1346173026810499739_n.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="1476371_10153009602779925_1346173026810499739_n" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">you might notice that I kept my long<br />
Hamlet hair, but will be gone in the New Year</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Nature Trail is filled with happiness</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090304" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090304.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090304" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and hungry ducks</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090307" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090307.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1090307" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">We invite you in</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090301" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090301.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090301" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The new goose has settled down and seems right at home</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090335" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090335.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090335" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090321" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090321.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1090321" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The swans are more proprietary than ever</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090328" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090328.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1090328" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090309" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090309.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1090309" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Dell Cullum’s photos have never been more beautiful</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090302" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090302.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090302" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">...and at home we had festive touches here and there,</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090336" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090336.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090336" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">ever more artistic wrapping of The Fig Tree</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090267" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090267.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 412px;" title="P1090267" vspace="0" width="412" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and this little dog waddling around singing </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Jingle Bells – Ho Ho Ho</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090339" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090339.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1090339" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">but we didn’t go all out because now we are off on a jaunt to Tuscany, Florence to be exact,<br />
to take in all the wonders.<br />
In my pre-now life I was too busy shopping and<br />
I have to admit, I couldn't tell one saint from the other</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 2" border="0" height="369" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/Image%202.jpg" style="height: 369px; width: 290px;" title="Image 2" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Things have changed radically.<br />
Now I will not miss glorious things like the<br />
Vasari Corridor and the<br />
frescoed Churches...so, I really feel this<br />
family trip is<br />
as if my first time.</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="3346687-Vasari-Corridor-0 2" border="0" height="244" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/3346687-Vasari-Corridor-0%202.jpg" style="height: 244px; width: 450px;" title="3346687-Vasari-Corridor-0 2" vspace="0" width="450" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">That walkway on top of the Ponte
Vecchio is the art-lined corridor that was built by the Medicis to take
them across the river to the Pitti Palace without having to mingle.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Florence-Italy" border="0" height="371" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/Florence-Italy.jpg" style="height: 371px; width: 518px;" title="Florence-Italy" vspace="0" width="518" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I can hardly wait, but</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">because I will be away til January 15th,<br />
there are no </span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/"><span style="color: firebrick;">Dianne B Best</span></a><br />
<span style="color: white;">Hot Offers attached here...<br />
only my</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="color: #000066;">VERY GOOD WISHES</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: white;">for an</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">EXUBERANT NEW YEAR</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">and, of course</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090373" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090373.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 311px;" title="P1090373" vspace="0" width="311" /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="color: #000066;">PEACE in the WORLD</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><img align="none" alt="P1090275" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090275.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090275" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Mahonia ripening up means spring is coming, you know</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090371" border="0" height="255" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/P1090371.jpg" style="height: 255px; width: 434px;" title="P1090371" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_0374" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/6c5d91b408/IMG_0374.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_0374" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-53492474136766443732014-12-01T15:01:00.003-05:002014-12-01T15:07:02.681-05:00An Appreciation<br /><div id="_atssh" style="border: 0px !important; font-family: Papyrus, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; height: 1px !important; position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 1px !important; z-index: 100000;">
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Monthly Garden Memoir</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">Volume 61 Before Thanksgiving, 2014 </span></span> <br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dianne B</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="background-color: #5f764c; text-align: center;"><img align="none" alt="HeaderP1090155" border="0" height="150" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/07049d7c5c/HeaderP1090155.jpg" style="height: 150px; width: 650px;" title="HeaderP1090155" vspace="0" width="650" /></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">It’s impossible to prioritize...with so many choices to be thankful for<br />...so lucky to have such a gratifying life...<br /><br />but here are a few that seem timely to share:<br /><br /><br />The sudden burst of a flower when you least expect it:</span><br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090066" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090066.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090066" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1090113" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090113.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090113" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">These yellow blossoms not so great,<br />but the temperatures had plummeted below freezing<br />when this<br />Farfugium 'Crested Leopard'<br />threw up its daisies<br />last week. Wow.<br /><br /><br />The indomitability of Euphorbia:</span><br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090083" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090083.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090083" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Almost indistinct from the ground-hugging pine -<br />but look closely to see the Fern-leaf<br />Euphorbia in front of the ground-hugging pine</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090084" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090084.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090084" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">E. myrsinites is a great one: the colder the perkier<br /><br />Good old E. robbiae self-seeding/spreading<br />to all the right places</span><br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090087" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090087.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090087" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">(I swear I never planted this patch)<br /><br />and the extremely cheerful E. 'Ascot Rainbow'</span><br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090112" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090112.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090112" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
Euphorbias in my garden are the<br />
Only Perennials still going strong.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Thanks to The Village of East Hampton<br />for collecting our leaves...<br />this an especially gigantic pile<br />with many more accumulating each day</span><br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090183" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090183.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090183" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And a particular thanks to wonderful Mama Nature for matching the autumn palette with the dogs </span><br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090055" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090055.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090055" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1090071" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090071.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090071" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1090104" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090104.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090104" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1090078" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090078.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090078" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">They luxuriate in crunching through<br />the leaves</span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And another unexpected thing to be thankful for...<br />not totally crashing on this, the second day,<br />of life without Hamlet...<br /><br />After several weeks of total Shakespeare rapture,<br />I was expecting skidding down to human ground<br />to be, well...maybe fraught...<br /><br />But when Hamlet says “What a piece of work is man”</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 15" border="0" height="432" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/Image%2015.jpg" style="height: 432px; width: 288px;" title="Image 15" vspace="0" width="288" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">He means it...<br /><br /><br />The glorious<br />and intricate natural world</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090116 2" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090116%202.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090116 2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">provides beauty and solace</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 2" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/Image%202.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="Image 2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">So turning one's back<br /><br />to now happily resume tangible tasks, like<br />HUNDREDS of<br />bulbs still to plant – well, baby<br />Life goes on<br />&<br />The Lady Protests Not Too much<br /><br /><br />For those of you who could not join our<br /> Court at Elsinore<br /><br />Here is a little taste:</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 10" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/Image%2010.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 432px;" title="Image 10" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Rosencrantz & Guildenstern with Hamlet</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 17" border="0" height="324" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/Image%2017.jpg" style="height: 324px; width: 432px;" title="Image 17" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Hamlet driving Ophelia mad</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 22" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/Image%2022.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 432px;" title="Image 22" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Ophelia’s funeral -<br />the flowers you see are good fake Calla lilies,<br />but the "weedy trophies" she drowns with are:<br />nettles, daisies, crowflowers and long purples<br /><br />currently better known as:<br />Lamium, daisies, buttercups and sexy dark orchids</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 19" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/Image%2019.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 432px;" title="Image 19" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Gertrude drinking from the poisoned cup</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 14" border="0" height="378" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/Image%2014.jpg" style="height: 378px; width: 504px;" title="Image 14" vspace="0" width="504" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Hamlet was a wonderful experience...<br />even though as expected,<br />everyone dies</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">As do the autumn leaves...<br />but they are so glamorous in their extinguishing that<br />the many great patterns and colors deserve distinguishing.<br />Here is a small sampling of<br />my Japanese maples:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090148" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090148.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090148" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">the mysterious bountiful Acer japonica -<br /> a big tree </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090166" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090166.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090166" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">another breathtaking A. japonica,<br />a big look from hardly a sapling<br /><br /><br />The shy autumn redness of the dwarf Acer ‘Shaina’</span><br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090142" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090142.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090142" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The screaming red of a ‘Bloodgood’</span><br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090137" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090137.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090137" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1090172" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090172.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090172" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and this golder-than-gold, is commonly called<br />the coralbark maple because of its screaming bright winter bark</span><br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090161" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090161.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090161" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">which is now mousey-brown,<br />but soon...<br /><br /><br />and this is hard to believe, but...<br /><br />A few figs actually ripened in November -<br />right here on Eastern Long Island.<br />Delicious</span><br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><img align="none" alt="P1090110" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/P1090110.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090110" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And Now I present some things that I hope you<br />will be thankful for:<br /><br />If you are anything like me, you have not done one iota of Christmas shopping and the whole concept<br />of Black Friday makes me sick.<br />(Also, Lys’ birthday is two weeks before Christmas<br />and coming up with ideas to surprise<br /> her takes up all my early shopping stamina)<br /><br />So...If you are in the same boat<br />for any reason...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Here magically charmed are the<br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shop.html"><span style="color: maroon;">Best @ Dianne B</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> </span>offerings into several<br />superbly aligned Christmas packages.<br /><br />Surely everyone reading this has a favorite gardener<br />on their Christmas list...<br />one of these packages<br />will be exactly the<br />right thing,<br />I hope</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><strong><span style="color: maroon;"> TOTALLY ENTHRALLING<br />GIFTS for GARDENERS</span></strong></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The prices are slightly Christmas specialized,<br />but even better than yet another bargain...<br />where else could such distinctive gifts come with</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="color: maroon;">FREE</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Glamorous Dianne B. Gift Wrapping<br />and</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><strong><span style="color: maroon;">FREE shipping</span></strong></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Match your Favorite Gardener up to<br />One of These Irresistibles:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/for-the-left-handed-gardener.html"><span style="color: maroon;">For the Left-Handed Gardener</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">What could make a leftie happier than their very own<br />especially designed to fit<br />Felco<br />and<br />Potting Trowel<br />Every gardener needs both of these items and both of these have been engineered to fit only the left hand<br />....Special Christmas Price<br />$110</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/for-the-left-handed-gardener.html"><img align="none" alt="LeftHandedGardener-04 2" border="0" height="338" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/07049d7c5c/LeftHandedGardener-04%202.jpg" style="height: 338px; width: 600px;" title="LeftHandedGardener-04 2" vspace="0" width="600" /></a><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/for-the-gardener-that-has-everything.html"><span style="color: maroon;">For The Gardener Who Has Everything</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Two things few gardeners have splurged for:<br /><br />The Dig Deep Weeder – the finest tool of its kind,<br />slick, sharp and made in Holland<br />and<br />The Gardener's Peeping Stick – exclusive at <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/for-the-gardener-that-has-everything.html"><span style="color: maroon;">Dianne B</span></a> – indispensible for seeing the real beauty in every flower<br />$95 for both</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/for-the-gardener-that-has-everything.html"><img align="none" alt="DBBestMostUnusualPeeping-02 2" border="0" height="335" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/07049d7c5c/DBBestMostUnusualPeeping-02%202.jpg" style="height: 335px; width: 595px;" title="DBBestMostUnusualPeeping-02 2" vspace="0" width="595" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/dianne-b-best-glove-set.html"><span style="color: maroon;">GARDEN GLOVE DREAM DUO</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Leather and the Little Black – perfect for every season and every garden chore<br />the Chic Gauntlet and the perfect Little Black Glove<br />specify S M or L<br />$50 for both!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/dianne-b-best-glove-set.html"><img align="none" alt="DBBestGardenGloves-01" border="0" height="338" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/DBBestGardenGloves-01.jpg" style="height: 338px; width: 600px;" title="DBBestGardenGloves-01" vspace="0" width="600" /></a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/tool-belt.html"><span style="color: maroon;">LOADED TOOL BELT</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">This tool belt was made especially for <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/tool-belt.html"><span style="color: maroon;">Dianne B</span></a> to hold a Felco and the superlative Japanese Clipper.<br />Dianne can no longer get the clippers from Japan,<br />but is making the last few pair available with the purchase of the tool belt.<br /> It can be had with the Clippers for $95<br />(supply your own Felco)<br />or<br />complete with clippers and new #2 Felco for $150</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: dimgrey;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/tool-belt.html"><img align="none" alt="DBBestLoadedToolBelt-01web" border="0" height="338" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/DBBestLoadedToolBelt-01web.jpg" style="height: 338px; width: 600px;" title="DBBestLoadedToolBelt-01web" vspace="0" width="600" /></a></span><br />
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<br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and last perhaps the classiest....</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/the-couture-garden-essential-gift.html"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="color: maroon;">THE COUTURE GARDEN<br />ESSENTIAL GIFT</span></span></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/the-couture-garden-essential-gift.html"><img align="none" alt="GardeningNeccesitieswithStyle" border="0" height="334" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/36e4266837/GardeningNeccesitieswithStyle.jpg" style="height: 334px; width: 501px;" title="GardeningNeccesitieswithStyle" vspace="0" width="501" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">THE USA Made Myrtlewood Trug<br />with Twine, 25 Zinc Markers, the Rare long-handled Yard Bag, and the perfect Little Black Glove<br />Everything you need to Garden with Style<br />$110</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="color: maroon;"><strong>HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL</strong></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">...and prayers for those<br />in the sadder messier parts of the world</span><br />
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<br />Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-76041415712096158522014-11-06T14:41:00.004-05:002014-11-06T14:45:16.913-05:00BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW<br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Monthly Garden Memoir</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">Volume 60 November, 2014 </span></span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dianne B</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>So, really...did you know:</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">That swans are double-jointed?<br />I didn’t either until I saw this</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080843" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1080843.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080843" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1080842" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1080842.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080842" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">He/she is having a good scratch and this is a “resting” position, or posture as you will.<br /><br /><br />That big spring-blooming old Magnolia trees make this gorgeous, and decidedly phallic, seedpod</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090026" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1090026.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090026" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">They are decidedly lustier this year.<br /><br />The Chinese variegated dogwood runs a<br />pretty close second</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080978" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1080978.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080978" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1080975" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1080975.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080975" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">This beauty is Cornus kousa 'Klipka' from the<br />great <a href="http://www.forestfarm.com/index.php">ForestFarm</a> in southern Oregon<br /><br />Or how to tell a delicious delectable mushroom<br />from a toxic one???</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1090034" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1090034.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090034" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I don’t know either, but these sure do look good.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Research indicates that they are wild and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> edible, but now I've gone to retrieve them</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">and they are lost under the autumn leaves.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="52" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 52px; width: 182px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="182" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>OH, of course</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">It is a Ball Jar, and not a Bell jar<br />in which I capture my slugs.</span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="Screenshot 2014-09-11 13.12.19" border="0" height="322" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/Screenshot%202014-09-11%2013.12.19.jpg" style="height: 322px; width: 190px;" title="Screenshot 2014-09-11 13.12.19" vspace="0" width="190" /> <img align="none" alt="Screenshot 2014-09-11 13.12.51" border="0" height="322" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/Screenshot%202014-09-11%2013.12.51.jpg" style="height: 322px; width: 202px;" title="Screenshot 2014-09-11 13.12.51" vspace="0" width="202" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I thank David L Meyers for correcting my mistake in nomenclature.<br />I chalk it up to Sylvia Plath.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="52" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 52px; width: 182px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="182" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>DELIGHTS of the AUTUMN GARDEN</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The peeling bark of the Crape Myrtle is endlessly fascinating - shedding its skin just like our now beloved garden garter snakes</span></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1090013" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1090013.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090013" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1090011" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1090011.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090011" vspace="0" width="326" /></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1080986" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1080986.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080986" vspace="0" width="326" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The shedding is as exciting as the shading...<br />so beautiful as it emerges<br /><br />A new-to-me-last-year plant called<br />Hemiboea subcapitata<br /> sports a fox-glove-like flower in October<br />(it could use a better name)</span></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1090022" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1090022.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090022" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">from the great </span><a href="http://gloverperennials.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">Glover’s Perennials</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Redemption: For all the floppy Colchicums that never quite live up to their hype,</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">suddenly there comes along a great one...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Harlequin from the fabulous</span><br /><a href="http://odysseybulbs.com/" style="font-size: 18pt;">Odyssey Bulbs</a><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1090004" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1090004.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090004" vspace="0" width="326" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">But the regualr old floppy ones<br />do have their own charm,<br />especially when put in a vase,<br />particularly this nice hand-shaped one</span></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1080988" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1080988.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080988" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">There seem to be more and more all-white leaves on the Cornus controversa variegata as it settles<br />into the garden,<br />now five years with me.</span></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1090015" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1090015.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090015" vspace="0" width="326" /></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1090019" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1090019.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1090019" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Aside from its glistening leaves, Colocasia fontaneisii provides an endless stream of delights</span></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1090008" border="0" height="436" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1090008.jpg" style="height: 436px; width: 328px;" title="P1090008" vspace="0" width="328" /></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1080963" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1080963.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080963" vspace="0" width="326" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And the spectacular seedpods of the various Arisaema...<br />I have them galore this year...</span></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1080999" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1080999.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080999" vspace="0" width="326" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">It's so exciting</span></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1080540" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1080540.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080540" vspace="0" width="245" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Eventually, the Eucomis all came through<br />last year's hard winter,<br />This one didn't make itself known till autumn<br /><br /><br />Which, again, proves that<br />good things come to those who wait</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="46" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 46px; width: 160px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="160" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>TO TULIP OR NOT TO TULIP?</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I am embroiled in the fabulous dilemma of my currently all-encompassing diversion into Shakespeare.<br />More proof of the above proverb about patience -<br />perhaps I have been waiting to play<br />Queen Gertrude in Hamlet<br />my entire life!<br /><br />The dilemma:<br /> The Play's the Thing and all encompassing and comes at the expense of the heaps of bulbs that are piling up<br /> All have arrived from my favorite five; but aside from uncrating them (they do need to breathe) and categorizing them a bit --<br />they lie there ignored and unplanted.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.roundtabletheatrecompany.org/"><img align="none" alt="Hamlet02" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/Hamlet02.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 274px;" title="Hamlet02" vspace="0" width="274" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">To say I am excited, nervous and exhilarated is an understatement... and so<br />engrossed that I hardly recognize myself.<br />Particularly since I have acquired<br />long hair to be a more adaptable<br />and regal Queen,<br />who of course is the notorious<br />mother of Hamlet.</span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="TomKochieHamlet03" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/TomKochieHamlet03.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 432px;" title="TomKochieHamlet03" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"> Tom Kochie Photo</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The tulips and the daffodils in their hard outer shells can wait, of course, but the delicate and tenuous layers of the fragile fritillary and lily bulbs are begging attention<br /><br />But they must wait because every single breath, every line, every hesitation, every scene change in the<br /><a href="http://www.roundtabletheatrecompany.org/#!about_us/c161y">Round Table Theater Company</a> counts...<br />everyone is dedicated, professional and passionate<br />about making this<strong> a great<br />Hamlet </strong><br /><br /> <br />Here we are:</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Screen Shot 2014-10-31 at 5.48.30 PM" border="0" height="366" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/Screen%20Shot%202014-10-31%20at%205.48.30%20PM.jpg" style="height: 366px; width: 585px;" title="Screen Shot 2014-10-31 at 5.48.30 PM" vspace="0" width="585" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="Screen Shot 2014-10-31 at 5.48.47 PM" border="0" height="362" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/Screen%20Shot%202014-10-31%20at%205.48.47%20PM.jpg" style="height: 362px; width: 585px;" title="Screen Shot 2014-10-31 at 5.48.47 PM" vspace="0" width="585" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="Screen Shot 2014-10-31 at 5.49.04 PM" border="0" height="365" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/Screen%20Shot%202014-10-31%20at%205.49.04%20PM.jpg" style="height: 365px; width: 585px;" title="Screen Shot 2014-10-31 at 5.49.04 PM" vspace="0" width="585" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="Screen Shot 2014-10-31 at 5.49.35 PM" border="0" height="279" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/Screen%20Shot%202014-10-31%20at%205.49.35%20PM.jpg" style="height: 279px; width: 300px;" title="Screen Shot 2014-10-31 at 5.49.35 PM" vspace="0" width="300" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">We open on Friday Novemebr 7.<br />By then the lines will be learned and the rehearsals done and God willing ... there will still be plenty time to plant.<br /><br />There are nine performances in the beautiful<br /><a href="http://www.guildhall.org/events/?id=613&mode=id">John Drew Theater at Guild Hall</a> on three weeknds</span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="TomKochieHamlet02" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/TomKochieHamlet02.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 432px;" title="TomKochieHamlet02" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"> Tom Kochie Photo</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Fridays and Saturdays @ 7:00pm<br />November 7 + 8, 14 + 15 and 21 + 22<br />Sundays @ 2:00pm<br />November 9, 16 and 23</span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="MorganVaughanHamlet03" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/MorganVaughanHamlet03.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 432px;" title="MorganVaughanHamlet03" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"> Morgan Vaughan Photo</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">SO...if you are anywhere near the<br />East End of Long Island and<br />if you count yourself as one who would appreciate a thoroughly fresh, fabulous and even funny<br />production of Hamlet,<br />Do come.<br />This is the best cultural $25 ticket you will ever buy.<br /><br />Buy Guild Hall tickets <a href="https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/938475">HERE</a>.</span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="TomKochieHamlet01" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/TomKochieHamlet01.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 432px;" title="TomKochieHamlet01" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"> Tom Kochie Photo</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">A tickler: This is not the long, drawn-out<br />four hour version -<br />it is only the best of the best.<br />(2 1/2 with Intermission)</span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="TomKochieHamlet05" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/TomKochieHamlet05.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 432px;" title="TomKochieHamlet05" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"> Tom Kochie Photo</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="46" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 46px; width: 160px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="160" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>And speaking of The Best...</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">For your Fall Gardening Pleasure, I have added my favorite, and most useful, <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/perfect-garden-trug.html">Garden Trug</a> to my site.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/perfect-garden-trug.html"><img align="none" alt="DBTrug" border="0" height="173" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/DBTrug.jpg" style="height: 173px; width: 300px;" title="DBTrug" vspace="0" width="300" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Here it is holding eggs and bananas, but<br />it is perfect for comingling two or three colors of bulbs...or for shuffling in big doses of muscari around the daffodil patch...or for whatever bulbs you need to tote<br />to the planting holes.<br />(I never like to go through the trouble of making a big hole and then replacing all that dirt and just wind up with having planted one thing,<br />like always add some alliums in with the tulips for<br />another garden layer)<br />The trug is perfect for these tasks<br />and is made in America<br />from beautiful striated Myrtle wood<br />(yes, like crape myrtles)<br />and finished with copper nails.<br />A beauty - each slightly different</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Other Dianne B Best news:</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">1. There are no more Yard Bags... I think <a href="http://parkseed.com/bos-bag-self-opening-garden-bag/p/96926/">Bosbags</a> are the next best thing, but they do not have long straps..oh well...the Dianne B ones are gone.<br />2. Please watch for the next issue of DIRTIER for our exciting Christmas Combinations.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/garden-gauntlet-glove.html"><img align="none" alt="DBBestGardenGauntletGloves" border="0" height="362" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/DBBestGardenGauntletGloves.jpg" style="height: 362px; width: 506px;" title="DBBestGardenGauntletGloves" vspace="0" width="506" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">3. Time to warm up your hands. Fall gardening is upon us. This is when you need the fabulously appropriate lined leather Dianne B. <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/garden-gauntlet-glove.html">Garden Gauntlet Glove</a>.<br />Specially priced right now for my dear readers.<br />$35 -- that is a $10 savings -- S M L</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="46" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 46px; width: 160px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="160" /></span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1080665" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1080665.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080665" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">DO have faith...</span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1090007" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1090007.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1090007" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">DON’T be dismayed, even though the<br />figs never did ripen<br /><br />DO Plant more bulbs than you ever think you will<br />need or want...it’s never enough</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><strong>and DO come to see <a href="https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/938475">Hamlet</a></strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="46" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 46px; width: 160px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="160" /></span></span></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1080884" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1080884.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080884" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1080890" border="0" height="353" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1080890.jpg" style="height: 353px; width: 434px;" title="P1080890" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1080880" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/P1080880.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080880" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 8pt;"> <br /><br /><img align="none" alt="MorganVaughanHamlet05" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/MorganVaughanHamlet05.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 432px;" title="MorganVaughanHamlet05" vspace="0" width="432" /><br /> Morgan Vaughan Photo<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="MorganVaughanHamlet01" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/a2bb551b27/MorganVaughanHamlet01.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 432px;" title="MorganVaughanHamlet01" vspace="0" width="432" /><br /> </span><span style="font-size: 8pt;">Morgan Vaughan Photo</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="47" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 47px; width: 163px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="163" /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebgardens.com/"><span style="color: #333333;">Visit Dianne B Gardens</span></a></span><br />
<br />
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-33937684515388961422014-09-11T18:25:00.000-04:002014-09-11T18:25:36.834-04:00Summer's End Garden Memoir<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrameSecure" name="twttrHubFrameSecure" scrolling="no" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrame" name="twttrHubFrame" scrolling="no" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Monthly Garden Memoir </span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">Volume 59 September, 2014 </span></span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dianne B</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02" border="0" height="50" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02.jpg" style="height: 50px; width: 174px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02" vspace="0" width="174" /></div>
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“How come I haven’t gotten one of those, you know...blogs...you know... those pictures and things<br />
you send”<br />
Well...it's called DIRTIER and it joys me<br />
to hear things like this, so here is some of the<br />
bounty that was summer.<br />
<br />
Clematis never happier...<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080383" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080383.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080383" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
Little Betty Corning bloomed and bloomed<br />
<br />
and though this is just a little portion, Jackmanii<br />
strecthed across half the width of the<br />
Sargent’s Weeping Hemlock, which is<br />
quite an expanse<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080379" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080379.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080379" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Fading leaves of ‘Black Mambo’ with hot orange seed head of Arum italicum<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080826" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080826.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080826" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
Bicolor Lespedeza flourishing under the magnolia...<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080827" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080827.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080827" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
The precious late-summer blooming Allium pulchellum<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080598" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080598.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080598" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
Darmera - the roundest of the<br />
Circular Garden<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080630" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080630.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080630" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
Turk's cap lily embracing the sugar Maple as seen through<br />
the weeping Datisca display<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080669" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080669.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080669" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
A garden that is only green is not so bad<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080561" border="0" height="386" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080561.jpg" style="height: 386px; width: 218px;" title="P1080561" vspace="0" width="218" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="52" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 52px; width: 182px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="182" /></span></span></div>
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<br />
SLUG PATROL</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
What is that ugly thing?<br />
you say...<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080445" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080445.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080445" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
Well, it is a Bell Jar filled with salt and dead slugs.<br />
Though despicable, not nearly as bad as<br />
my slug-gnawed holey<br />
leaves...<br />
<br />
I recently learned that the two<br />
things slugs do not like<br />
are<br />
Salt + Coffee Grounds.<br />
<br />
So, like crazy I'm spreading all the coffee grounds<br />
I can get my hands on at the base of the plants<br />
they like best<br />
(hydrangeas, dahlias and <u>all</u> of my big leafy things)...<br />
which, let me tell you - takes a lot of coffee -<br />
especially since this is a one cup a day household,<br />
so the gathering of the grounds has become<br />
another entire occupation)<br />
<br />
This seems to be working somewhat,<br />
but<br />
picking the slugs off the leaves by my own<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/little-black-glove.html"><span style="color: white;">Little Black Glove</span></a>-covered hand<br />
seems to be most effective.<br />
<br />
Even the little baby ones that think they can sneak in<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080769" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080769.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080769" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
unnoticed<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080903" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080903.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080903" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
are fair game.<br />
<br />
As far as I know, slugs serve no good purpose ⎯<br />
unlike the snake and other things that might initially appear to be creepy ⎯<br />
<br />
As for the alternatives,<br />
I have tried filling tuna cans with beer.<br />
It is too disgusting. I have spent a fortune on slug bait, which
doesn’t work and turns into mold while the slugs still slither and so,
each evening at home I try to allow about 30 minutes before dark ⎯<br />
when they are the most voracious and audacious –<br />
sliming around right on top of the leaves...<br />
easy to pick<br />
<br />
So, 'Slug Patrol' has somewhat saved some<br />
of the garden...<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="46" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 46px; width: 160px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="160" /></span></span><br />
<br />
Tomato as art….grown by Round Swamp Farm,<br />
East Hampton<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1080687" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080687.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080687" vspace="0" width="434" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="46" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 46px; width: 160px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="160" /></span></span></div>
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<br />
<strong>Is there a hypernym for GARDEN?<br />
.... or even a generic word?</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
i.e. dog is a hypernym for Cocker Spaniel, Briard, Japanese Chin, Poodle etc;<br />
house is a hypernym for villa, shack or cottage or mansion<br />
<br />
<em><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">but a garden is a garden</span></strong></em><br />
<br />
And in the garden there are lilies – in every season<br />
(more or less) and on most corners of the earth,<br />
in one or another forms, grows the LILY<br />
<br />
Here are some from this summer’s array:<br />
<br />
The first to plump up on very strong stems –<br />
the leaves and the buds are almost reward enough -<br />
The old-fashioned charmer<br />
Lily martagon<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080268" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080268.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080268" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<br />
And I have finally found a few Asiatic lilies that I like...<br />
usually too stiff and plasticy...<br />
which is good because they bloom earlier and fill<br />
the gap after the iris.<br />
This is Netty’s Pride, an ungainly name but very early to bloom and lasts a long time and looks good<br />
with everything.<br />
( the pale one with the burgundy blotch)<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080363" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080363.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080363" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
the dark lily next to it ...you would think that would be my<br />
first choice, yes?<br />
Well, no, it is named Landini, and is a good color, but lasts<br />
a mere fleeting few days –<br />
so who needs it...<br />
<br />
But this one...so full of vigor, such a heady color, lasted forever...<br />
Found it in <a href="http://www.brecks.com/"><span style="color: white;">Breck’s</span></a> catalogue<br />
but they don't seem to have it this year<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080395" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080395.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080395" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080397" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080397.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080397" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Now, here’s a different thing entirely, and very nice<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080374" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080374.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080374" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
Called Purple Prince, these came from <a href="http://www.vanengelen.com/"><span style="color: white;">Van Engelen</span></a>, earliest blooming of the trumpet sorts (of course,<br />
not considering the ubiquitous Easter lily, which actually blooms
in summer in my yard)...nice, yes, but also quick to go...and this first
year ⎯ only 1 bloom per stem ⎯<br />
so no gold stars - yet.<br />
Called an Orienpet...all the catalogues have it<br />
and you know,<br />
it takes a few years for lilies to really get going.<br />
<br />
Like the extraordinary ‘Black Beauty’...<br />
some reached, I’d say<br />
8 feet this year... growing behind the Magnolia macrophylla, which keeps them in check<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080418" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080418.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080418" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080603" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080603.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080603" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
a classic Tiger lily peeking around an Oakleaf Hydrangea<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080411" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080411.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080411" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
CALLA Means BEAUTIFUL in Greek<br />
and so much so in the garden...<br />
the abundance of Calla Lilies this year made all that fall digging and endless late spring replanting<br />
Very Worthwhile...<br />
<br />
This one...incredible...started blooming in June and<br />
went on and on.<br />
I think it is ‘Mango"...my labelling of the dried old<br />
tubers not very precise<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080391" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080391.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080391" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
White ones, the hybrid sort ⎯ not aethoipica<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080424" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080424.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080424" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
How about this: two purple Callas (the one with the black-edged
leaves is the greatest: Black Star) neighboring a left-leaning Eucomis
‘Sparkling Burgundy’<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080736b" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080736b.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080736b" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
I adore the chic black edge on the leaves<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080614" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080614.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080614" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
Fantasy array of Calla colors<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080584" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080584.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1080584" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
A few other sorts of lilies:<br />
Pineapple lily in the lower left and my hardy<br />
VooDoo lily next to the Ganesha<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080619" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080619.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080619" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
and of course, Casablanca Oriental lily,<br />
everyone else’s favorite but not mine<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080648" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080648.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080648" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
I'll take these beautiful last-to-bloom<br />
Species Lily 'speciosum Alba'<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080873" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080873.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080873" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
These "Easter lilies" below are the real thing...<br />
actually lilies that were potted on the altar of our Church at Easter...<br />
blooming last week in the garden.<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080874" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080874.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080874" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="46" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 46px; width: 160px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="160" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe_Petit">Philippe Petit</a> celebrated the 40th Anniversary of his World Trade Center Walk by crisscrossing <a href="https://www.longhouse.org/">LongHouse</a> pond exceedingly gracefully four times,<br />
while Paul Winter played the alto sax on a raft disguised as a
lotus leaf and Melissa Leo performed Philippe’s feelings like only a
real actress can<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">.</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="3_635430521441865000347652_4_lhppd_20140807_aar_004" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/3_635430521441865000347652_4_lhppd_20140807_aar_004.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="3_635430521441865000347652_4_lhppd_20140807_aar_004" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
me with him<br />
<img align="none" alt="10600493_723502197686703_6935037835787347309_n" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/10600493_723502197686703_6935037835787347309_n.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="10600493_723502197686703_6935037835787347309_n" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
He not only walked on this wire...<br />
(same length - same everything as WTC<br />
but not as high)<br />
he laid on it and got himself up with one foot.<br />
Amazing...he is now 65 ...<br />
takes the fear out of getting old.</div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: 8pt;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="46" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 46px; width: 160px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="160" /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<strong>FIGS....!</strong><br />
</div>
<div>
My stepsons have been showing off their figs for<br />
a month already,<br />
but Sonoma is Zone 8 and we are<br />
the cold side of Zone 7...so<br />
we will not be cowed by this from their gorgeous crop<br />
<img align="none" alt="FIGS" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/FIGS.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="FIGS" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"> <br />
<strong> Photo: Mark Benson + Charles Sullivan</strong></span><br />
<br />
But We shall have our own Figs too!<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080905" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080905.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080905" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080908" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080908.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080908" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
I think...if the sun keeps shining<br />
Right here on Davids Lane<br />
This is due to the impressive winter-wrapping<br />
of our fig tree 'Brown Turkey'.<br />
The total credit goes to Lys Marigold<br />
and her old bathrobes and sheepskins.<br />
<br />
So for her and her determination to replicate her<br />
father’s one-time fig orchard in Connecticut,<br />
I have grown this Hollyhock.<br />
A little gardeney for me, but she likes them<br />
and so I nestled it next<br />
to the brick patio (they are suppsed to like protection and walls) and supplied a strong<br />
obelisk-like trellis to give it stamina...<br />
et voilá-<br />
still blooming in September !<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080410" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080410.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080410" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080407" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080407.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080407" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080392" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080392.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080392" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
Grapes too, are another of her things, though unlike the appealing shape and leaves of the fig tree,<br />
these sprawling vines are actually a mess.<br />
</div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="46" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 46px; width: 160px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="160" /></span></span></div>
<div>
<br />
<strong>OTHER SORTS of HIGHLIGHTS of AUGUST</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
Me and godson Jordan Fotouhi-Scholder<br />
<img align="none" alt="Jordan Fotouhi-Scholder" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/Jordan%20Fotouhi-Scholder.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Jordan Fotouhi-Scholder" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
A tennis player, almost 16 - isn't he great?<br />
<br />
Opera al Fresco at LongHouse...this choice young tenor<br />
is Steven LaBrie.<br />
<img align="none" alt="OperaalFresco" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/OperaalFresco.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 415px;" title="OperaalFresco" vspace="0" width="415" /><br />
<br />
<br />
The Wildlife Rescue Benefit<br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 1" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/Image%201.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 289px;" title="Image 1" vspace="0" width="289" /><br />
<br />
<br />
And a most wonderful experience, August 16 and 17 doing The Tempest<br />
the first <a href="http://www.baystreet.org/">Bay Street</a> Shakespeare Initiative –<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="729" border="0" height="238" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/729.jpg" style="height: 238px; width: 434px;" title="729" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
with my extraordinary friend John Glover and nine other GREAT actors - eight of whom I had never met before<br />
<img align="none" alt="1743523_634359863330058_6601148757627382327_n" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/1743523_634359863330058_6601148757627382327_n.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="1743523_634359863330058_6601148757627382327_n" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="10622895_634360086663369_5628239689120473060_n" border="0" height="299" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/10622895_634360086663369_5628239689120473060_n.jpg" style="height: 299px; width: 434px;" title="10622895_634360086663369_5628239689120473060_n" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
I apologize for not letting you all know about it,<br />
especially since the first performance was FREE<br />
in Mashashimuet Park ⎯<br />
but the 2nd night we did it on the banks of an estate<br />
on Shelter Island.<br />
It was not Free, but it was great.<br />
Imagine actually doing The Tempest on an island<br />
with the sea and the night sky behind us...<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="46" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 46px; width: 160px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="160" /></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333;"> </span><br />
<strong>Great Guild Hall Garden as Art Tour:</strong>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img align="none" alt="P1080703" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080703.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080703" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
Look at that Hamptons blue sky over David Salle’s<br />
splendid studio and grounds<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080707" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080707.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080707" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
A stone table to covet<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080709" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080709.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080709" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
A trio of Fastigiate<br />
maples at RoundHouse<br />
(different than my Monumentale sugar maple,<br />
and maybe, not as tall)<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080713" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080713.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080713" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
Dead tree as trellis/sculpture...not sure if this is an invention
of Jack Larsen or The Bergsmas, the new owners of RoundHouse<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080715" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080715.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 198px;" title="P1080715" vspace="0" width="198" /><br />
Judy Bergsma<br />
<br />
And the most fabulous fruit tree I've ever seen in the crazy bounteous orchard of<br />
Bettina and <a href="http://www.stelleco.com/">Fred Stelle</a>...<br />
these are lousy pics, but the real thing is to die for<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080732" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080732.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080732" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
It's an Italian weeping Plum<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080725" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080725.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080725" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
In real life, the leaves glisten blue-silver and the plums are succulently black.<br />
<br />
Flanking the crazy orchard is a formal,<br />
color-coordinated vegetable garden.<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080730" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080730.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080730" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
The cobalt planters mixing with the<br />
blue-green-purple-aqua-celadon<br />
leaves is quite fashionable,<br />
ne c'est pas?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="47" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 47px; width: 163px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="163" /></span></span><br />
</div>
<div>
<strong>WHY DID I SAY YES?</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
The Minnesota State Horticultural Society is coming<br />
to tour the garden on September 14th...<br />
The following pics are all of the things that <u>were</u> in full throttle this past week...<br />
But they will NOT see them next weekend.<br />
<br />
Good late summer stuff like:<br />
Caryopteris divaricata ‘Fairy’ from the great<br />
<a href="http://gloverperennials.com/">Glover Perennials</a><br />
found at the abundant<br />
Southampton nursery <a href="http://www.lynchsgardencenter.com/"><span style="color: white;">Lynch’s</span></a><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080756" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080756.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080756" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
has just lost its blue flowers<br />
<br />
The white turk’s cap lily, speciosum alba<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080774" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080774.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080774" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
blooming even after Formosa<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080754" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080754.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080754" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080773" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080773.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080773" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
is officially finished as of this morning...<br />
<br />
So, no lilies and<br />
not much beyond some dessicated leaves<br />
and overripe seedpods.<br />
<br />
But hoping these Minnesotans have an eye for detail, there are still –<br />
at least as of this writing – some stunners:<br />
<br />
A Eucomis flower spike teasing out the pinkness in Hydrangea ‘Little Quickfire’ ⎯ A real <a href="https://www.provenwinners.com/">Proven Winner</a><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080740" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080740.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080740" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
And another ripening Eucomis flowerhead among my beloved Abies koreana ‘Silberlocke’<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080738" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080738.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080738" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
And though the Arisaema are all long gone<br />
Thankfully, their seedheads linger on...<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080744" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080744.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080744" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
and these garden-lovers might spy this unexpected Glorioso lily climbing way up among the<br />
birch and the willow with the catkins<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080766" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080766.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080766" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
The Moss Garden is quite green...<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080816" border="0" height="274" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080816.jpg" style="height: 274px; width: 434px;" title="P1080816" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
and there are always special corners like this,<br />
though all are looking a little tattered<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080825" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080825.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080825" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
So, bring ‘em on...<br />
<br />
(though why they are visiting Long Island gardens<br />
in mid-September is quite the mystery)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img align="none" alt="P1080875" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080875.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080875" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="47" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 47px; width: 163px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="163" /></span></span><br />
</div>
<div>
<strong>THE <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/"><span style="color: white;">BEST @ DIANNE B</span></a> NEWS ⎯</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
This is a little piece of bad news:<br />
There are no more Japanese clippers.<br />
I think this will come as a blow to some of you.<br />
They have become too expensive for me to import and I am saving the last few for people who opt to<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/buy-all.html"><span style="color: white;">BUY EVERYTHING</span></a>,<br />
So they are not included in this<br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><strong>Fabulous<br />
Autumn Opportunity</strong></span><br />
<br />
Just in time to get back into the garden,<br />
and Lordy is there a lot to do....<br />
<br />
For my special Readers only:<br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;">20% OFF Everything Else</span><br />
(Use coupon code: <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shop.html">20%OFF</a>)<br />
<br />
I wouldn’t wait too long to stock up on <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/yard-bag.html"><span style="color: white;">Yard Bags</span></a>...<br />
they too are about to become a thing of the past<br />
as my Philippine supplier is now asking for<br />
a huge minimum,<br />
which makes no sense for my dear little<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/"><span style="color: white;">Best@DianneB</span></a> business...<br />
<br />
So, don’t say you weren’t warned...<br />
<br />
And of course, not from me,<br />
but...<br />
Have you ordered your bulbs?<br />
Did you get enough Allium? Snowdrops?<br />
Dog-tooth lilies? Fritillaria?<br />
Tulips???<br />
<br />
You know, when they start blooming...you always curse yourself for not having planted enough.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="47" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 47px; width: 163px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="163" /></span></span><br />
</div>
<div>
<strong>BEAUTIFUL SEPTEMBER DAYS to ALL</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080743 (1) 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080743%20%281%29%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080743 (1) 2" vspace="0" width="326" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
That little hole on the right lobe of my<br />
precious Arisaema leaf is from<br />
a slug that I caught in the act!<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080632" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080632.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080632" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080746" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080746.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080746" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080759" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080759.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080759" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080689" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080689.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080689" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080877" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/238559d370/P1080877.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1080877" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" border="0" height="47" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/3f541e4f6d/DBLOGODooDadLayers-02%202.jpg" style="height: 47px; width: 163px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers-02 2" vspace="0" width="163" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebgardens.com/"><span style="color: #333333;">Visit Dianne B Gardens</span></a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/"><span style="color: #333333;">Visit Our Website</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheBestatDianneB"><span style="color: #333333;">Find us on Facebook</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/483379/5c64a0515d/ARCHIVE#"><span style="color: #333333;">Forward this message to a friend</span></a></span><br />
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-36856794777485904932014-07-02T23:00:00.001-04:002014-07-02T23:00:03.381-04:00Summertime/Dianne's Monthly Memoir<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrameSecure" name="twttrHubFrameSecure" scrolling="no" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrame" name="twttrHubFrame" scrolling="no" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Monthly Garden Memoir </span></span></span>
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<div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">Volume 58 July, 2014 </span></span> <br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dianne B</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: #7495c2; text-align: center;"><img align="none" alt="HeaderP1070498 4" border="0" height="150" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/HeaderP1070498%204.jpg" style="height: 150px; width: 650px;" title="HeaderP1070498 4" vspace="0" width="650" /></td>
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" border="0" height="43" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/DBLOGODooDadLayers02.jpg" style="height: 43px; width: 144px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" vspace="0" width="144" /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>GARDEN TOURER’S FAVORITES</strong></span></span>
<br />
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><strong><img align="none" alt="P1080267 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080267%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080267 2" vspace="0" width="245" /></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The martagon species lily mixing with teardrop Clematis<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080123 2" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080123%202.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080123 2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;">
Ellen Watson Photo</span><br />
<br />
This hot Pink Calla, a product of that big fat brown bulb you saw in the last issue</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="FatBrownBulbP1060419-02" border="0" height="247" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/FatBrownBulbP1060419-02.jpg" style="height: 247px; width: 436px;" title="FatBrownBulbP1060419-02" vspace="0" width="436" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">And the flashier the better, although sometimes these flashy things take over and I think the real point of the garden is missed<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080055 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080055%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080055 2" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
but this Allium schubertii (about 15” across) and young Sciadopltys ‘Ossorio’s Gold’ (</span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://brokenarrownursery.com/"><span style="color: white;">Broken Arrow</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">) are show-offy in the best, though not necessarily subtle, way<br />
<br />
<br />
There was lots of white:<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080190" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080190.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080190" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
‘Summer Snowflake’ shedding<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080195" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080195.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080195" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
Peonies popping<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080200" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080200.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080200" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
and the terrific Ornithogalum magnum<br />
surprising everyone<br />
(a great easy Fall planted bulb from </span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.vanengelen.com/"><span style="color: white;">Van Engelen</span></a></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">for less than a dollar each and they come back each year bigger and better, and last longer than Camassia)</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Dogwood ‘Wolf Eyes’ admiring its white splashed friends<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080220 (1)" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080220%20%281%29.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080220 (1)" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Clematis ‘Gillian Blades’ taking over from the white azalea<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080263" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080263.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080263" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
(people don't seem to believe me when I tell them<br />
this is a real re-bloomer)<br />
<br />
<br />
But it is the weird wonderful world of dark and shady places that caused the biggest gasps...<br />
An Arisaema season like no other, that’s<br />
Jack-in-the-Pulpits to you<br />
<br />
Faithful Arisaema ringens makes its entrance<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060642" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1060642.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060642" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070148" border="0" height="436" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070148.jpg" style="height: 436px; width: 247px;" title="P1070148" vspace="0" width="247" /><br />
<br />
Can't convince many people to crouch down like you<br />
must do to see her<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080273" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080273.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080273" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The very first Jack to bloom in the tender days of spring<br />
<br />
Arisaema sikokiana – this is my baby of only<br />
a few years.<br />
My elegant huge one of several years made no show ...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">you never know...</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060521" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1060521.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060521" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">Here are some garden tourers:</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_1528-02 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/IMG_1528-02%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_1528-02 2" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="color: #333333;">What is that?</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_1534-02" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/IMG_1534-02.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_1534-02" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<span style="color: #333333;">Taking away some Petasites....everyone is welcome.</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="IMG_1539-02" border="0" height="436" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/IMG_1539-02.jpg" style="height: 436px; width: 328px;" title="IMG_1539-02" vspace="0" width="328" /><br />
<span style="color: #333333;">Admiring the moss garden<br />
<br />
Some are enthralled by things like</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"> Arisaema thunbergii ssp. Uryshima<br />
(there are no cute common names for these beauties),<br />
this came from </span><a href="http://www.marders.com/index.php"><span style="color: white;">Marders</span></a><span style="color: #333333;">, but this year have none...<br />
boo hoo</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070101" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070101.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070101" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">mysterious and hard to photograph </span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070099" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070099.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070099" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">the hoods and the fabulous leaves</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070093" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070093.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070093" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">the long lascivious whips </span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070098" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070098.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070098" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">profile view </span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070095" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070095.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070095" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">Then there is the persistence of this four foot tall beauty stately appearing among the sasa veitchii.<br />
It has returned faithfully for 5 or 6 years...<br />
never another...just one... tall and proud </span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080197" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080197.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080197" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080224" border="0" height="398" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080224.jpg" style="height: 398px; width: 434px;" title="P1080224" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">See this A. costatum starting to unfurl<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080236" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080236.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 372px;" title="P1080236" vspace="0" width="372" /><br />
<br />
this is what it becomes<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080252" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080252.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080252" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
and here is the "flower"<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080249" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080249.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080249" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
and the prettiest, by usual standards of pretty,<br />
is the charming pink A. candidissimum<br />
from the<br />
great </span><a href="http://odysseybulbs.com/"><span style="color: white;">Odyssey Bulbs</span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><img align="none" alt="P1080242" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080242.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1080242" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
I knew it was a eye-catcher, so had to post on FB. Someone thought it was a tulip...</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" border="0" height="43" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/DBLOGODooDadLayers02.jpg" style="height: 43px; width: 144px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" vspace="0" width="144" /><br />
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><strong>THE EPITOME OF GRACEFUL</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The fabulous unfurling of the swan’s neck-like 4-5’ stem of the great Allium ‘Forelock”</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080053" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080053.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080053" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080088" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080088.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080088" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">it only straightens up as it is about to flower</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">But there is nothing like the real thing</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 5" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/Image%205.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="Image 5" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Dell Cullum Photo</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" border="0" height="43" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/DBLOGODooDadLayers02.jpg" style="height: 43px; width: 144px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" vspace="0" width="144" /><br />
</div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><strong>JUST CHANGE IT</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">If you have an ungainly shrub that doesn’t do<br />
much for you<br />
Be radical...prune like crazy </span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070016" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070016.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070016" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">this weeping pea looked like any old shrub when I<br />
bought it at</span><span style="color: white;"> </span><a href="http://www.lynchsgardencenter.com/"><span style="color: white;">Lynch’s</span></a><span style="color: #333333;">, but I saw this yellow<br />
bark underneath</span> <span style="color: #333333;">and kept snipping</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080192" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080192.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080192" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">the bouncy little Hinoki in the dell</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;">was just a blob</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333;"> </span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" border="0" height="45" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b.jpg" style="height: 45px; width: 151px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" vspace="0" width="151" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><strong>NATURE’S COLOR IS INCOMPARABLE</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">One might say that both of these are pink</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070459" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070459.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070459" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070504" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070504.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070504" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">Blue on blue –<br />
Cotswold blue bench on bluebells<br />
<br />
<br />
Purple (the amethyst sort) on purple:<br />
Lupine ‘The Governor’ with German iris<br />
and Allium christophii </span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080079" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080079.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080079" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">More White on White – </span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070493" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070493.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070493" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">Floating Cloud Japanese maple on white azalea<br />
<br />
Mrs. Foster’s Zucchini blossoms - </span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080207" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080207.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080207" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">Black on black – The bi-color dark-edged white columbine, the weeping purple beech and Flora</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080081" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080081.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 412px;" title="P1080081" vspace="0" width="412" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">And how about Purple on Chartreuse?<br />
This is another of those color combinations that<br />
only work in Nature</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070547" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070547.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070547" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"> <span style="color: #333333;">And don’t even ask me how to describe the colors of this</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070530" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070530.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070530" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">And now let's step out of nature and look at a<br />
<strong>Really Divine Blue</strong></span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="SummerBenefitTicketImage" border="0" height="433" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/SummerBenefitTicketImage.jpg" style="height: 433px; width: 500px;" title="SummerBenefitTicketImage" vspace="0" width="500" /><br />
<img align="none" alt="Benefitinfo03" border="0" height="223" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/Benefitinfo03.jpg" style="height: 223px; width: 501px;" title="Benefitinfo03" vspace="0" width="501" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">July 19, 2014</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">LongHouse Reserve Summer Benefit</span><br />
<a href="https://www.longhouse.org/white-hot-blue-2"><span style="color: white;">White Hot + Blue 2</span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">Honoring Agnes Gund and Cindy Sherman<br />
<br />
Be amused and amazed.... <br />
6 pm <br />
Garden Happenings, Cocktails and Silent Auction<br />
8 pm <br />
Dinner and Honors<br />
10pm <br />
Dessert and After Party with DJ Donna d'Cruz</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">Our LongHouse Benefit invitation –<br />
It looks familiar because you last saw it sprawled on the walls of MoMa at Cindy Sherman’s retrospective.<br />
The image originated as a collaboration between Cindy<br />
and my Dianne B. stores in 1983.<br />
Without a doubt – the White Hot & Blue 2 Benefit will be</span><br />
<a href="https://www.longhouse.org/white-hot-blue-2"><span style="color: white;">The Party of the Year<br />
July 19th</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #333333;">Wear Blue, White or Stripes</span><br />
<br />
Throw caution to the wind and come!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div>
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" border="0" height="43" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/DBLOGODooDadLayers02.jpg" style="height: 43px; width: 144px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" vspace="0" width="144" /></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><strong>DIANNE’S DO’s and DONT’s</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">DON'T make blanket statements like<br />
"I hate all yellow flowers".<br />
This one's wonderful.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><img align="none" alt="P1080083" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080083.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080083" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">DON’T think you can just stick in a little red poppy you found at </span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.lynchsgardencenter.com/"><span style="color: white;">Lynch’s</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> because it looks so cute. Sticks<br />
out like the proverbial sore thumb</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080189" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080189.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1080189" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I pulled it out midway of the Garden Open Day<br />
<br />
<br />
DO coddle...I put a blanket of burlap on this<br />
classic white Calla...<br />
Zantadeschia aethiopica no less</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070521" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070521.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070521" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And it survived that very same winter<br />
It was the little blanket that made the difference,<br />
I just know it<br />
<br />
<br />
DO believe me<br />
I swear I did not plant not even one Japanese painted fern at the
corners of this good old wooden bench from the Philippines...<br />
they (the ferns) just decided they would look good there</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070512-02" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070512-02.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1070512-02" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">I SWEAR THIS IS TRUE</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" border="0" height="43" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/DBLOGODooDadLayers02.jpg" style="height: 43px; width: 144px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" vspace="0" width="144" /><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><strong>SUMMER GARDENER’S LUCKY DAYS</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Dear Friends</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="CindyS8" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/CindyS8.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="CindyS8" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">This is a picture (taken in the penthouse garden room of a very famous photographer) of the incomparable </span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/japanese-clippers.html"><span style="color: white;">Japanese Clippers</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> that are only available at </span><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/"><span style="color: white;">Dianne B</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #333333;">Soon my dwindling stock will be gone...so, I would take advantage of this offer to get your Clippers...or your </span><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/felco.html"><span style="color: white;">Felco #2</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> (at an unbelievably good price), your </span><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/yard-bag.html"><span style="color: white;">Yard Bags</span></a><span style="color: #333333;">, your </span><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/tool-belt.html"><span style="color: white;">Tool Belts</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> and your </span><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/dig-deep-weeder.html"><span style="color: white;">Dig Deep Weeder</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> right now.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">FOURTH</span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><span style="color: white;">OF</span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><span style="color: mediumblue;">JULY</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> SPECIAL *** 15% OFF<br />
Use coupon code: 15%OFF</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Stock up at </span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/"><span style="color: white;">The Best @ Dianne B</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> and make your garden even more beautiful...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070541" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1070541.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070541" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">This floriferous foto belies my insistence that my garden is not about flowers...<br />
<br />
Well, you know you could be wrong<br />
...Bob Dylan<br />
<br />
And speaking of him, I imagine you’ve heard that the
pencil-written-hotel-stationery words to Like A Rolling Stone Sold for
$2.1 million<br />
I personally think it was a great buy:<br />
Consider the words:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">You never turned <strong>around</strong> to see the <strong>frowns</strong><br />
on the jugglers and the <strong>clowns</strong><br />
When they all come <strong>down</strong> and did </span></span><span style="color: firebrick;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">tricks for you</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">You never <strong>understood</strong> that it ain’t <strong>no good</strong><br />
You shouldn’t let other people get your </span></span><span style="color: firebrick;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">kicks for you</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="images" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/images.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 218px;" title="images" vspace="0" width="218" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">Iambic pentameter of another kind...</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" border="0" height="43" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/DBLOGODooDadLayers02.jpg" style="height: 43px; width: 144px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" vspace="0" width="144" /><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"> </span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><strong>And for the real thing:</strong></span> <span style="color: #333333;">(iambic pentameter that is)</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">Mark your calendars right now<br />
Not only is <strong>Hamlet</strong> coming to </span><a href="http://www.guildhall.org/"><span style="color: white;">Guild Hall</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> in November</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Hamlet 11" border="0" height="322" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/Hamlet%2011.jpg" style="height: 322px; width: 216px;" title="Hamlet 11" vspace="0" width="216" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">But<br />
<strong>The Tempest</strong> is coming to us via the new</span><br />
<a href="http://www.baystreet.org/"><span style="color: white;">Bay Street Theater</span></a></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">On August 16th and 17th<br />
The new director Scott Schwartz is cleverly having<br />
ONLY TWO PERFORMANCES:<br />
August 16 – a Donor only staging at a private home<br />
And<br />
August 17 - FREE – Location to be disclosed</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The great John Glover will be Prospero<br />
Yours ever so truly (me) will be playing a Queen in both.<br />
(And for those of you in the know, it's true that<br />
there is no queen in The Tempest.<br />
But in this production, he is now a she ---<br />
Alonsa, Queen of Naples)<br />
and may I remind you of Helen Mirren’s great turn as<br />
Prospera.<br />
<br />
<br />
And now, I must get back to weeding my moss</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">& learning my lines.<br />
It's great therapy.</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080164" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080164.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080164" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">I hope I see you next at the </span><a href="https://www.longhouse.org/white-hot-blue-2"><span style="color: white;">LongHouse Benefit</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> on July 19</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1080168" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/P1080168.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1080168" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">Don't forget the firecracker Fourth of July offer</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;">15% OFF -- use code: </span><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/"><span style="color: white;">15%OFF</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #333333;">'til July 14.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="SteveMiller1556-02" border="0" height="436" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/SteveMiller1556-02.jpg" style="height: 436px; width: 328px;" title="SteveMiller1556-02" vspace="0" width="328" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Steve Miller </span> <br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">Installed at LongHouse in the Grass Garden<br />
Come and see...</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" border="0" height="43" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7526a1273e/DBLOGODooDadLayers02.jpg" style="height: 43px; width: 144px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayers02" vspace="0" width="144" /></div>
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<td style="background-color: #79acc7; text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebgardens.com/"><span style="color: #333333;">Visit Dianne B Gardens</span></a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/"><span style="color: #333333;">Visit Our Website</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheBestatDianneB"><span style="color: #333333;">Find us on Facebook</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/483379/7526a1273e/ARCHIVE#"><span style="color: #333333;">Forward this message to a friend</span></a></span><br />
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-78232576895035269762014-06-02T12:38:00.000-04:002014-06-02T12:38:59.285-04:00The Monthly Garden Memoir<br />
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<span style="color: aliceblue;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">DIRTIER </span></span><span style="color: aliceblue;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">....<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">The Monthly Garden Memoir </span> </span></span></span><span style="color: aliceblue;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span> </span></span></div>
<span style="color: aliceblue;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Volume 57 End of May, 2014 </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: aliceblue;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Dianne B</span></span></span><br />
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<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Church bells chiming America the Beautiful actually accompanied my fiddling in the Moss Garden on this Memorial Day... </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">I call that heavenly and can hardly stay inside sitting at my desk on glorious days like these long enough to write this...</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">As if I just can’t get enough of this long-awaited spring...<br />
as if it has never happened before, I have been enigmatically fascinated...<br />
<br />
And suddenly ...everything is happening much too fast.<br />
<br />
As bloom tumbles over bloom<br />
Wait, I want to say...Just WAIT...<br />
<br />
but here come the luscious Iris on the heels of the Tree Peonies<br />
<br />
and the tulips...<br />
they are gone<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060800" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060800.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060800" vspace="0" width="245" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">This armillary sphere will be overtaken by fern fronds</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: aliceblue;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1060844" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060844.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060844" vspace="0" width="434" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">and things will go on,<br />
no matter what you do<br />
<br />
Since the Garden Conservancy Day/St. Luke’s Garden Tour on May 10, much has happened and this is what they missed: </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1070152" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070152.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070152" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
The Darmera actually flowered...<br />
<br />
The Japanese maples hit their peak of fresh-hewn hues<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070078" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070078.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070078" vspace="0" width="434" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">and I
don’t like to boast; but I've been waiting years for the confluence of
the special Lilies of the Valley - the one with pink flowers and the
one with striped leaves.<br />
This year, I have both.<br />
(just the sort of thing garden-tourers love,<br />
but they missed them)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: aliceblue;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1070035" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070035.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070035" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070264" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070264.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070264" vspace="0" width="434" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">and what a shame not to show off the great<br />
underused groundcover Mazus repans alba...<br />
isn't it great as a carpet under the<br />
Cotswold blue iron furniture?<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070105" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070105.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070105" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
And saddest of all....they missed the tree peonies...always<br />
so good for a gasp<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070277" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070277.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070277" vspace="0" width="434" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" border="0" height="45" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b.jpg" style="height: 45px; width: 151px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" vspace="0" width="151" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>THE SPRINGTIME SAGA of The MOSS</strong></span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">MOSS Before the petals fell<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060246" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060246.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060246" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Moss as the petals began to fall and the fritillary nodded<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060764" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060764.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060764" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
fritillary with an almost solid pink carpet<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060819" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060819.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060819" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
Moss and crocodile obscured by fallen petals<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060813" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060813.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060813" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
while the tree was still pink<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060760" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060760.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060760" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
and the MOSS after the petals fell...<br />
feeling a little browner<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070214" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070214.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070214" vspace="0" width="245" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">But as moss is staunch, it will bounce right back.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" border="0" height="45" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b.jpg" style="height: 45px; width: 151px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" vspace="0" width="151" /><br />
<br />
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>FROM ONE LADY TO ANOTHER</strong></span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">This is our grand Sicilian princess filled with tulips.<br />
She, the vase, is 15" and the tulips are gigantic<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070116" border="0" height="243" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070116.jpg" style="height: 243px; width: 432px;" title="P1070116" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
<br />
Her little sister vase is just 7”, the perfect size<br />
to fill with stubby-stemmed Tree Peonies</span></span><br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 6" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/Image%206.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Image 6" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" border="0" height="45" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b.jpg" style="height: 45px; width: 151px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" vspace="0" width="151" /><br />
<br />
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>BLUE BLUE MY WORLD IS BLUE</strong></span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">sometimes PURPLE-BLUE</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070230" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070230.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070230" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">sometimes reddish-blue</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060775" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060775.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060775" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">The hues of Iris, Cammassia, Muscari Saffier and bluebells<br />
differ greatly and<br />
make a beautiful symphony</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070238" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070238.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070238" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="color: #333333;">Tulip Bleu Aimable<br />
(a good one – 6 of 12 came back) and the flower of Ajuga</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070088" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070088.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070088" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">Clematis Vyvyan Pernell</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" border="0" height="45" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b.jpg" style="height: 45px; width: 151px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" vspace="0" width="151" /><br />
<br />
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>ALMOST WHITE</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><img align="none" alt="P1070235" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070235.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070235" vspace="0" width="434" /></strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1070086" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070086.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070086" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
Enthralled with my new Ukigumo Japanese maple...<br />
Ukigumo means Floating Cloud<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070147" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070147.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 364px;" title="P1070147" vspace="0" width="364" /><br />
<br />
and this Farfugium (used to be Ligularia) ‘Kaimon Drake’.<br />
The new leaves are white white, but cursorily become green,<br />
as you see.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" border="0" height="45" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b.jpg" style="height: 45px; width: 151px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" vspace="0" width="151" /></div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>ACTUALLY WHITE</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><img align="none" alt="P1070186" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070186.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070186" vspace="0" width="245" /></strong><br />
The enchanting candelabra Primrose<br />
'Late Snow'<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070243" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070243.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070243" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
Narcissus Thalia, Solomon’s Seal, Bleeding Heart<br />
and Tulip Francoise<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070254" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070254.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1070254" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
See the blue stamen of Francoise..this is a great tulip...behaves just like the “French”<br />
tulips are supposed to behave<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060768" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060768.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060768" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
and the epitome of PEACE</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" border="0" height="45" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b.jpg" style="height: 45px; width: 151px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" vspace="0" width="151" /></div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>LITTLE MIRACLES</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1060416" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060416.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060416" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
One must take heart when hauling up over-wintered crates<br />
of tender bulbs, corms and tubers from the basement.<br />
It takes a leap of faith to believe these shrivelled up things will be beautiful ‘Moonlight’ caladiums or whatever<br />
<br />
But, once in a while, you shake off the dirt and uncover a big fat one brimming with life like this calla lily<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060419" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060419.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060419" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
it gives you such a shake, a flash, even a frisson if you will.<br />
John Ashberry calls these<br />
“bouillon cube moments”<br />
<br />
<br />
On the other hand...when all the colocasia have turned<br />
to white mush,<br />
It’s not so miraculous and so I'll not show you<br />
<br />
But then, I just take a little garden stroll and see things that<br />
never have to be dug up, stored or coddled:<br />
<br />
like the dance of the sprouting maple leaves<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060858" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060858.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060858" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
a baby ‘Black Mambo’ emerging through the petals<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060971" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060971.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060971" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
the reassurance that Trillium sometimes actually do multiply<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060916" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060916.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060916" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
Hellebore and N. Thalia in perfect harmony<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060911" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060911.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060911" vspace="0" width="434" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" border="0" height="45" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b.jpg" style="height: 45px; width: 151px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" vspace="0" width="151" /><br />
</div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Dianne’s DOs and DON’Ts</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">DON’T let the dandelions fool you, amazing how they, and various other weeds, try to hide among the flowers<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060719" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060719.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060719" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
DO buy this tulip. It is called Weber’s Parrot.<br />
I can only find it at </span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.mzbulb.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: white;">McClure and Zimmerman</span></a> <span style="color: #333333;">and<br />
it makes everyone who sees it drool...</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060788" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060788.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060788" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060939" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060939.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060939" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">and Queen of the Night and Rembrandt’s Favorite –<br />
the real crowd pleasers<br />
<br />
DON’T under estimate this crazy climate change world... after 2 or 3 warm winters I decided they were here to<br />
stay and went crazy planting Anemone coronaria last<br />
fall...I guess they did not like our ice and snow<br />
(just as prophesied) because all that I got were these<br />
2 Burgundy out of a few hundred mainly blue</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070020" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070020.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070020" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">DO respect tradition. The Dutch call vases with several holes in particular arrangements a tulip vase.<br />
This is because they are explicitly meant for tulips</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060991" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060991.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060991" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">Anything else in them is a flop.<br />
I won’t even show you other worthless attempts<br />
with Iris, azaleas, etc<br />
<br />
DO buy from the specialists because in a homogenized world, they are really specialized. <br />
<br />
Look at this dwarf trillium called ‘Road Runner’ from </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.epimediums.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: aliceblue;">Garden Visions Epimediums</span></a><br />
<span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="P1060388" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060388.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060388" vspace="0" width="434" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">They only sell Epimedium and a few precious woodland<br />
things like this</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" border="0" height="45" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b.jpg" style="height: 45px; width: 151px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" vspace="0" width="151" /><br />
<br />
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>GARDEN HAPPENINGS AROUND THE HAMPTONS:</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Robert Dash Memorial at Madoo<br />
was really elegant.<br />
There were four epigrammatic eulogies, among them<br />
Tina Raver and Robert Storr speaking of his many talents. Most people regarded him as a painter and as a gardener.<br />
I most admired him as a writer.<br />
He made many impressions.<br />
As would be his wont, Bloody Marys and clams were served.<br />
Galen Williams wore a gorgeous Balenciaga coat.<br />
It was very nice.<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 4" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/Image%204.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Image 4" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
His portrait by Fairfield Porter was the perfect representation.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.madoo.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: aliceblue;">Madoo</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> will always sing with his spirit.<br />
<br />
<br />
The Annual Plant Fair Benefit of the </span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.hahgarden.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: aliceblue;">Horticultural Alliance</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> was thronged with eager buyers and the many fans of<br />
Dennis Schrader and Bill Smith of</span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.landcraftenvironment.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: aliceblue;"> Landcraft Environments</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">,<br />
who were honored. <br />
The always fascinating array of plants – many dug from members' gardens – were being snatched up<br />
at a frenzied pace.<br />
<br />
The dig at my garden was done last autumn and the<br />
attentive and faithful HAH-ers minded a few dozen<br />
baby ‘Black Mambo’<br />
over the winter. <br />
I understand they were a Super Sell Out,<br />
so...my advice to the buyers - Please be mindful to plant them – with love –<br />
in<br />
a sheltered, sexy and<br />
not just-shady-but-almost-dark place.<br />
This is what they will have in a few years.<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060951" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060951.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060951" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
They are nestled in a bed of big-leaved matte finish Asarum -<br />
I don’t know which kind or where I got them..</span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;">..</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.longhouse.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: aliceblue;">LONGHOUSE</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> IS BURSTING with BEAUTY –<br />
Visit on Wednesday and Saturday 2-5,<br />
or other times simply by calling 631.329.3568<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060704" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060704.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060704" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
A red-winged blackbird is just one of our many<br />
feathery friends–<br />
LongHouse is a birder’s paradise<br />
(even when they poop on<br />
Donald Judd’s benches)<br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060697" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060697.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060697" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
Johnny Swing’s curvaceous chaise made of quarters...or maybe they’re nickels, but they are coins and it is marvelous<br />
and just one of many many many<br />
new sights to enjoy<br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060706" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060706.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060706" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
Jack Larsen is the only one I know who can grow<br />
Pasque flowers<br />
and<br />
pile such good pillows<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060686" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060686.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060686" vspace="0" width="245" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">And, do not miss Elizabeth Levine's show at<br />
ILLE Arts in Amagansett.<br />
Keister, Lee and Levine at ILLE Arts<br />
June 7th - June 24th.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Opening reception for the artists is June 7th from 5 - 7pm</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="ELevine.Kabloom XV" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/ELevine.Kabloom%20XV.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="ELevine.Kabloom XV" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="ELevine-Kabloom XVI" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/ELevine-Kabloom%20XVI.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="ELevine-Kabloom XVI" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>FLEETING but FANTASTIC</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>The Fritillaries...</strong><br />
The dear little michailovskyi<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060913" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060913.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060913" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
The less lusty but taller uva-vulpis<br />
(not my favorite)<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060836" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060836.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060836" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
The fabulous acmopetala, almost 2’ tall...(I love this one)<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060876" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060876.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060876" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
The shy but beautiful F. pontica (this one is tricky)<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060882" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060882.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060882" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
And the one you are least likely ever to see<br />
Fritillaria verticilata – the climbing frit with little tendrils like a clematis – verticilata – vertical, get it?<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060919" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060919.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060919" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
And the super beautiful ‘Guinea Hen’ Fritillaria meleagris .<br />
Why more people don’t grow it is way beyond my comprehension.<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060859" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060859.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060859" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
The animals do not eat Frits.<br />
They grow in the shade but like sun too.<br />
They are not that expensive<br />
... and many of the “little fritillaries” return year after year after year, popping up in the most precious places<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060926" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060926.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060926" vspace="0" width="245" /></span></span><br />
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</div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>OTHER Ephemerals the Garden Tourers missed</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1070143" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070143.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070143" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
Maybe it lasts five days, but the evanescent edge is just another part of the charm of this woodland Peony japonica...<br />
<br />
The charm of the dog’s tooth violet is in its<br />
short-lived shyness<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060666" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060666.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060666" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070146" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070146.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070146" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
The Cairo tulip match to the fresh opening leaves of the weeping purple beech was planned<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060758" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060758.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060758" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
The proportion of this just burgeoning Astilboides tabularis overhung by Hellebore x hybridus ‘Golden Lotus’<br />
(divine, </span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.plantdelights.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: aliceblue;">Plant Delights</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">) was a sweet coincidence</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">And although all of these will be gone on my next<br />
Garden Conservancy Open Day</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" border="0" height="45" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b.jpg" style="height: 45px; width: 151px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" vspace="0" width="151" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="color: #333333;"><strong> Please do come and visit on<br />
Saturday,July 21st</strong> </span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><a href="https://www.gardenconservancy.org/index.php?option=com_eventlist&view=opendays&id=1&Itemid=39&city=East%20Hampton" target="_blank"><span style="color: aliceblue;">Garden Conservancy Open Day</span></a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">from 10 – 3PM...<br />
Everything will look completetly different and there will be<br />
new and many delights –<br />
or at least that is my plan.<br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060873" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060873.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060873" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
And now that it is really time to dig into the season,<br />
you will be thrilled to know that the<br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;">After Memorial Day, Pre-Solstice 15% Off Sale<br />
at </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: aliceblue;">The Best @ Dianne B.</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> begins today</span><br />
<br />
Put coupon code: </span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shop.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: aliceblue;">15%OFF</span></a></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">into the Discount box at Checkout<br />
<br />
And If I were you, I would get it while you can because a<br />
few items will soon no longer be available...so stock up,<br />
especially if you can't live without Yard Bags<br />
and Japanese clippers.<br />
<br />
<br />
Magnolia loves the Fritillaries<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060721" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060721.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060721" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
Flora just wants to be loved<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060385" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1060385.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060385" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<br />
And what to my wondering eyes did appear,<br />
But this endearing St. Francis<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070251" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070251.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070251" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
A wonderful surprise present from<br />
Lys Marigold who has a true knack for perfect timing<br />
and knows how dearly loved<br />
is the St. Francis<br />
in the Nature Trail.<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1070194" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/P1070194.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1070194" vspace="0" width="245" /></span></span><br />
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<img align="none" alt="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" border="0" height="45" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/e26ef6ece9/DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b.jpg" style="height: 45px; width: 151px;" title="DBLOGODooDadLayersFILL79ACC7b" vspace="0" width="151" /><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebgardens.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: aliceblue;">Visit Dianne B Gardens</span></a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: aliceblue;">Visit Our Website</span></a><span style="color: aliceblue;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheBestatDianneB" target="_blank"><span style="color: aliceblue;">Find us on Facebook</span></a><span style="color: aliceblue;"> </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2472106550298298679" target=""><span style="color: aliceblue;">Forward this message to a friend</span></a></span><br />
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-53553484362228421982014-05-01T13:01:00.004-04:002014-05-01T13:01:51.863-04:00Aaaaaahhh ~ it's time<div style="text-align: center;">
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<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">DIRTIER ....The Newsletter</span>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Volume 56 April 2014</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Dianne B</span></span></div>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><img align="none" alt="headerP1060355" border="0" height="150" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/headerP1060355.jpg" style="height: 150px; width: 600px;" title="headerP1060355" vspace="0" width="600" /></td>
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<td align="left" style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus,comic sans ms,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Frailty...where is thy blush?</strong></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Well – Here it is...<br />
<br />
Fragility personified.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The utter delicacy of Hepatica among the fuzzy casings of magnolia buds and overseen<br />
by fritillaries<br />
all in the moss<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060473" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060473.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 277px;" title="P1060473" vspace="0" width="277" /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The variegated leaves of Sasa Veithchii became parchment during the cold winter...ethereal, no?<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060209" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060209.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060209" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">See the scalloped leaves actually embrace the red stems of Sanguinaria canadensis ‘Tennessee Form’<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060369" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060369.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060369" vspace="0" width="245" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">To me,<br />
this is the height of frailty.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">And of course, Happy Birthday to William Shakespeare and my apologies for mashing together the first and third acts of Hamlet;<br />
but I have Hamlet on the brain....<br />
and it is no wonder<br />
BECAUSE<br />
There is to be an extraordinary production of <strong>Hamlet next November</strong> right here in <strong>East Hampton</strong> in the beautiful <strong>John Drew Theater at Guild Hall.</strong><br />
Produced by the <a href="http://www.roundtabletheatre.org/"><strong>Round Table Theater Company</strong></a> with young, handsome, talented Tristan Vaughan<br />
as Hamlet and, yes, ME<br />
as his mother Gertrude.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Here is a preview from last year’s Acting Class.<br />
<img align="none" alt="Image 3" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/Image%203.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Image 3" vspace="0" width="326" /></span></span><br />
<br />
Next November will be the real thing,<br />
and speaking of<br />
the real thing,<br />
for you Shakespearians especially,<br />
the actual lines are:<br />
<br />
<strong>Frailty, thy name is woman!</strong>, Act I, scene 2<br />
<strong>Oh shame, where is thy blush?,</strong> Act III, scene 4<br />
<br />
In both cases, Hamlet is not talking<br />
about the garden, but about his mother...<br />
yes, her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>HEAVENLY BLUES</strong></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">To some, all little blue flowers look the same,<br />
"Oh - look at the cute little blue flowers"<br />
but to we gardeners,<br />
there is a vast world of difference.<br />
<br />
The almost inconspicuous, but gorgeously hued, Mertensia virginica<br />
(real life color better than this)<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060469" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060469.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060469" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
The intricate anther-heavy bloom of the<br />
treasured blue-flowered Hepatica<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060095" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060095.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060095" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
The baby-size blueness of Muscari azureum...<br />
The earliest for me – paler and exceedingly <em>charmante</em><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060138" border="0" height="271" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060138.jpg" style="height: 271px; width: 434px;" title="P1060138" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Not exactly blue, but with a tiny little blue stripe, Puschkinia<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060255" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060255.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1060255" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<br />
The simple but energizing Chionodoxa luciliae or<br />
Glory of the Snow<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060169" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060169.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060169" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
The nascent tubular flowers of Corydalis solida<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060100" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060100.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060100" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
I think it is positively racist to hear them all referred to as “little blue flowers”</span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>WE LIVE IN A MAGIC PLACE</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">You know, there is a reason that
places like the various Rivieras and Bali have huge reputations and
attract a certain kind of people<br />
<br />
I think it is largely because they are beautiful.<br />
The same goes for The Hamptons<br />
(though no one actually in the Hamptons refers to them as The Hamptons).<br />
Anyway...<br />
As of a few days ago, the immediate neighborhood of<br />
East Hampton looks like this:<br />
<br />
Look closely and see the deer crossing the bridge at the Maidstone Golf Course<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060487" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060487.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060487" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
The American spirit<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060435" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060435.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060435" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
a portion of Steven Spielberg’s ¼ mile of daffodils</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060446" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060446.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060446" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">daffodil symmetry<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060450" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060450.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060450" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
Our Church<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060431" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060431.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060431" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Our sky looks like a hoaky paint-by-number in<br />
this picture,<br />
but in real life it is just divine<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060486" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060486.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060486" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
And for the myriad daffodils that are plumped, pre-determined,
arranged and manicured there is surely something to be said;<br />
but it is these growing in the wild that have<br />
captured my heart<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060492" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060492.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060492" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<br />
</div>
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<td align="left" style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus,comic sans ms,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<div>
<strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">DIANNE’S DOs & DON’Ts :</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">DON'T mistake an emergent clump of crabgrass<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060104" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060104.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060104" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
for the bourgeoning leaves of allium<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060106" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060106.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060106" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
Another example of the cleverness of weeds.<br />
<br />
DON’T leave your tender plants wrapped in their winter blankets for too long<br />
These are screaming “Let me out!”<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060108" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060108.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060108" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
and I hope soon everyone around here will take those damn burlap wrappings off their<br />
pristine little boxwoods<br />
and let them breathe...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">DO believe that things too good to be true are<br />
usually just that.<br />
I thought I was such a smarty pants finding a source to buy 12 Fritillaria imperialis for a modest price.<br />
Well, the bulbs looked OK,<br />
so I was excited to see<br />
them break through<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060174" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060174.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1060174" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
And begin to emerge<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060172" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060172.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1060172" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
Oh boy, I thought, 12 new robust riotous<br />
‘Tears of Mary’ .<br />
BUT...the excitement ended there.<br />
The leaves just unfurled and unfurled<br />
and soon it became apparent that there was to be<br />
no flash of color,<br />
no fabulous crown<br />
and definitely, no tears.<br />
In other words - no flowers - just swirl after swirl<br />
of shiny leaves,<br />
so...no bargain after all.<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060275" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060275.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1060275" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<br />
On the other hand, I almost never expect<br />
Fritillary persica to bloom,<br />
But those vase-shaped blue leaves come back<br />
year after year and are almost as good as the dark<br />
dangling bells.<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060187" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060187.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1060187" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<br />
DO buy expensive bulbs from <a href="http://odysseybulbs.com/">Odyssey Bulbs</a>.<br />
This Dog Tooth’s Violet (Purple King) took<br />
my breath away.<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060366" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060366.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060366" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060377" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060377.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060377" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
Especially those purple anthers, not to mention<br />
those extraordinary leaves</span>,<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and the proprietor Russell,<br />
is really nice and attentive.<br />
<br />
MORAL: You usually get what you pay for.</span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">DON’T
be so quick to rid your garden of every old, overworked branch. Here
is the frame of a decaying juniper that was in the front border before I
got here...<br />
I find it quite dramatic among </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">spring’s new growth<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060194" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060194.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060194" vspace="0" width="434" /></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">DO have faith in La Grande Mere Nature</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1060300" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060300.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060300" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
Gardeners all over Long Island were cursing the<br />
un-like April 16th frost; but you know ... it didn’t seem<br />
to disturb a thing<br />
<br />
and most of all</span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">DON’T Ever, I mean <em>Never</em>, plant ivy in the garden</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img align="none" alt="P1060454" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060454.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060454" vspace="0" width="245" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Where are my reliable old Ipheion I was<br />
thinking...and those new Thalia that I worked so<br />
hard to plant...where are they?<br />
and then I realized...<br />
they are buried under that aggressive ivy,<br />
along with several other things...<br />
I am still working at unearthing it</span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<div>
<strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">HELLEBORE HEAVEN</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Hellebore augutifolia, the one
with the fatter leaves And the shyer habit takes even longer to
establish than the others. This one since 2007, but finally,<br />
it sure is sweet<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060196" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060196.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 432px;" title="P1060196" vspace="0" width="432" /></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The double black gets more purply as it develops,<br />
but stunning still<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060077" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060077.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1060077" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060074" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060074.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060074" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/">White Flower Farm</a> calls this pink/red Hellebore<br />
‘Winter Thriller’<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060120" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060120.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060120" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
It comes to me courtesy of them and the<br />
<a href="https://www.gardenconservancy.org/index.php?option=com_eventlist&view=opendays&id=1&Itemid=39&city=East%20Hampton">Garden Conservancy</a> in thanks for participating<br />
in their <a href="https://www.gardenconservancy.org/index.php?option=com_eventlist&view=opendays&id=1&Itemid=39&city=East%20Hampton">OPEN DAY</a><br />
<br />
And speaking of the Conservancy, the first<br />
OPEN DAY of the season is</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Saturday - MAY 10</strong><br />
And it happily coincides<br />
with the<br />
<span style="font-size: 24pt;"> <a href="http://www.stlukeseasthampton.org/#/parish-calendar-events">St. Luke’s House and Garden Tour</a></span><br />
<br />
My garden will be open to both:<br />
so PLEASE – come and see me<br />
by<br />
BUYING YOUR TICKET<br />
for the<br />
St. Luke’s House and Garden Tour<br />
or<br />
Showing up at the gate for The Conservancy<br />
Open Day<br />
10am - 2pm<br />
$5 for the Garden Conservancy Tour<br />
<br />
May 10 is<br />
the day before Mother’s Day</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">For the St. luke's Tour, all 6 homes and gardens are located in the Village of East Hampton<br />
<br />
The most spectacular has<br />
NEVER BEEN OPEN to a Garden Tour BEFORE<br />
<br />
An Italianate walled garden almost a century old,<br />
which boasts Sara and Gerald Murphy in its history,<br />
is something not to be missed.<br />
<br />
Call the Church 631.329.0990<br />
$75<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="GardenIMG_1851" border="0" height="267" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/GardenIMG_1851.jpg" style="height: 267px; width: 434px;" title="GardenIMG_1851" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="GardenScan 3" border="0" height="266" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/GardenScan%203.jpg" style="height: 266px; width: 434px;" title="GardenScan 3" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Garden02" border="0" height="354" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/Garden02.jpg" style="height: 354px; width: 432px;" title="Garden02" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Will the magnolia still be in bloom?<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060251" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060251.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060251" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Will the tree peonies open?</span><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1060456" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060456.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060456" vspace="0" width="245" /></span></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Will the rabbits have eaten all of the tulips or<br />
just some of them?<br />
<br />
These and other mysteries<br />
will be revealed on Saturday, May 10<br />
<br />
<br />
In 4 Quartets, there is a line<br />
The Garden has the “look of flowers that have been looked at”<br />
<br />
So COME and LOOK</span><br />
<br />
Oh yes, T.S. Eliot</div>
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<div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>WEEDS!</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Think of all the things one might accomplish if there was no weeding to be done...<br />
books to be read<br />
plants to be divided<br />
websites to devour<br />
nurseries to peruse<br />
pruning<br />
mulching<br />
edging<br />
endless<br />
And it's not only me - the entire NorthEast of America is extremely hospitable to<br />
ALL TEN of the UGLIEST and MEANEST weeds.<br />
I am trying to approach them with aplomb<br />
instead of having them educe from me<br />
an often-mean-spirited hiss...<br />
<br />
And while I am tugging on and prying at them,<br />
I often wonder which one it is I am cursing.<br />
Well, here is the answer.<br />
<br />
The lowdown on <a href="http://www.gardennewsbreak.com/preen/releases/2014_unwanted/index.html">The Top Ten Weeds</a> brought to us<br />
by Preen,<br />
the weed killer.</span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>RATED XXX</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">OK...this is something unexpected, if not shocking.</span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">If I were to compare <a href="http://gardenbitchs.com/">gardenbitchs.com</a> to the nastiest shows on TV, it means that I must admit that I have watched things like Orange is the New Black<br />
and<br />
Shameless,<br />
but so be it...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://gardenbitchs.com/">Gardenbitchs.com</a><br />
is vile, horrible, offensive really;<br />
but whoever this bitch is – we more or less approach gardening, if not language, in the same way.<br />
<br />
Judge for yourself.</span><br />
<br />
</div>
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<td><br />
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<td>
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<tbody>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>RATED GGGGGGGood</strong></span><br />
</div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><em>Seeds, like words, ‘behave
like capricious and autonomous beings’, so if we give them a space to
perform, perhaps we stand a chance to inherit their intelligence. This
seems like a wiser choice to me, rather than to force our intelligence
upon them.</em><br />
<br />
Scott Chaskey, from his new book <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18050023-seedtime">Seedtime</a>... Scott<br />
is the Noah to the Hamptons ark,<br />
or maybe the largest voice, as well as presence, in our do-good community</span><br />
<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>THIS AIN’T NO VAN GOGH</strong></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Even though he too was born in
the quaint little Dutch district of Zundert, and with all of his
glorious imagination and feel for color, do you think he could have ever
imagined this?<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="20100528174838_moeders_kroost__klein_zundertse_heikant__winnaar_2002_bloemencorso-zundert-640x413" border="0" height="281" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/20100528174838_moeders_kroost__klein_zundertse_heikant__winnaar_2002_bloemencorso-zundert-640x413.jpg" style="height: 281px; width: 434px;" title="20100528174838_moeders_kroost__klein_zundertse_heikant__winnaar_2002_bloemencorso-zundert-640x413" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Bloemencorso-Zundert" border="0" height="271" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/Bloemencorso-Zundert.jpg" style="height: 271px; width: 434px;" title="Bloemencorso-Zundert" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Bloemencorso-Zundert2" border="0" height="289" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/Bloemencorso-Zundert2.jpg" style="height: 289px; width: 434px;" title="Bloemencorso-Zundert2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
This is the <a href="http://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/09/bloemencorso-zundert-flower-parade-2013.html">Dutch Bloemencorso Parade</a>...<br />
And all of the floats are made from Dahlias...<br />
millions of them...<br />
Can you believe it?</span><br />
<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>PEOPLE SAY THE NICEST THINGS</strong></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">This is about my wonderful English Garden Twine<br />
from the WordPress blog: French Gardener Dishes.</span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
"The supermarket hanging basket was just too high to be
appreciated and seen so I transferred it into a more decorative metal
planter lined with cocoa fiber<br />
(just plunked it right in, as is) and I hung it at eye level by
the front door with my favorite hard-working, all purpose garden rubber
twine from England. I order it from “The Best @ Dianne B”, a great
online garden store which sells only a handful of quality garden
products."</div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">This very twine is included in the<br />
<strong>FANTASTIC<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/garden-gift-set.php">DIANNE B GARDEN GIFT SET</a></strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/garden-gift-set.php"><img align="none" alt="DBBestTrugGiftSet6098 copy" border="0" height="362" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/DBBestTrugGiftSet6098%20copy.jpg" style="height: 362px; width: 506px;" title="DBBestTrugGiftSet6098 copy" vspace="0" width="506" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/garden-tie.php"><img align="none" alt="Dianne B Best Products 1-143" border="0" height="378" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/Dianne%20B%20Best%20Products%201-143.jpg" style="height: 378px; width: 522px;" title="Dianne B Best Products 1-143" vspace="0" width="522" /></a><br />
<br />
And so is the sling-it-over-your-shoulder<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/bag.php">Dianne B. Yard Bag</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/bag.php"><img align="none" alt="P1060242" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060242.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1060242" vspace="0" width="434" /></a><br />
<br />
(note on Yard Bag, before it gets filled up, when you want it
to stand erect waiting for your weeds and clippings, just fold it over
like a turtleneck...<br />
it works every time).<br />
<br />
also included is the good old 14” Best Trowel</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/garden-gift-set.php"><img align="none" alt="Dianne B Best Products 272" border="0" height="289" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/Dianne%20B%20Best%20Products%20272.jpg" style="height: 289px; width: 434px;" title="Dianne B Best Products 272" vspace="0" width="434" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>and</strong><br />
If you place your order before May 5th I promise<br />
it will be delivered<br />
BEFORE MOTHER’S DAY<br />
<br />
The trug is not sold separately.<br />
I assure you that it is great for everything,<br />
for hauling bulbs while planting, weeds while weeding –<br />
All sorts of garden tasks; plus it looks great in the kitchen holding eggs or kumquats or anything.<br />
It is only 15“ long, so it is just right.<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060608" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060608.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060608" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Especially look at the beautiful myrtle wood<br />
and the copper nails<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060605" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060605.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060605" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
This is quite a gift and a real bargain at only $99... (plus shipping)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">So, <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/garden-gift-set.php"><strong>ORDER RIGHT NOW</strong></a><br />
Make your mother, or sister or lover or even your enemy happy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="DBBestTrugGiftSet6098 copy" border="0" height="362" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/DBBestTrugGiftSet6098%20copy.jpg" style="height: 362px; width: 506px;" title="DBBestTrugGiftSet6098 copy" vspace="0" width="506" /></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And don't forget the <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/peepstick.php">Peeping Stick</a>:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/peepstick.php"><img align="none" alt="DianneBPeepingStick3693" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/DianneBPeepingStick3693.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="DianneBPeepingStick3693" vspace="0" width="290" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/peepstick.php"><img align="none" alt="DBPeepingStick3483" border="0" height="292" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/DBPeepingStick3483.jpg" style="height: 292px; width: 436px;" title="DBPeepingStick3483" vspace="0" width="436" /></a><br />
<br />
Every hellebore, every fritillary, every dogtooth's violet has inner mysteries<br />
that can only be revealed by lying on the ground or viewing it with<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/peepstick.php">The Peeping Stick.</a> Exclusively here at Dianne B.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/peepstick.php"><img align="none" alt="PeepingStick0051a" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/PeepingStick0051a.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="PeepingStick0051a" vspace="0" width="290" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Should it continue to rain... Let a Leaf Be Your Umbrella<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="17621_602133886484091_1215013895_n" border="0" height="394" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/17621_602133886484091_1215013895_n.jpg" style="height: 394px; width: 434px;" title="17621_602133886484091_1215013895_n" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
And don’t forget to be thankful for all life’s joys<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060332" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060332.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060332" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
And really – don’t forget to place your orders at<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shop.php">The Best @ Dianne B.</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060462" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060462.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 245px;" title="P1060462" vspace="0" width="245" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060402" border="0" height="304" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060402.jpg" style="height: 304px; width: 434px;" title="P1060402" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060411" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/dd7a8d6f0c/P1060411.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1060411" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<strong>HAPPY MAY DAY</strong></span></td>
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-57637855680147400682014-03-31T18:54:00.002-04:002014-03-31T18:54:31.828-04:00Develop a Mental Thermost<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrameSecure" name="twttrHubFrameSecure" scrolling="no" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrame" name="twttrHubFrame" scrolling="no" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><br />
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<td style="text-align: left;" valign="top"><span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">DIRTIER ....The Newsletter</span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Volume 55 March 2014</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Dianne B</span></span></div>
</td>
<td><img height="98" src="http://www.diannebbest.com/custom/newsletter/newsletter8/dbb-logo.jpg" style="height: 98px; width: 60px;" width="60" /></td>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><img align="none" alt="headerP1050684" border="0" height="150" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/headerP1050684.jpg" style="height: 150px; width: 600px;" title="headerP1050684" vspace="0" width="600" /></td>
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<div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>DEVELOP A MENTAL THERMOSTAT</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">BABY IT’s Still Cold Outside<br />
But gardening in spite of it, I do believe,<br />
is a state of mind.<br />
<br />
A Dutchman named <a href="http://www.icemanwimhof.com/en-home"><span style="color: brown;">Wim Hof </span></a> theorized the mental thermostat idea to achieve a certain mindset needed for his goals,<br />
like climbing Mount Everest in a pair of shorts.<br />
<br />
Now, that is a crazy concept...<br />
but I do find that there is a special<br />
<strong>Gardener’s Mental Thermostat </strong><br />
that can be piqued and persuaded to kick in when all looks particularly barren...and grim.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Like this,</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050902" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050902.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050902" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Even Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’<br />
couldn't take it ...<br />
<br />
<br />
Neither could the always hardy<br />
Hellebore foetidus</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050901" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050901.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050901" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">But I know you don’t tune in to<br />
DIRTIER<br />
to see pictures of broken old dead plants,<br />
you probably have enough of your own</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050906" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050906.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050906" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">So, let’s move on to what brings on<br />
THAT TiNGLING FEELING<br />
You know that sensation: a little bit of a prickle,<br />
or an itch --<br />
sometimes accompanied by a little buzz or a quiver --<br />
the one you get<br />
(or at least I get)<br />
when out from an icy thaw, or a bed of old dried needles and leaves, peeps that sensational rush<br />
of new life ...</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050785" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050785.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050785" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050788" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050788.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050788" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">My mental thermostat shoots right up</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050898" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050898.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050898" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and keeps me warm</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">That's what Mama Nature does too.<br />
Her colors withstand, even respond to,<br />
the winter's cold<br />
and become almost indescribably tantalizing <br />
<br />
The golds are golder.</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050802" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050802.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050802" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050654" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050654.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050654" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050666" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050666.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050666" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The blues are definitely bluer</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050800" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050800.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050800" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050660" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050660.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050660" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="BluerBluesP1050814" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/BluerBluesP1050814.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="BluerBluesP1050814" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Even the basic green of the first new leaves<br />
causes little vibrations</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050428" border="0" height="271" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050428.jpg" style="height: 271px; width: 434px;" title="P1050428" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And as the desire to be outside burns....<br />
the cold, somehow, magically<br />
becomes tolerable.<br />
I spent 4 hours in the garden on a withering<br />
February day with<br />
much of the garden still under snow cover.<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Snow02" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/Snow02.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="Snow02" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="snow04P1050680" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/snow04P1050680.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="snow04P1050680" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="SNOW03P1050692" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/SNOW03P1050692.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="SNOW03P1050692" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="snow01" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/snow01.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="snow01" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
This past Sunday - hours of hacking back hydrangea and lespedeza - thankful for temps in the 40's ...<br />
Some survivors<br />
just can’t be kept down,<br />
<br />
like Fatsia</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050811" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050811.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050811" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Hellebores + me<br />
<br />
It’s that mental thermostat thing...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>SNOWDROP SCRUTINY</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">There are only 3 kinds, if you ask me.</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050861" border="0" height="397" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050861.jpg" style="height: 397px; width: 434px;" title="P1050861" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">tall fat ones<br />
doubles<br />
and the good old snowdrop<br />
<br />
Although, if you were to say that to a Galanthus fanatic<br />
<br />
they would shoot you.<br />
<br />
There are 100s of variations and most all<br />
rather expensive, even the small and most common are about a
half dollar each...and when you envision a drift...it becomes many $$$.<br />
<br />
To get specialized, well, then honey...be prepared<br />
to cough up.<br />
But when they do bloom and you make the first little bouquets of the season with a few different kinds...<br />
<br />
Well, that is very rewarding<br />
<br />
<br />
Galanthus single hybrid ‘S. Arnott’ are the biggest.<br />
I bought three of them in 2010 for $10 each (I think that's a fortune for 3 snowdrops, don't you?)<br />
from the royalty of the Snow Drop world:<br />
Hitch Lyman’s<br />
Temple Nursery.<br />
This year I have a clump of 10, so if you amortize<br />
over time, it sort-of works out.<br />
<br />
Good news is now <a href="https://store.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/"><span style="color: brown;">Brent and Becky </span></a><br />
offer several species for quite a bit less<br />
than Hitch</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060012" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1060012.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1060012" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">S. Arnott and a regular G. nivalis<br />
<br />
The fluffy doubles that have the most presence are<br />
Galanthus nivalis ‘flore pleno’.<br />
These you can buy for $6 each from Temple...or 50/$32 from </span><a href="http://www.vanengelen.com/"><span style="color: brown;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">van Engelen</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050866" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050866.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050866" vspace="0" width="434" /></span></a><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050993" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050993.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050993" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The sweet, simple, typical Galanthus elewesii, are available everywhere and you can never have enough.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="P1050996" border="0" height="334" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050996.jpg" style="height: 334px; width: 434px;" title="P1050996" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Though the named varieties sport a<br />
little greener spot here<br />
and a little longer pedicel there...<br />
truth is, I can barely tell the difference.<br />
In this case, like few others, it is quantity I find most interesting.</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050874" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050874.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050874" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">A final comparison:</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050998" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050998.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050998" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">But the big difference in what you get from the others and what you get from Temple is savoir-faire.<br />
<br />
A keepsake catalogue, gorgeously addressed to you in patrician long hand in real ink, is a hallmark.<br />
So, if style is important to you...<br />
send $5 and get your<br />
catalogue now, because Mr. Hitch Lyman sends his freshly dug hand-wrapped<br />
snowdrops<br />
at the beginning of April. <br />
Box 591<br />
Trumanburg, New York 14886</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="TempleNurseryVol55" border="0" height="224" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/TempleNurseryVol55.JPG" style="height: 224px; width: 300px;" title="TempleNurseryVol55" vspace="0" width="300" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">While attempting to capture the snowdrop's<br />
charm against blue,<br />
I became intrigued by the idea of a <br />
<strong>DECONSTRUCTED BOUQUET</strong></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1060013" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1060013.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1060013" vspace="0" width="290" /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">What do you think?</span><br />
<br />
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<div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>OTHER TURN-ONS</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Should you not be as taken by the small signs of spring as I,<br />
perhaps you want to induce your own vision,<br />
maybe even a hallucination.<br />
<br />
Now that everything is legal,<br />
by chance you might try this...<br />
<br />
On <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2094262/"><span style="color: brown;">DaVinci’s Demons</span></a>...my favorite TV show<br />
last season<br />
(this season, so far it is too bloody and not romantic)<br />
...the funky Florentine in-crowd of Leonardo back in the 15th C. swore that you could conjure a<br />
potent state-of-mind<br />
by smoking tobacco (or whatever) mixed with <strong>BLACK HELLEBORE !</strong><br />
<br />
This one is my blackest, and there is a certain deleriously fantastic quality to it as it emerges from the cold earth.</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="BlackHellebore01" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/BlackHellebore01.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="BlackHellebore01" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="BlackHelleobres02" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/BlackHelleobres02.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="BlackHelleobres02" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">I can't say if it's a hallucenogenic one,<br />
but it sure is trippy.<br />
<br />
<br />
And who can resist this magical white hellebore</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050779" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050779.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050779" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And here is proof that this flower<br />
persistently emerged from<br />
under 10 or so inches of snow.<br />
Yes, just look<br />
to the penumbra of the shadow<br />
and there<br />
on the right you will see the top of a<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/marker.php"><span style="color: brown;">Dianne B. Zinc Marker</span></a><br />
<br />
...and you know, those markers are<br />
absolutely 12” high.</span><span style="color: red;"> </span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050778" border="0" height="343" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050778.jpg" style="height: 343px; width: 434px;" title="P1050778" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And speaking of these fabulous<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/marker.php"><span style="color: brown;"> zinc markers</span></a>,
I have just gotten in a fresh supply because we’re coming into the time
of the year when the garden is crying out to be identified.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/marker.php"><img align="none" alt="DBBestMarkers" border="0" height="297" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/DBBestMarkers.jpg" style="height: 297px; width: 434px;" title="DBBestMarkers" vspace="0" width="434" /></a></span><br />
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<div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>A FEW DB DOs and DON’Ts</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">DO watch Downtown Abbey if for no other reason than to see<br />
the gardens as exuberant as Maggie Smith herself</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050776" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050776.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050776" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">And should you be in England, this month's<br />
<a href="http://www.gardensillustrated.com/"><span style="color: brown;">Gardens Illustrated </span></a><br />
urges you to go to Highclere,<br />
the actual house and grounds of Downton.<br />
<br />
It seems that it is too expensive for the BBC crews to move scenes out into the gardens,<br />
so you have to go and see them for yourself.<br />
Lady Carnarvon, the real queen of the manor,<br />
is dying for you to come.<br />
<br />
Like any gardener, she wants to show off her garden...which gets<br />
back to my old favorite point,<br />
<br />
<strong>What is the use of having a garden<br />
if no one ever<br />
sees it?</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">DO think about subscribing to Gardens Illustrated. It's my favorite<br />
gardening magazine (they won't let us<br />
link you to the story or pix<br />
without a subscription),<br />
but Highclere looks GREAT.<br />
<br />
<br />
DON’T, on the other hand, be too discouraged if there are<br />
<strong>No plants on the<br />
Gardens Illustrated 100 Must Have Plants </strong><br />
that you want and don’t already have...<br />
<br />
This seems impossible, really, I guess I need to look more closely.<br />
<br />
<br />
DO plant little spring things in your mossiest spots.<br />
The lovely green stuff is very hospitable...</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050883" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050883.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050883" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">DON’T be too disheartened when you realize the rabbits are back</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050982" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050982.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050982" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">because there is nothing one can do about it.<br />
Around here we have been in a fox cycle, and they don’t seem to<br />
care for the garden, but evidently we’ve gone back to the bunnies.<br />
<br />
DO trust Arum italicum to survive anything</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050809" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050809.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050809" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">DON’T align amaryllis only with Christmas...<br />
these brought superb<br />
life into the Plant Room just last week</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050855" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050855.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050855" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050852" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050852.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050852" vspace="0" width="290" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and always be appreciative of the smallest things</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050967" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050967.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050967" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>The <span style="color: dimgrey;">NEW MUSEUM</span> is an experience</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">The <a href="http://www.newmuseum.org/exhibitions/view/pawel-althamer"><span style="color: brown;">Pawel Althamer</span></a><br />
(a Polish Artist that I had never heard of)<br />
exhibit there now takes up 3 floors.<br />
Sculpture on 2 not for me, but the work on 4 caught that
nostalgic melancholia facet of me that always pulls the strongest chord,
like William Kentridge, like Juan Munoz, like Nicholas Africano.<br />
<br />
But it is Floor 3</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="PAlthamer01" border="0" height="306" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/PAlthamer01.jpg" style="height: 306px; width: 434px;" title="PAlthamer01" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"> a gigantic space that I thought you might want to know about.<br />
For the price of museum admission – if you care to – you can don<br />
a painter’s smock and go to town with museum-supplied chalk,
crayon, paint, dyes - anything you can think of - and leave your own
indelible mark,<br />
well, that is until someone comes along<br />
and paints over it.</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="PAlthamer02" border="0" height="209" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/PAlthamer02.jpg" style="height: 209px; width: 300px;" title="PAlthamer02" vspace="0" width="300" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">It is an experience ...<br />
They even supply laddered-scaffolds on wheels.<br />
<br />
Another interesting thing about the New Museum is that the
people who attend are more or less indecipherable from much of the
art.<br />
It’s great to see how The Bowery has come to life.<br />
You should go.</span></span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="PAlthamero3" border="0" height="210" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/PAlthamero3.jpg" style="height: 210px; width: 300px;" title="PAlthamero3" vspace="0" width="300" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Don't miss Alice Aycock's sculpture the next time you are in New York City.<br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Aycock0977" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/Aycock0977.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Aycock0977" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Aycock0993" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/Aycock0993.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="Aycock0993" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
Park Avenue has never looked so good<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Aycock0982" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/Aycock0982.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Aycock0982" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Aycock0978" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/Aycock0978.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Aycock0978" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
If it looks fabulously familiar, it means you are a<br />
friend of <a href="http://longhouse.org/"><span style="color: brown;">LongHouse</span></a><br />
and saw our 32' long preview of one piece<br />
of this fabulous installation<br />
last summer.<br />
<br />
It will be on Park Avenue from the Seagram's Building (52nd) to 59th street until June.<br />
<br />
It's really great.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Family News</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Skye (far left) is in Indianapolis.<br />
She is now officially an All-American Swimmer<strong>!<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="Skye_2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/Skye_2.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Skye_2" vspace="0" width="326" /></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
</div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>MOSSY MINDS</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Who knew that one of my very best friends is also a moss aficionado? Isn't that nice...<br />
<br />
This is how Maria Bacardi exhibits her moss...<br />
she carries bits of it from all around the globe<br />
and raises it in little bell jar cum terrariums .<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="MariasMossImage" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/MariasMossImage.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="MariasMossImage" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
This exotic stuff is from a surreal seriously rocky mountain range<br />
in the Malaga region<br />
The rocks are called El Torcal</span><br />
and she has brought some back for me!</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>THE <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shop.php"><span style="color: dimgrey;">BEST @ DIANNE B</span></a> IS READY for Spring...</strong></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Words, a testimonial if you will, from a pleased<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shovel.php"><span style="color: brown;">Dianne B Shovel</span></a> owner...<br />
<br />
<em>woohoo! The shovel arrived and is most excellent indeed! Surprises like this (& the <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/japanese-clippers.php"><span style="color: dimgrey;">clippers</span></a> & <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/gloves2.php"><span style="color: dimgrey;">gloves</span></a>) are an unexpected delight! Thank you for offering such cool tools, i cant tell you how pleased i am.<br />
Best regards, Michael Greene</em><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shovel.php"><img align="none" alt="Shovel" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/Shovel.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="Shovel" vspace="0" width="434" /></a><br />
<br />
So, if you order now, you will have your <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shovel.php"><span style="color: brown;">Shovel</span></a><br />
just in time for digging in all those wonderful new plants and trees that you have been<br />
dreaming about all winter.<br />
Because these shovels are really handmade and engraved one at a time by Farmer John in Idaho,<br />
I can’t offer you a discount, but I can promise that you will
love your shovel and if you want to make a particularly fine and
longlasting impression on someone special ... they will never forget you<br />
if you give them this as a gift:<br />
for a birthday, a ground-breaking, a new garden...<br />
<br />
But here's the good deal for my special reader friends...<br />
If you order within the next few weeks,<br />
I will send you a beautiful pair of the new Dianne B<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/gloves2.php"><span style="color: brown;">Leather Gardening Gloves</span></a>. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/gloves2.php"><img align="none" alt="LeatherGloves" border="0" height="259" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/LeatherGloves.jpg" style="height: 259px; width: 434px;" title="LeatherGloves" vspace="0" width="434" /></a><br />
<br />
You will not see this on the order form, online or anywhere else; but if you are still reading this -<br />
I suppose you will trust me</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>The Spring Equinox will be officially here by the time this arrives on your screen...</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Perhaps with it, the world will calm down a little and hope will<br />
again spring eternal</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050922" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050922.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050922" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050923" border="0" height="341" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050923.jpg" style="height: 341px; width: 434px;" title="P1050923" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and everyone will fluff up their feathers</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050940" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050940.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050940" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and show off their new spring colors</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050974" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050974.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050974" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Magnolia weathers whatever</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050712" border="0" height="245" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050712.jpg" style="height: 245px; width: 434px;" title="P1050712" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">(The snow was so icy she could walk on it)<br />
<br />
But she</span><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1050987 2" border="0" height="321" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/P1050987%202.jpg" style="height: 321px; width: 434px;" title="P1050987 2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and Flora Pandora</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="FloraVol55" border="0" height="319" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/FloraVol55.jpg" style="height: 319px; width: 479px;" title="FloraVol55" vspace="0" width="479" /></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">and this little boy and his dog<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="animal-children-photography-elena-shumilova-2" border="0" height="225" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/animal-children-photography-elena-shumilova-2.jpeg" style="height: 225px; width: 300px;" title="animal-children-photography-elena-shumilova-2" vspace="0" width="300" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"> Elena Shumilova Photo</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> are all waiting for spring</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">just like you and me</span><br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>KDHamptons bills itself as the<br />
“Luxury Lifestyle Diary of the Hamptons”.</strong></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Its well-traveled many-faceted founder,<br />
Kelli Delaney, is a gardener too.<br />
<a href="http://www.kdhamptons.com/new-kdhamptons-garden-diary-dianne-bensons-winter-season-garden-guide/"><span style="color: brown;">She recently published this dialogue with me about<br />
What Occupies Gardeners when there is not<br />
much of a “garden”. </span></a><br />
<br />
I hope you will like to see it.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.kdhamptons.com/new-kdhamptons-garden-diary-dianne-bensons-winter-season-garden-guide/"><img align="none" alt="Image_2" border="0" height="225" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/11ba493606/Image_2.jpg" style="height: 225px; width: 300px;" title="Image_2" vspace="0" width="300" /></a></div>
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-27616599418340849172014-02-03T16:04:00.001-05:002014-02-03T16:04:14.322-05:00Oh let it Snow, says Dianne B<br />
<br />
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<tr><td><table bgcolor="#75a50e" border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: #75a50e; background-image: url(http://www.diannebbest.com/custom/newsletter/newsletter6/promolandscaper_hdrbg1.jpg); background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">DIRTIER ....The Newsletter</span><div>
<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Volume 54 Early February, 2014</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Dianne B</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Capturing the hoarfrost patterns on the windows<br />is heaven to me.<br />Further proof that there is<br />no man-made decoration<br />quite as beautiful as the natural world<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="FrostP1050531" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/FrostP1050531.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="FrostP1050531" vspace="0" width="290" /></span><br /><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Enhanced by the snow<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050496" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050496.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050496" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />Like an all-white version of the<br />extravagant elephant painting<br />that you see upon arrival in Jaipur.<br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="SlitheryEel" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/SlitheryEel.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="SlitheryEel" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />The Slithery eel seems right in its element.<br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050497" border="0" height="426" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050497.jpg" style="height: 426px; width: 434px;" title="P1050497" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />I probably should bring John Barham's<br />monkeys indoors for the winter,<br />but they look so good<br />out there.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050509" border="0" height="432" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050509.jpg" style="height: 432px; width: 286px;" title="P1050509" vspace="0" width="286" /><br /><br /> The grinning monkey holding up the table<br />was made in the USA,<br />from that great Connecticut garden ornament company, <a href="http://www.klynchandsons.com/"><span style="color: mediumblue;">Kenneth Lynch & Sons</span></a>, (though not sure they carry such funky things anymore)<br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050532" border="0" height="309" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050532.jpg" style="height: 309px; width: 434px;" title="P1050532" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />The Balinese cow trio gloats<br />over the Italian Arums<br /> unfurling new leaves even as the snow falls.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050502" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050502.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050502" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br />In 10 degrees, Macaws beg to be bronze<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050514" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050514.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050514" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /> And this big old snapping croc is<br />daunted by nothing...<br /><br /><br />Now, I don’t know if the next three count:<br /><br />Are gargoyles animals?<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050494" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050494.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050494" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><br />How about insects?<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050516" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050516.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050516" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />And what about Balinese gods?<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050504" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050504.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050504" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br />I think they are just supernatural,<br /><br />but of course, the most precious animals<br />are snowingly happy<br /><br />Magnolia gallivants about<br /><img align="none" alt="MagnoliaFirstAnimalPartP1050586" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/MagnoliaFirstAnimalPartP1050586.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="MagnoliaFirstAnimalPartP1050586" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br />While Flora just likes to stretch out<br />as if it is an A/C vent<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050526" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050526.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050526" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_3693" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/IMG_3693.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_3693" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br /> </div>
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<tr><td align="left" style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus, 'comic sans ms', verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">ONE THING TO DO THIS WINTER</span></strong><br />
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<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Read this book:</strong><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Signature-All-Things-Novel/dp/0670024856/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391102967&sr=8-1&keywords=the+signature+of+all+things"><span style="color: mediumblue;">The Signature of All Things</span></a> by Elizabeth Gilbert<br /><br />Don’t be dissuaded by that other pulpy piece -<br /><em>Eat, Pray, Love</em> - the big best-seller by the same author. This is nothing like her girly memoir<br />or much like anything else you might read<br />if you are enthralled by fascinating people who,<br />among many other pursuits,<br />are beguiled by:<br /><br />Botanical Obsessions<br />especially<br /><br /><span style="color: darkgreen;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">MOSS!</span></span><br /><br />Yes, moss.<br /><br />It has never been so fascinating as in this tale.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Image 1 copy" border="0" height="340" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/Image%201%20copy.jpg" style="height: 340px; width: 432px;" title="Image 1 copy" vspace="0" width="432" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">You, my dear readers, surely must know by now that I am compulsively working to create a Moss Garden under our big old Magnolia tree<br />with the 50 foot spread.<br />That’s a lot of ground and<br />a LOT of MOSS<br />to tend<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050450" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050450.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050450" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />I devote much time to it:<br />preening, plumping and patching;<br />but in comparison my ambitions are paltry,<br />totally unscientific and not<br />particularly rigorous.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050453" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050453.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1050453" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />Can you imagine?<br />Doesn't all moss look more or less the same to you?<br /><br />My negligible knowledge of moss has come from<br />observation and the single, but wonderful, book in my library devoted to moss,<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Moss-Gardening-Including-Liverworts-Miniatures/dp/0881923702"><span style="color: mediumblue;"><em>Moss Gardening</em></span></a> by the estimable George Schenk.<br /><br />Alma Whitaker, the gutsy protagonist of the<br /><em>Signature of All Things</em><br />had no such awesome source to rely on<br />in the 19th Century,<br />so she set out to write the definitive book herself.<br /><br />Now, we have come to know that all mosses<br />Are Unequivocally Not the Same.<br /><br />But on her fantastical journey, she learned<br />there are 15,000 kinds.<br /><br />Her experience began by observing<br />the mossy rocks behind her studio cottage<br />on her inimitable father's great estate on the banks of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.<br /><br />Not so different from<br /> my own experience (minus the great estate)<br />within my own mossy patches<br />and the neighboring Nature Trail<br />from which came the origins of my Moss Garden.<br /><br />I try my hardest to keep it clear of leaves and debris<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050449" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050449.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1050449" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />Because it does not like to be inhabited or disturbed<br /><br />And attempt to keep it free of these<br />awful ‘brown spots’<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050448" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050448.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1050448" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />but it is a particularly trying...<br />and never-ending job because, well...<br /><br />one of the reasons the moss thrives is, naturally, because it is under this almost-century old magnolia;<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Image 2 2" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/Image%202%202.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="Image 2 2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />So with the huge magnolia comes the constant<br />storm of leaves:<br />new ones, old ones, green ones, brown ones;<br />plus all the elements of a flower that bud, bloom<br />mature and then disintegrate.<br />In varying stages they go<br />from big browning petals to the pretty teardrop-shaped outer casings of the new buds as they swell with new life and burst open...<br /><br />Which is actually what you see here</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1050453" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050453.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1050453" vspace="0" width="434" /></span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">And now that I know that each of the mosses<br />in my very own little yard IS DIFFERENT: depending on what surface it grows,<br />the conditions around it,<br />how hard it has to fight to keep its place in the<br />moss kingdom<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050452" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050452.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1050452" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050446" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050446.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050446" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050437" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050437.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050437" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050430" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050430.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050430" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />It makes a big difference, doesn't it?<br />and I am more and more enchanted.<br /><br />"Dedicated to the person who pauses<br />to study small things in Nature."</span><br /> George Schenk<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Read both books --- you’ll love them.<br /><br />P.S. <em>Signature of All Things</em> isn’t only about Moss</span>.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"> </span><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">SIX MORE THINGS TO DO THIS WINTER:</span></strong></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">1. Find other duos with matching hair:<br /><br />This is Ulf Skogsbergh with one of their divine chickens<br /><img align="none" alt="Image 1" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/Image%201.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="Image 1" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />This is my brother-in-law David and me<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="DBPhoto" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/DBPhoto.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="DBPhoto" vspace="0" width="325" /><br /><br />And on that note, go and visit family.<br />I had a wonderful time in Maryland.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="DBFamilyComposite" border="0" height="1152" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/DBFamilyComposite.jpg" style="height: 1152px; width: 504px;" title="DBFamilyComposite" vspace="0" width="504" /><br /><br /><br />2. Read a little Proust...<br /><br />To get you started, consider this:<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050557" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050557.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050557" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our<br />souls bloom.”<br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="ProustP1050556" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/ProustP1050556.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="ProustP1050556" vspace="0" width="290" /></span><br /><br />3. APPRECIATE the LESS OBVIOUS in the Garden:<br /><br />Fascinating contortions of the Harry Lauder’s<br />Walking Stick <br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050545" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050545.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050545" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />And Cryptomeria cristata</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050426" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050426.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050426" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Color of Bark <br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050540" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050540.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050540" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><br /><br />4. Learn fascinating new subjects, like:<br /><br />Small Miracles of the Desert<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="1521628_10152167012694169_1743540369_n" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/1521628_10152167012694169_1743540369_n.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="1521628_10152167012694169_1743540369_n" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />This gorgeous clustering beauty was sent to Lys by her dear friends who live in the<br />Bedouin Village of Petra,<br />where it has just snowed, which is a startling<br />happening in the desert.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="PetraDesertphoto" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/PetraDesertphoto.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="PetraDesertphoto" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />I'll let Lys tell you more about<br />this bunching<br />Egyptian Meadow Saffron<br />and why we are so lucky to know about it.</span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">In the Mid-East, as everyone knows, water is more precious than what…? Oil? Gold? A Nabataean coin?<br />When Dianne, Skye and I visited Amman, Jordan, our hostess, the photographer/writer Jane Taylor, instructed us to never ever leave the faucet on while brushing our teeth and to double up while taking a fast shower. Reason: 91% of the kingdom gets a paltry 50-200 mm rainfall per year while we Hamptonites are socked and soaked with 1300 mm per year.<br />But over there, when it finally snows or rains –a “depression” according to the Jordan Times –- what looks like barren desert around Petra springs into action. This year’s first sign of stirring was sent out by Salwa Manaja, who as a small child lived in a cave carved 2,000 years ago out of red sandstone-- with her charismatic Bedouin father, Mohammad, and New Zealand mother, Marguerite. Pictured is Colchicum ritchii, or Egyptian Meadow Saffron, a low perennial with pointy green leaves, clusters of creamy white-to-pink petals, centered by bright yellow stamens. Not the cooking variety of saffron – this one is pure poison.</span></span></div>
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<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">and</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Mushrooms Create Their Own Weather<br /><br />How weird is that?...but this seems to be the result attested to by some academics from Trinity College and reported by <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2513292/Mushrooms-make-WEATHER-Fungi-alter-nearby-air-humidity-create-winds-spread-spores-far-wide.html">The Daily Mail UK</a>.<br />Of course, Brits do like to exaggerate and mushrooms haven’t really figured out everything; but they concur that mushrooms, somehow, create their own special breezes and little windtunnels to carry their spores.<br />(which is how they propegate)<br />And the tests were conclusive on Shitake and Oyster mushrooms - my favorites.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="images-1" border="0" height="230" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/images-1.jpg" style="height: 230px; width: 295px;" title="images-1" vspace="0" width="295" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Unknown" border="0" height="253" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/Unknown.jpg" style="height: 253px; width: 264px;" title="Unknown" vspace="0" width="264" /><br /><br />5. Watch the carniverous plants grow...<br />This delightful insect-eating pitcher plant came from festive <a href="http://www.marders.com/index.php"><span style="color: mediumblue;">Marders</span></a> during the holiday season...<br />absolutely delighted to see it throwing up its veiny and other-worldly new shoots<br />(or flouresences or stalks,<br />not sure of this nomenclature)<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050457" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050457.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050457" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br />The carniverous plant specialist chosen by Marders<br />is right on our own North Shore info@seemoregardens.com</span>,<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">this is a Sarracenia,<br />the expert's name is Eric<br />and he did promise this<br />would thrive outdoors in a boggy but sunny spot.<br />We'll see</span>...<br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050460" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050460.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050460" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">6. And it goes without saying<br />ORDER NEW PLANTS FOR SPRING<br /><br />On these blustery, icy stay-inside days, there is<br />nothing better than perusing<br />the plant catalogues. What I like least is deciding<br />which to actually order from, and then what to buy: considerations of sun, shade, space, and $$$.<br /><br />Here are a few little tips:<br /><br />Get lost in the catalogues but order online...at least then you can keep track and they usually add up the order as you go...so it is not so startling<br />when you total it up.<br /><br />Stagger their delivery (put in your agenda or calendar) so that the plants don’t arrive all at once</span>.<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I have made this mistake more than once.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">My first order progressed because I was totally charmed by the genially seductive cover of the<a href="http://www.diggingdog.com/">DIGGING DOG Nursery Catalogue</a>.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050549" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050549.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1050549" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />and of course, Digging Dog<br />is an especially cute name and the Egyptian dogs<br />are quite divine.<br /><br />Plus they had things I have been searching for (another criteria, because it is so easy to order things<br />you have really no place for but are enthralled by the pictures or descriptions)<br />like weeping and variegated-leaved Tricyrtis (toad lilies that bloom in September), trillium, geraniums to experiment with and one of those must-haves<br />that Ken Druse advised:<br />Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowflake’... the one with big thick leaves that turn burgundy in the fall ..<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="images-3" border="0" height="318" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/images-3.jpg" style="height: 318px; width: 211px;" title="images-3" vspace="0" width="211" /><br /><br />This catalogue has charming line drawings and you can go to their <a href="http://www.diggingdog.com/">site</a> for most pictures<br /><br />There is a great pile of catalogues on my<br />desk that I am sorting through daily...</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="PileofCataloguesonDeskP1050598" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/PileofCataloguesonDeskP1050598.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="PileofCataloguesonDeskP1050598" vspace="0" width="290" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"> OTHER WINTER PERKS</span></div>
<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1050077" border="0" height="385" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050077.jpg" style="height: 385px; width: 434px;" title="P1050077" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />Flora’s head when it unexpectedly comes peeping out of the doggie door<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050030" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050030.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1050030" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />The maze underneath the<br />Sargent’s Weeping Hemlock when unimpeded<br />by greenery<br /><br /><br />and a smidgeon of a vision of New Green<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="GreenThingsPoppingP1050571" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/GreenThingsPoppingP1050571.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="GreenThingsPoppingP1050571" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br />and<br /><br />the green of the first new leaves on the Hellebores<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050428" border="0" height="271" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/P1050428.jpg" style="height: 271px; width: 434px;" title="P1050428" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">For those of you who have not heard, LongHouse Reserve has a fabulous Insider's Tour Program...<br /><br />Trips to Japan, India and Arkansas (Arkansas? of course, the new Alice Walton museum) have been so successful because of the specialized nature of LongHouse and personal relationships that allow visitors to be welcomed into places that are normally not on the regular route.<br /><br />Late this spring, LongHouse is visiting gardens in England in its own unique way.</span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Idbury Manor by John Dransfield,<br />a 16th C. private home and garden</span><br /> </div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">LongHouse is happy to invite you to join our first study tour to London and Gardens of England in Sussex, Kent, the Cotswolds and the Capital. This tour (June 5 - 12, 2014) is tailor-made for gardens at the height of their season.<br /><br />You will be invited to visit estates with head gardeners and one particular highlight will be meeting Fergus Garrett (2013 LongHouse Landscape Award recipient) and sharing dinner with him at Great Dixter - the five hundred year old house and famous gardens.<br /><br />To travel with LongHouse is to meet Outstanding People and to experience the best of the world.<br /><br />Please note there is limited space on this tour and I recommend forwarding a reservation as soon as possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">If you want to be part of this glorious trip...call LongHouse now. 631.329.3568</span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">The Cotswolds by John Dransfield</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The Nature Trail is freezing over, the ducks and<br />geese have fled to higher ground<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0734" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/IMG_0734.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_0734" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />The swans are iced in...<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0733" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/IMG_0733.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_0733" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />and all of the wildlife is HUNGRY.<br />So, don’t forget when the ground is snow-covered,<br />PLEASE feed the birds<br /><br />Stay cozy<br /><br />Keep warm<br /><br />And since more snow and even colder temperatures are expected as I write this...<br /><br />I am extending the COLD DAYS of JANUARY SALE into the<br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shop.php"><strong><span style="color: turquoise;">EVEN COLDER DAYS OF FEBRUARY<br /><span style="font-size: 24pt;">SALE</span></span></strong></a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Use coupon code <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shop.php">deeperfreeze</a> to get 25% off</span><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">of every single indispensible item at<br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shop.php">The Best@Dianne B</a><br /><br />And don't forget<br />Garden Gifts make Great Valentine's Day presents</span><br /><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Gardening, like fashion and Nature, is all about shape and color, textures, pattern and layers.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">I think the Buddha looks particularly good in the pill-box hat.</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="BuddhainPillBoxHatP1050577" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/da204d0c1e/BuddhainPillBoxHatP1050577.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="BuddhainPillBoxHatP1050577" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /> </div>
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-87126112934472295712014-01-09T12:31:00.001-05:002014-01-09T12:31:55.817-05:00<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: left;" valign="top"><span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">DIRTIER ....The Newsletter</span><div>
<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Volume 53 December, 2013</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Dianne B</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Christmas at our house this year is a cozy affair...</strong></span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1050319" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/P1050319.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050319" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />Our tree is small but festive<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050326" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/P1050326.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1050326" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br />The doggie ornaments are the stars of the show<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050327 2" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/P1050327%202.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050327 2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />The traditional Blue Tree on East Hampton Town Pond<br />sets the enchanting mood for the entirety<br />of our Village nonpareil<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1010632" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/P1010632.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1010632" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br />Just across the Green sits the dignity of our<br />strikingly beautiful<br /> <a href="http://www.stlukeseasthampton.org/">St. Luke’s Church</a><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1010472" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/P1010472.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1010472" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br />Where Lys and I will be serving the Chalice<br />and reading from Scripture,<br />at both the 4:30 PM and the "Midnight" Christmas Eve services ("Midnight" actually begins with caroling at 10:30,<br />service at 11PM)<br />To complete the family scene,<br /> Skye will be singing in the Choir.<br /><br /> <a href="http://www.stlukeseasthampton.org/">St. Luke’s</a> opens its doors to everyone...<br />You Are All Welcome.</span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">The <a href="http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/home.php">Brooklyn Museum</a> that is, to see the<br />Jean Paul Gaultier extravaganza.<br />This article appears in the current <a href="http://www.artnews.com/2013/11/07/some-like-it-haute/">ARTnews</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.artnews.com/2013/11/07/some-like-it-haute/"><img align="none" alt="ARTnews Nov 2013 10 2" border="0" height="618" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/ARTnews%20%20Nov%202013%2010%202.jpg" style="height: 618px; width: 434px;" title="ARTnews Nov 2013 10 2" vspace="0" width="434" /></a></span><br /> </div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>DO</strong> give away every dime you can spare to all<br />of your favorite causes<br /><br /><br /><strong>DON’T Forget</strong> to Feed the Ducks, the Birds<br />and any wildlife that has to forage for food<br />under the snow and ice<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0583" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/IMG_0583.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="IMG_0583" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0595" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/IMG_0595.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="IMG_0595" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Don’t Worry</strong> when the pine trees outside turn brown...it is their<br />natural shedding habit<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050098" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/P1050098.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="P1050098" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br /><strong>DO take your kids</strong> (or anyone's kids) to see the lamb and the ducks at the <a href="http://parrishart.org/">Parrish Art Museum</a>...<br /><br />In front of the Robert Wilson Video Portrait<br />of William Pope L., they wait with delight to see<br />the little lamb go “BAAAA”<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Image 12" border="0" height="436" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/Image%2012.jpg" style="height: 436px; width: 292px;" title="Image 12" vspace="0" width="292" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Image 5" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/Image%205.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="Image 5" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />And at the other end of the room, Tucker Marder has installed a great panoply of ducks, each one different from the other,<br />that is completely age-inappropriate and delights everyone.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Image 10 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/Image%2010%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="Image 10 2" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><br /><strong>DO Keep your eyes open</strong> for extra special moments like the budding of this double-flowered rose<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="photo" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/photo.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="photo" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />Bringing twin joy to my friend Maria Bacardi, who was nominated<br />For a/the Latino Grammy for her album <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Deseo-Maria-Bacardi/dp/B00ATURNQ0">DESEO</a><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Unknown" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/Unknown.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 290px;" title="Unknown" vspace="0" width="290" /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Tune in to <a href="http://www.ltveh.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=featured&Itemid=101">LTV (Channel 20)</a> if you would like to see<br />an interview with the legendary handbag designer Judith Leiber,<br />and her romantic artist-husband Gerson. This takes place behind these gates in their fairytale Palladian museum right here in<br />mythical East Hampton.<br /><img align="none" alt="P1040859" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/P1040859.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1040859" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040853" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/P1040853.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1040853" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040855" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/P1040855.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1040855" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040831" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/P1040831.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="P1040831" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br />The interviewer is me and it will air on the following days<br />at the noted times:<br />Saturday 3:00pm (12/14, 12/21, 12/28, 01/04)<br />Monday 11:00am (12/16, 12/23, 12/30, 01/06)<br />Tuesday 10:00pm (12/17, 12/24, 12/31, 01/07)<br />Wednesday 5:30pm (12/18, 12/25, 01/01, 01/08)<br /><br />I haven't seen the final version yet, but they are charming people<br />and it should be a pleasure to watch. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Do we live in an enchanted world or what?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>And DO</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>DO All Your Last Minute Christmas Shopping</strong><br />at <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/">The Best @ Dianne B</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: firebrick;">25%<br />off<br />PLUS<br />Special Gift Wrapping</span></span></a><br />(It will automatically happen on the<br />Checkout Page<br />for the next 7 days only)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/"><strong><span style="color: firebrick;">USE COUPON CODE: HAPPYHOLIDAYS</span></strong></a><br /><br />But<br /><strong>HURRY</strong><br />To place your orders<br />+<br />I'll strive to get them to you<br />(or that lucky gardener whoever it is)<br />in record time.<br /><br />Sorry, the shovel won’t make it in<br />time for Christmas, but<br />will be perfect for the<br />New Year and<br />Engraved<br />2014</span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>CHRISTMAS TREES in Manhattan</strong></span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Rock Center Tree, well, sure it is big and it is very glitzy,<br />but the tree at The Met is<br />THE Tree.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Untitled-1" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/Untitled-1.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 578px;" title="Untitled-1" vspace="0" width="578" /><br /><br />At The Met, they have created the entire surrounding<br />countryside of Bethlehem<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0573" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/IMG_0573.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_0573" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0575" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/IMG_0575.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="IMG_0575" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br />and there are no lights at all, but better still,<br />all of the Tree Ornaments are Angels<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0572" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/IMG_0572.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="IMG_0572" vspace="0" width="290" /></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Just like you, my dear readers, all angels...<br /><br />I wish you a<br /> Dazzling Holiday<br />and an<br />Absolutely Glorious<br />New Year<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="depury_holiday-e1386964611304" border="0" height="362" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/depury_holiday-e1386964611304.jpg" style="height: 362px; width: 362px;" title="depury_holiday-e1386964611304" vspace="0" width="362" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="DBHolidayComposite" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/c8acd19acc/DBHolidayComposite.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 578px;" title="DBHolidayComposite" vspace="0" width="578" /></span><br /><br />Dogs are just the best, aren't they...<br /><br /> </div>
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-32360006735271921592013-11-30T11:43:00.000-05:002013-11-30T12:00:19.202-05:00<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><tbody>
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<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">DIRTIER ....The Newsletter</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Volume 52 Thanksgiving 2013</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Dianne B</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Aaaaaah... <br />The variety<br />Oh the shapes<br />Oooh the smells<br /><br />I had every intention of getting this to you while bulb planting was at its frenzied peak, but been too busy doing just that as well as Speaking Shakespeare in my much-loved class, seeing extraordinary Shakespeare in NY, feeding the ducks and millions of other things.<br /><br />So, it’s a little after-the-fact to tell you this new-found tidbit:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">WHEN THE CRICKETS CEASE TO CHIRP<br />It’s time to plant tulips!!! Or so they say...<br />And it proved to be true too<br /><br />Look at the little green shoots saying<br />Plant Me Now<br />Plant Me Now<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050107" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050107.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 354px;" title="P1050107" vspace="0" width="354" /><br /><br />Another clue is when the sweet doggies lie in the sun instead of under a tree and, of course, falling leaves is another sure sign.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">But for most of us in the Northeast, bulb planting is out of the question once the wind begins to howl and the degrees dip down<br />to below 30....like right now.<br />What am I going to do with the few hundred bulbs just arrived? (couldn’t stop myself with 40% off from <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/666dff332e">van Engelen</a>...<br />and shady lane border desperately needed tulips<br />and you know,<br />who can resist a really good deal?)<br /><br />Well, I am going to wait for those inevitable few nice days, whenever they may be, and take the advice of smart Jack Larsen... who says it’s never too late to plant bulbs<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="JLL" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/JLL.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="JLL" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 8pt;"> </span></span><br />In the meantime......here are a few ravishing images from the last few weeks before Thanksgiving<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050045" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050045.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 337px;" title="P1050045" vspace="0" width="337" /><br />The always surprising luminosity and stamina of Monkshood,<br />Deadly Nightshade that it is,<br />and the closest I’ll ever get to the elusive delphinium look.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A <em>totally</em> white leaf on the Cornus controversa<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050140" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050140.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1050140" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />The Japanese Rice Paper Plant (Tetrapanax) pushes out<br />seductive new growth to the very last minute<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050081" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050081.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050081" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />Living next door to the 26 acre East Hampton<br />Nature Trail has its distinct advantages<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050058" border="0" height="305" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050058.jpg" style="height: 305px; width: 434px;" title="P1050058" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />AND this is THE HAMPTONS most famous feature<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050222" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050222.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1050222" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />That extraordinary pink evening sky ...<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050236" border="0" height="256" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050236.jpg" style="height: 256px; width: 434px;" title="P1050236" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />Our street (and our leaves)<br /><br /><br />Oh yes, and on November 12th we had our first dusting of snow...always magical, but not often combined with the<br />gorgeous range of autumn color<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050219" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050219.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1050219" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050200" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050200.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050200" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050203" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050203.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050203" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
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<tr><td align="left" style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus, 'comic sans ms', verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>SO SICK OF THIS</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Following is a quote from a recent issue of the<br />New York Observer describing Carine Roitfeld,<br />once Vogue</span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Paris editor and now one of the Fashion's Big Things<br /><br /><br />“Sultry. Decadent. Dusky. Unapproachable.<br /> Not the sort of<br />person who would wear denim,<br /><strong>even to do gardening. Not that she would garden.”<br /><br />What kind of talk is that?</strong><br /><br />As if gardening is so bad?<br />The concept here just despicable: who is to say that<br />gardeners are not fashionable.<br /><br />How dare they?<br /><br /><br />I, for one, consider myself quite glamorous ....<br />Here I am last week at a Venezuelan Cultural Gala<br /><img align="none" alt="VenezuelanPosterIMG_0491" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/VenezuelanPosterIMG_0491.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="VenezuelanPosterIMG_0491" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />at Lincoln Center accepting an award on behalf of Robert Wilson.<br /><img align="none" alt="DBBMedal2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/DBBMedal2.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="DBBMedal2" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />While Bob himself was very busy being toasted by tout Paris with his image plastered stories high on <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/b70595dea0">The Louvre</a><br />(look at the people walking<br />beneath for a nice sense of scale)<br /><img align="none" alt="20131117_Paris_0089" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/20131117_Paris_0089.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 246px;" title="20131117_Paris_0089" vspace="0" width="246" /><br /><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Laurie Lambrecht Photo</span><br /><br />There is a fabulous show right now at<br />The Brooklyn Museum, <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/7c54391cc1">The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier</a>.<br />In this show there is a big wall placard<br />describing a little bit of my (very fashionable) career...<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="CindySherman" border="0" height="362" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/CindySherman.jpg" style="height: 362px; width: 506px;" title="CindySherman" vspace="0" width="506" /></span><br />
translation:</div>
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In the New York of the 1980's, Dianne Benson was the first to carry such cutting edge fashion names as Issey Miyake, Comme des Garcons and Jean Paul Gaultier. In 1983 she commissioned the artist Cindy Sherman to produce a series of photographs using designs sold at Dianne B. boutiques for an ad campaign that ran in Andy Warhol's <em>Interview</em> magazine...</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">You see, dear gardening friends, when fashion<br />is in your blood it shows up in everything you do.<br />That is why my book is called<br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/8659b423ca/s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385642928&sr=1-1&keywords=dirt+dianne+benson">DIRT, The Lowdown on Growing a Garden with Style</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">And don't miss the Gaultier show.<br />This is its sixth stop on a museum tour that has spanned<br />America and Europe...<br />The mannequins walk and talk...among other delights.<br /><br />It is there through February.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">The falling leaves accentuate the shapes<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050033" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050033.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050033" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050088" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050088.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050088" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />The yellowing maple monumentale against that super blue sky<br />is just too much, isn’t it?<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050119" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050119.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1050119" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />the last flowers and changing colors of<br />Hydrangea arborescens radiata<br />(this species confirmed by Ken Druse, no less).<br />Note that the underside of the leaf remains white.<br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050127" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050127.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1050127" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />SIX different colorways on ONE LIMB<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050028" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050028.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050028" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /> brilliant gold of that super Sumac, Rhus typhina ‘Tigers Eye'<br /><br />A more distant view of it<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050041" border="0" height="370" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050041.jpg" style="height: 370px; width: 434px;" title="P1050041" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />And the startling red of the dwarf Japanese maple ‘Shaina’, I think<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050163" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050163.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050163" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Maybe you just don’t realize it until you see it really well-done.<br /><br />Don’t miss the fabulous Old Globe production of <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/e7a6661bc9/cityName=NY%20City%20Area&productId=9768">Twelfth Night</a>.<br />It is deserved of every dazzling word in every remarkable review.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="13twelfth-custom1" border="0" height="188" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/13twelfth-custom1.jpg" style="height: 188px; width: 262px;" title="13twelfth-custom1" vspace="0" width="262" /><br />The extraordinary actor Mark Rylance as Olivia.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="20131111TWELFTH-slide-HRFV-articleLarge" border="0" height="296" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/20131111TWELFTH-slide-HRFV-articleLarge.jpg" style="height: 296px; width: 434px;" title="20131111TWELFTH-slide-HRFV-articleLarge" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />Lys loved it and laughed through every scene...and she didn’t even particularly want to see it.<br /><br />Then...when you’ve had the best (of the best) of comedy...<br /><br />Go to see <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/37dfdf442d/show_date=2014-01-12%2015:00:00&hit=1">Macbeth</a> at Lincoln Center. It is a full-blown electrifying production in which my great friend John Glover<br />plays a (the) Witch.<br />Ethan Hawke is Macbeth, but John is the star.<br />(They even said that in the New York Times)<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="JPMACBETH-articleLarge" border="0" height="313" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/JPMACBETH-articleLarge.jpg" style="height: 313px; width: 434px;" title="JPMACBETH-articleLarge" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />John in the middle...<br /><br /><br />And you might remember that last winter I was a witch in the<br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/4fab873454">Roundtable</a> Production of Macbeth<br />(therein the extra special spark<br />when John told me about Lincoln Center ).<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="EHWitches" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/EHWitches.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="EHWitches" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="WitchesImage" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/WitchesImage.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="WitchesImage" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />Both of the Broadway productions are running through January,<br />but if you shouldn't get to NY or can’t get tickets...<br />and, actually, even if you can...<br /><br /><strong>COME see US </strong><br />next <strong>Wednesday night, December 4th</strong><br />The beautiful theater at<strong> <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/4e3442b387">Guild Hall</a>, East Hampton<br />7PM</strong><br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/d13c81f193">Roundtable</a> Speaking Shakespeare Scene Night.<br />And unlike Broadway --- it's Free.<br /><br />I am particularly excited because I get to play Gertrude<br />to Tristan Vaughan’s <strong>Hamlet</strong> in the legendary<br />‘Good night, Mother’ scene.<br />That Tristan is the perfect age, a professional, handsome and<br />our teacher -- makes it that much better.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="DianneabdTristanb" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/DianneabdTristanb.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="DianneabdTristanb" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>GIFT TIME</strong><br />For the gardeners in your life, forget<br />that dismal-sounding Black Friday</span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">The solution for every gardener on your Christmas list<br />is right <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/14a7694ce1">here</a>:<br /><br /><strong>MAKE THEM HAPPY</strong><br /><br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/19f38acb40"><img align="none" alt="sale 2" border="0" height="283" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/sale%202.jpg" style="height: 283px; width: 600px;" title="sale 2" vspace="0" width="600" /></a><br /><br />Making this great deal is my present to you.<br /><br />The tool belt<br />The clippers<br />The leather gauntlet<br />For Only $99<br /><br />You know, these three greats<br />can only be had<br />at <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/a1ae027e89">diannebbest.com</a><br /><br />All this and chic wrapping too<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="WrappedGiftsImage" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/WrappedGiftsImage.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="WrappedGiftsImage" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">HAPPY + BOUNTIFUL<br />THANKSGIVING WEEKEND<br />TO ALL</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050078" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050078.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050078" vspace="0" width="326" /></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus, 'comic sans ms', verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">One last look at the great chimera of color<br />of the (big) Japanese maple,<br />Acer japonica<br /><img align="none" alt="P1050155" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050155.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050155" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050157" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050157.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050157" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050248" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050248.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050248" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050213" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050213.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050213" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050247" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050247.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050247" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />What could be more fashionable?<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050092" border="0" height="340" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/2eead04447/9caf979d3f/library/P1050092.jpg" style="height: 340px; width: 339px;" title="P1050092" vspace="0" width="339" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Don’t forget to do your Christmas shopping at <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/b83e586a58">Dianne B</a>...there’s never been such a good deal</span></td></tr>
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<img alt="" src="http://cts.vresp.com/o.gif?2eead04447/3ef1ff8a22/mlpftw" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';" />Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-1562565407658555442013-10-28T14:06:00.003-04:002013-10-28T14:06:54.597-04:00<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><tbody>
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<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">DIRTIER ....The Newsletter</span><br /><div>
<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Volume 51 Late October, 2013</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Dianne B</span></span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Really distinct colorings happen most vividly in Fall,<br />and this autumn has been a gala of perfect 60 and 70 degree temperatures, gaudily colored skies and gorgeous day<br />following gorgeous day.<br /><br />Autumn hues are not only about the usual burnished bronzes<br />and red and golds...<br />the blue-green and whites, perhaps my favorites,<br />are really in their stride.<br /><br />There is variegated and then, there is the really heightened .<br />This is the almost-wholly-white leaf of<br />Cornus controversa, an exceedingly graceful dogwood which grows<br />in wedding-cake like tiers.<br />(Yes, the one at Rosemary Verey's Barnsley House)<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040615" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040615.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040615" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />While, this is the coloring of its very close cousin<br />Cornus kousa ‘Wolf Eyes’.<br />It is somewhat less white<br />and the leaves<br />more wavy.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040620" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040620.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040620" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />And this is how this kind of coloring serves as a perfect backdrop<br />for other sensations,<br />like the flowerhead of Angelica gigas.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040429" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040429.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040429" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />Calla lily ‘Picasso’ at its peak<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040637" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040637.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040637" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />Blue-variegated-white plants make me swoon,<br />and though there aren’t so very many of them outside of the Hosta world (and you know, I am not crazy about Hosta),<br />this Euphorbia ‘Blue Glacier’ gets more distinguished each week<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040576" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040576.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040576" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />The painted ferns are whitening<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040743" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040743.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 410px;" title="P1040743" vspace="0" width="410" /><br /><br /><br />Contrasts are more distinct<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040724" border="0" height="298" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040724.jpg" style="height: 298px; width: 434px;" title="P1040724" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />And the blacks just keep getting blacker<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040736" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040736.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 409px;" title="P1040736" vspace="0" width="409" /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />How can I mention Rosemary Verey, or think about Barnsley House<br />without paying my due respects to<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>BOB DASH</strong></span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="RDashPhotoJonathanBecker" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/RDashPhotoJonathanBecker.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 254px;" title="RDashPhotoJonathanBecker" vspace="0" width="254" /><br /><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"> Jonathan Becker Photo </span></span><br /><br />She was one of his best friends and his succession of beloved Norwich terriers<br />were always named Barnsley.<br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">We all knew that when he stopped drinking those Bloody Marys,<br />it was a bad sign; and as his FABULOUS words appeared less and less frequently in the East Hampton Star --- I grew alarmed, and melancholy, along with his many friends.<br />The only existential garden<br />writer I've ever known.<br /><br />But for me --- his totally unique personality and talents were such<br />a part of what drew me to the Hamptons, and to gardening, that I<br />can hardly believe he is gone and wonder how I might have<br />appreciated him even more.<br /><br />I first visited Madoo around 1990 when my early garden passion<br />was in full throttle.<br />Except for my big, very big, tawny Briard, I was alone when Bob Dash<br />appeared in full muster and bellowed ---<br />"no dogs allowed" ; but then he saw my enthusiasm<br />and re-regarded<br />Gorgeous (named so because she was) and became a<br />puppy dog himself.<br /><br />A wonderful eccentric --- keen for everything and so so smart.<br /><br />I will really miss him.</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Madoo0516" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/Madoo0516.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="Madoo0516" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Madoo0517" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/Madoo0517.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="Madoo0517" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Madoo0519" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/Madoo0519.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="Madoo0519" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Madoo0521" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/Madoo0521.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Madoo0521" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />But his legacy, Madoo, is a wonderful Sagaponack garden<br />with a strong following and will keep him alive<br />for us all.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>WORTH THE WAIT</strong></span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I know I have been taunting you with a NEW<br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/355c90889e">The Best @ Dianne B.</a> entry ---<br />a Gardening Glove quite unlike any other;<br />but it takes a long time to get things right.<br />And since I have the strictest criteria<br />about what constitutes the<br />TWELVE BEST...<br />I knew this had to be<br />just right.<br /><br />So, finally here it is:<br /><br />READ MORE ABOUT THEM AND BUY<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"> <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/d5bc0ae134">The Garden Gauntlet Glove </a></span><br /><br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/37c7ac15a8"><span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="DBBestGardenGauntletGloves" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/DBBestGardenGauntletGloves.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="DBBestGardenGauntletGloves" vspace="0" width="434" /></span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/ab6f6b80cd"><img align="none" alt="NewGlove03" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/NewGlove03.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="NewGlove03" vspace="0" width="434" /></a><br /><br />Just in time for the rigors of Fall gardening.<br />I have been thoroughly trying them out while pruning thorny<br />things like Aralia, dividing stubborn Trillium and old Hellebores,<br />and digging up the most precious Colocasias and Callas with<br /> big and burly tubers and roots.<br /><br />Well, the gloves have behaved splendidly for me<br />and now<br />you<br />can have them too.<br /><br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/82cfd1ee4b"><img align="none" alt="GARDENGAUNTLET02" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/GARDENGAUNTLET02.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="GARDENGAUNTLET02" vspace="0" width="434" /></a><br /><br />And because they will make <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/394b23e92f">The Perfect Gift</a> for all the<br />gardeners in your life....<br />order right now for ever-memorable Christmas presents.<br />Well, all of the female gardeners that is (I'm sorry I had to leave guys with bigger hands out on this first go round, but it was enough just to get three sizes ).<br />I have discovered, though, that<br />Women’s size L is equivalent to Men's size S.<br /><br />So, in stock (though I don't have too too many)<br />and ready for you<br /><br />$45<br /><br />S- M-L<br /><br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/96904bb74e"><strong><span style="color: dimgrey;">GARDEN GAUNTLET GLOVE by Dianne B.</span></strong></a></span><br /><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br />This is a good trick, and though tricks are not<br />my usual bailiwick,<br /> I got away with this one for 2 or 3 months...<br />Not one person questioned:<br />Why is there only one?<br />Does it winter over?<br />or even<br />Where did you get it?<br /><br />This big white Calla lily was so perfect<br />that all people did was Oooh and Aaaah<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040681" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040681.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040681" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /> Fake Calla flower...real Calla leaves<br />Ha Ha Ha<br />Notice I even put a ‘plant ring’ around it, as if it might fall over from its heavy beauty. The stem, of course, couldn't be stronger. <br />The living breathing Calla aethiopica plant refused to flower<br />and I decided to help<br />Mother Nature along.<br /><br />I think it was a good, and good-natured, trick.<br /><br />Notice, too, that beautiful variegated Callicarpa (beautyberry) behind it...I think it is C. dichotoma ‘Duet’ from Heronswood...<br />it’s white berries are tiny, but abundant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>COULDN'T RESIST</strong></span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I never stop on the street to take phone photos of store windows,<br />never,<br />but there was something about this Hermes library window<br />that called to me<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0439" border="0" height="381" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/IMG_0439.jpg" style="height: 381px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_0439" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />If that gold-dusted figure with the bow and arrow looks familiar,<br />it’s because it’s a classic one of my namesake,<br />Diana, the Huntress...<br /><br /><br />and also, there is a bigger version of the very same at <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/ee198c4c70">LongHouse</a></span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong></strong></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>UPSIDE DOWN</strong></span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I love all the upside downiness of certain flowers...<br />I love their gravity-defying insistence<br />I love the way they always seem as if they’re about to fly away..<br />Like meteors...like Shooting stars<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040870" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040870.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040870" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />And especially, this one. Right now it has just waned,<br />but for the last 6 weeks it has been blooming its head off ---<br />all from one tuber. (<a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/7d4c835543">Brent & Becky</a>)<br />Lilium Glorioso rothschildiana -<br />the name is rather deific, isn't it?<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040768" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040768.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040768" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />And that heart-shaped bud just before it opens is to die...<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040734" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040734.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040734" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />Growing it up through this tiger’s eye pine was not a bad move either<br />The Tiger’s Eye is another of the fabulous species that revel in intense variegation as autumn sinks in<br /><br />Other upside-downers:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Cyclamen</span><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040795" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040795.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 240px;" title="P1040795" vspace="0" width="240" /><br /><br /><br />Some Columbines (Aquilegia)<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="f-columbine2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/f-columbine2.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="f-columbine2" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />Shooting stars (Dodecatheon meadia)<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="images-1" border="0" height="196" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/images-1.jpg" style="height: 196px; width: 261px;" title="images-1" vspace="0" width="261" /><br /><br />Even this giant size sunflower on the wane...<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040845" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040845.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040845" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>MORE ABOUT CYCLAMEN</strong></span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">15 unabashedly cute upside down Cyclamen flowers in one day..<br />well – that’s almost a drift if not a meadow.<br />FIFTEEN<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040795 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040795%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 240px;" title="P1040795 2" vspace="0" width="240" /><br /><br /><br />And it is Cylclamen hederifolium, the one I least expected to prosper, and not Cyclamen coum, which they say is "easier".<br /> Hederifolium is the more interesting one with the jagged and highly variegated leaf.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040784" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040784.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040784" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />Hooray for it and <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/363c80fd5b">Edelweiss Perennials</a>.<br /><br />When I went on my cyclamen tear last year, I ordered some<br />C. purpurescens too,<br />but nothing much seems to have come of that</span><br /> </div>
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<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">DON’T give up on Colchicum. More or less – I have just ignored the several already planted because the flowers flop over the day after they open and generally look like a mess.<br />BUT – this year, you see, I decided to try cutting some -<br />to my surprise because the petals are fragile-looking, they lasted for days and days in a vase<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040811" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040811.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 297px;" title="P1040811" vspace="0" width="297" /><br /><br />So now I have a new found appreciation. The last one to bloom was this perky one with a brilliant pink middle stripe<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040864" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040864.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040864" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />DO be inquisitive.<br />Can anyone identify this charming creature?<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Image 10" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/Image%2010.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="Image 10" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />DO trust the dark. Arisaema ‘Black Mambo’ has never<br />been grander (see her dwarfing Magnolia)...or more productive. Perhaps it looks light in this image, but it is really dark under that Sargent’s hemlock<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040780" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040780.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 426px;" title="P1040780" vspace="0" width="426" /><br /><br /><br />DO always be on the lookout for surprises...this Arum pictum from<a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/2bc988ff12">Odyssey</a> was completely off my radar<br />when it suddenly appeared last week.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040798" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040798.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 244px;" title="P1040798" vspace="0" width="244" /><br /><br /><br />DO look closely<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Image 3" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/Image%203.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Image 3" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />At first glance, you would think this is a staunch tree trunk<br />with pretty variegated foliage, but if you really look you<br />will see that it is a mighty old leafy vine that has wound its way around the big old tree trunk.<br />It sits near the picturesque pond-front home of<br />Bryan Hunt and Lucy Winton and they don’t know what it is...<br />not the tree or the vine... but it sure is nice ...<br /><br />and<br />DON’T jump to conclusions.<br />4 or 5 years ago, Jack Larsen gave me a willow tree and though put in a good spot, befitting the giver and its source (the great annual plant sale at Wave Hill), I just wasn’t that crazy about it..didn't get it. Suddenly, finally, this autumn the branch tips have burst into these charming white catkins and now I get it. Salix Bockii<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040737" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040737.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 337px;" title="P1040737" vspace="0" width="337" /></span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Speaking of Jack, he hosted a glorious<br />LongHouse Horitcultural Award weekend last month.<br />Wish you could have all joined.<br /> The Saturday events began at, of all the wonderful places to choose from in East Hampton, the “elegant St. Luke's Church Hoie Hall."<br />This is a quote from Martha.<br />Some of these pix, in fact, came from her <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/5c10f47bce">blog</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="MStewart04" border="0" height="291" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/MStewart04.jpg" style="height: 291px; width: 434px;" title="MStewart04" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />The Church<br /><img align="none" alt="MStewart02" border="0" height="432" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/MStewart02.jpg" style="height: 432px; width: 434px;" title="MStewart02" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />Me welcoming everyone<br /><span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="Mstewart14" border="0" height="291" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/Mstewart14.jpg" style="height: 291px; width: 434px;" title="Mstewart14" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br />Topiary at Great Dixter<br /><img align="none" alt="MStewart44" border="0" height="291" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/MStewart44.jpg" style="height: 291px; width: 434px;" title="MStewart44" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />Plant tapestry at Great Dixter<br /><img align="none" alt="1376471_583236415046616_73936903_n copy" border="0" height="432" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/1376471_583236415046616_73936903_n%20copy.jpg" style="height: 432px; width: 288px;" title="1376471_583236415046616_73936903_n copy" vspace="0" width="288" /><br />Fergus Garrett, our honoree and guest speaker<br /><img align="none" alt="1236926_583236291713295_1327367356_n" border="0" height="288" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/1236926_583236291713295_1327367356_n.jpg" style="height: 288px; width: 432px;" title="1236926_583236291713295_1327367356_n" vspace="0" width="432" /><br />The Luncheon at LongHouse<br /><img align="none" alt="602090_583236558379935_19224335_n" border="0" height="432" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/602090_583236558379935_19224335_n.jpg" style="height: 432px; width: 288px;" title="602090_583236558379935_19224335_n" vspace="0" width="288" /><br />Warrie Price of the Battery Park Conservancy<br /><img align="none" alt="MStewart01" border="0" height="307" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/MStewart01.jpg" style="height: 307px; width: 434px;" title="MStewart01" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />Jack and Martha</span><br /><br /> </div>
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<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“Be the first to not do what nobody has ever thought of not doing before”<br /><br />Brian Eno...<br /><br />He is not a garden guy, he is a music guy, but he has a good way with words.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /><br /><br />Instead of raking and doing over-necessary tidying – this is a<br />GREAT TIME to divide your plants to increase your own garden<br />or GIVE THEM AWAY.<br /><br />These are the wonderful volunteers of the<br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/0765451f72">Horticultural Alliance of the Hamptons</a>.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040747" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040747.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040747" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /> They came to my garden and dug up ONE HUNDRED plants, which they will sell at the the Great May 2014 HAH Plant Fair.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040753" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040753.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 329px;" title="P1040753" vspace="0" width="329" /><br /><br />Can’t believe I gave up all those green and gold<br />Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’,<br />But it’s such a good cause.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040754" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040754.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040754" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />That’s Bettina Benson (no relation),<br />she master-minds the whole thing...</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">HOUSEPLANTS</span></strong></div>
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<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I hate that word, but this is without question<br />My very favorite of the few<br />I take the trouble to move in and out<br />with the season.<br />It has been with me so long (at least 15 years) that I don’t really know what it is...a Farfugium of some sort... but I don’t think<br />they were even called Farfugium in the 90’s<br />Anyway<br />I love it.<br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040565" border="0" height="365" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040565.jpg" style="height: 365px; width: 434px;" title="P1040565" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br /><br />Do we dare to eat a FIG!<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040596" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040596.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040596" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br /><br />Can you believe...<br /><br />we had a SECOND flush of edible figs!<br /></div>
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<br /><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">THE ELEGANT GARDEN</span></strong></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Is a beautiful book. Not merely another pretty picture book<br />about unattainable landscapes that can’t we relate to or afford...<br /><br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/38bc692619"><img align="none" alt="P1040755" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040755.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040755" vspace="0" width="434" /></a><br /><br />but an interesting take on garden history as depicted through works of art and architecture...the three totally intertwined.<br />A great gift for the garden library connoisseur.<br />It taught me, for one, that there are Reitfeld houses...<br />thought it was only chairs.<br />Illuminating<br />By Johann Kraftner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH</strong></span></div>
<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">But I will never get enough of a precisely not-only-variegated but architecturally bicolored leaf like this<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040623" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040623.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040623" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />It's that X plant<br />Xanothososanum<br />No, that's not right..<br /><br />well, it's something like that</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>MAGNOLIA KNOWS</strong></span></span><br /> </div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> A good thing when she sees one<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050055" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1050055.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1050055" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />She is looking at my ever-lasting solid stainless monogrammed shovel...<br />mine is engraved<br />DIANNE B<br />2004<br /><br />Sometimes I remember to store it in the shed, but it<br />has spent many winters outside.<br /><br />If you order yours now ---<br />It will give Farmer John plenty of time to make the<br />beautifully eternal steel thing – engrave it exactly to your liking –<br />and get it to you from Idaho<br />in plenty of time to put it under the tree.<br /><br />To urge you to give the gift of a lifetime,<br /><br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/2c731ce121">Special CHRISTMAS SHOVEL SPECIAL</a><br /><br />From now until November 15 we can promise you<br />not only on time delivery,<br />but the great Special Christmas Price of $120 instead of $145<br />for this engraved heirloom exclusive<br /><span style="font-size: 10pt;">(discount appears in Shopping Cart)</span></span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1050057 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1050057%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1050057 2" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Dog’s eye view on Pet Sunday at our beautiful<br />St. Luke's Church on the Village Green<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040989" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040989.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040989" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />We had a few birds too<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040993" border="0" height="244" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040993.jpg" style="height: 244px; width: 434px;" title="P1040993" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />Some dressed to match their pets<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040971" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040971.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040971" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />and dogs galore! Just great<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040916" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040916.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 310px;" title="P1040916" vspace="0" width="310" /><br /><br /><br />And everyone benefits from a good blessing<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="LYS0479" border="0" height="344" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/LYS0479.jpg" style="height: 344px; width: 264px;" title="LYS0479" vspace="0" width="264" /><br /><br /><br />Order your Christmas present <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/efaaf30543">Shovels</a><br /><br />Buy your<br /><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheBestDianneB/c10dca9b25/3ef1ff8a22/9e1b28a5db">Garden Gauntlet Gloves</a><br /><br />and<br /><br />Start planting your bulbs<br /><br />Stay Tuned<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040826" border="0" height="256" hspace="0" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/a/a/7/aa7a9a7bcb/c10dca9b25/d610b4c551/library/P1040826.jpg" style="height: 256px; width: 434px;" title="P1040826" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br /><br /><div>
Hope it suddenly doesn't get too too cold...<br /> </div>
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-40993078211662067362013-09-12T10:42:00.004-04:002013-09-12T10:49:22.261-04:00END OF SUMMER FRESHNESS<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrameSecure" name="twttrHubFrameSecure" scrolling="no" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrame" name="twttrHubFrame" scrolling="no" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">DIRTIER ....The Newsletter</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Volume 50 Late Summer 2013</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Dianne B</span></span></div>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><img align="none" alt="HeaderNEWP1040629" border="0" height="150" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/HeaderNEWP1040629.jpg" style="height: 150px; width: 600px;" title="HeaderNEWP1040629" vspace="0" width="600" /></td>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">And what is there to rhapsodize about now, you ask...<br />
<br />
Well,<br />
<br />
Japanese Ferns proliferating like mad and popping up in the most picturesque places, for one...<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040385" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040385.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040385" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Both Magnolia and the monkey have<br />
high-flying tails<br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1040392" border="0" height="263" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040392.jpg" style="height: 263px; width: 434px;" title="P1040392" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Vitex --- what is better at the end of summer?<br />
<br />
Does anyone know if there's a dwarf version?<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040412" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040412.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040412" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Alocasia ‘Teacup’ gets better and better and better<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040416" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040416.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040416" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
The promising buds of the Formosa Lily<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040418" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040418.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040418" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
And the charm of my favorite species lily ---<br />
the graceful and discreet Lilium speciosum album<br />
(<a href="http://www.mzbulb.com/">McClure + Zimmerman</a>)<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040515" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040515.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040515" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
The total surprise of a persistent Angelica gigas popping up through this sizeable fir tree<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040493" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040493.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040493" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
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<br />
<br />
And I didn't grow it,<br />
but look at this fantastic totally surreal dragonfly<br />
that landed on our screen<br />
Wings with transparent stripes!<br />
Better than fashion could ever be</span><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040437 2" border="0" height="213" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040437%202.jpg" style="height: 213px; width: 434px;" title="P1040437 2" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">SHREDDING & SPREADING</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Please do not get roped into a meticulous Fall Clean-Up.<br />
<br />
Leave some leaves.<br />
<br />
Don’t be too neat/it’s not natural<br />
and there are huge benefits of natural mulch</span>.</div>
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<td align="left" style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus,comic sans ms,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>THE REAL STORY</strong></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">For those of you who read HC&G, you might have seen a story in the Labor Day Issue called CRAIGMOOR,<br />
about CRAIG SOCIA’S NEW CASTLE/HOUSE.<br />
The House is divine.<br />
<br />
It says that Dianne Benson wrote the story; but actually,<br />
it is not the story that I wrote at all.<br />
For you insiders who read DIRTIER,<br />
and if, of course, you are interested,<br />
this is the story I really wrote:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>CRAIG SOCIA HC+G 2013</strong><br />
<br />
If you ask me, the starry-eyed saga of Craig Socia’s
gradual ascent from a small ramshackle cottage in 1999 to the
five-building fairytale compound he now calls ‘Craigmoor’ is the
American Dream Come True Hamptons Style.<br />
<br />
The story goes: he wanted to flee New York and come to
East Hampton with not much more than a red pick-up truck. With his
exquisite taste and good humor, he attracted Jamie Drake as one of his
very first garden design clients, and you couldn’t ask for better than
that.<br />
There are now many big-time patrons on his roster
(perhaps the redolent rock-hewn undulating fantasyland of Peter Wilson
is my favorite), allowing Socia to afford himself some inimitable luxury
of his own. When he has time to indulge in this luxury is another
story, as his personal touch is much of what has made him such a
success.<br />
<br />
Quietly but deftly he acquired three adjoining lots on
Accabonac Road, and soon built a new graciously large house for
himself, stunningly awash in beiges and browns and exceedingly
impressive. The new edifice pictured here is even more than that. It
prompts nothing short of an imagined castle evoking some dream
concoction of The Little Prince, coalesced with the Renaissance pile of
Hamlet’s Elsinore. Forms are solid and colors are subdued to the point
of near nonexistence with a heady, harmonious palette of black, white
and grey punctuated with the zing of metal and the hush of stone. I am
particularly fond that the gray of choice is Dior Gray. Not only because
we chose it for our own Beekman Place bedroom, or its obvious appeal to
those aspiring to the couture- in-life, but Craig says “it is the
richest of all the dark greys ...has the most red in it...which gives a
special warmth at night when the lights are on.”<br />
<br />
Practicality rules but you would never know it. Craig
Socia is always thinking ahead whether it is in the imminent proportions
of a garden (a very tricky subject) or the future of his fiefdom. The
main salon is a huge diagonally laid stone-floored space with vast
wooden double doors that give the room a totally Country Gentleman
feel. But, actually, as Craig is considering the notion that perhaps
one day he might be moved to sell Craigmoor as a single estate --- the
now-castle could possibly become the most glamorous garage in the world!<br />
<br />
Spanning three stories, the vertigo inducing circular
stair is drama personified, but approached by the Socia spirit, it is
playful rather than daunting. Every opportunity to display treasures
gleaned from the privatest of local tag sales to the soukiest of bazaars
is considered and staged. Enthralling chiaroscuro library wallpaper
came from the decidedly unexotic location of Harbor Springs, Michigan,
but everything feels desirably out-of-this-world here. Niches round and
squared, casements deep and wide hold varied possessions and gems some
pseudo-historical, some strictly classical and others mere
tongue–in-cheek gnomes. Statuary of the ‘Four Seasons’ resides in
window wells that span the ‘family room’ (though the big black TVs that
appear all over the house, somehow, never seem watched) and the working
space. These 3-foot-tall goddesses are eternal, having made their debut
in the Iliad, but seem uniquely suited to the very modern purposes
here. That they personify nature, promote fertility, rally the cosmos
and are just beautiful, seems the spot-on touch for watching over this
arena of Socia magic.<br />
<br />
His trademarks are many: walls, portals, gazebos and arches made of<br />
tightly layered horizontal stone, extravagantly comfortable redwood hewn<br />
benches and birdhouses, a sense of timelessness and a
divinely inspired feel for congruent color permeating a landscape.<br />
<br />
So, the guy is not only a gifted designer of both inside and exterior spaces,<br />
a builder of twig follies and tranquil Zen inspired
bridges, a horticulturist of the first order; but he is also a brilliant
businessman.<br />
<br />
That is why my favorite feature in the entire house, and
it is really a challenge to choose only one, is the black and white
marble chevron-patterned corridor that points the way to the heartbeat
of his home and his life The Office of Craig James Socia Garden Design.
Beside all of this, he is friendly, cordial and generous. All the
hallmarks of the American Dream.<br />
<br />
Dianne B<br />
East Hampton<br />
26 July 2013</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">The images in HC&G are very nice, but they don’t include my two favorite elements:<br />
the black and white marble chevron floor and the gorgeous chiaroscuro library wallpaper...<br />
<br />
So, here are a few more pics:<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="SociaP1030951" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/SociaP1030951.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="SociaP1030951" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1030955" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1030955.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 302px;" title="P1030955" vspace="0" width="302" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1030958" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1030958.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1030958" vspace="0" width="326" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>WHEN THE BEE STINGS</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Yowzzzzzza....<br />
<br />
Yes, and very stingy it was, or rather they were: the bees.<br />
Edwina von Gal says they rarely get you in just one
place, but are prone to sting multiple times once they’ve decided you
have disturbed them.<br />
<span style="color: black;">I was in a murky corner and must have done just that.</span><br />
<br />
She also explained the plight of the poor bees<br />
(and all creatures that depend on meadows, wildflowers and ground<br />
vegetation). Between the out-of-control deer eating
everything in sight and the toxins that are being spread around like mad
---<br />
the forest floor is disappearing.<br />
So, the bees and all other ground-nesters are in real trouble.<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="BEE02-1" border="0" height="185" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/BEE02-1.jpg" style="height: 185px; width: 277px;" title="BEE02-1" vspace="0" width="277" /><br />
<br />
There are all kinds of bees: honey bees, bumble bees --<br />
I think these might have been buff-tailed bumblebees.<br />
<br />
So, on this day of my first bee sting in all these years
--it happened to be the same day as some other unusual behavior</span>.</div>
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<td align="left" style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus,comic sans ms,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>WHEN THE DOG BITES...</strong></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">She would never bite us, but Magnolia did attack a perfectly<br />
innocent bird and then stalked it ...<br />
in the most unusual non-lap dog way<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040610" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040610.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040610" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
I am happy to tell you that somehow the bird escaped her sudden avaricious behavior<br />
(we always wondered what would happen if she actually<br />
caught a bird);<br />
but along with the attack ---<br />
she went crazy digging up my precious moss<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040609" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040609.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040609" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
This happened in the peaceful realm under the magnolia
tree and it was actually shocking to see her as an aggressor...<br />
<br />
Weird day. </span></div>
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<td align="left" style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus,comic sans ms,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>KEN DRUSE SURE KNOWS HIS STUFF</strong></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Isn’t it great when someone you expect to be really smart and really in-the-know actually is?<br />
Obviously <a href="http://www.kendruse.typepad.com/">Ken</a> is an expert observer among those who observe the minutiae, as well as the grand plan, of gardening.<br />
With 18 books under his belt, I suspected as much.<br />
But actually witnessing his garden antennae at work sealed the deal.<br />
<br />
After showing off my Hydrangea arborescens radiata<br />
(which I had completely lost track of, but of course he knew)<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040666" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040666.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040666" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
He said, Honey, what you need is Hydrangea ‘Star Burst’ and ‘Little Honey’<br />
<br />
Well... ‘Little Honey’ sounded a bit familiar, though I’d completely forgotten I had paid $25 to <a href="http://www.brokenarrownursery.com/">Broken Arrow</a><br />
for the very same<br />
thing in 2010<br />
<br />
But in my very own garden, he spotted it!<br />
There it is --- struggling to emerge in an overgrown spot<br />
(those little gold leaves under the voodoos and the<br />
Indigofera and the yews)<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040404" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040404.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 338px;" title="P1040404" vspace="0" width="338" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040399" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040399.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040399" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
He picked this 'Little Honey' out with a glance,<br />
which reminded me to take care of it.<br />
<br />
I think he also liked this little cluster of white on white<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040423" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040423.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040423" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
We went to<a href="http://longhouse.org/"> LongHouse</a> too...and his observations were great.<br />
He loved it.<br />
It is gorgeous at this time of year...</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: red;"></span></span></strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>PODs + SEEDS + BERRIES + BUDS</strong></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Whatever they are, they are endlessly fascinating to me...<br />
<br />
This woodlander, Japanese peony, P. obovata subsp. Japonica,<br />
has a fleeting flower but a wicked set of seeds<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040549" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040549.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040549" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
The surreal seedpod of the ever-glorious Arisaema sikokianum<br />
is great upside down or any way<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040509" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040509.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040509" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
and look how gorgeous are the leaves, which last all summer<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040510" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040510.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040510" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Black Mondo Grass is great over a chartruese ground cover
like the rampant Sedum ‘Acre’, which allows you to see the berries<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040526" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040526.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040526" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
The buds of the Pineapple lily are great in front of the curled habit of the Abies koreana<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040593" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040593.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040593" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
And I can’t bear to cut off the seed pods from the Tree peonies.<br />
They are so structural, so fertile<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040540" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040540.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040540" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
even though it seems the general wisdom is<br />
to cut off seed pods<br />
<br />
Any opinions ???</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>LAND</strong></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">I love the way it is described by two of my very favorite women:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vita_Sackville-West">Vita Sackville West</a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><img align="none" alt="VITAImage 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/VITAImage%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 325px;" title="VITAImage 2" vspace="0" width="325" /></span><br />
<br />
She distinguished herself in 1926 by a life exuberant enough to inspire Virginia Wolfe's Orlando in 1929,<br />
but also her landmark and lengthy (107 pages in this first ed.)poem,<br />
The Land<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040718" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040718.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 337px;" title="P1040718" vspace="0" width="337" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And Patti Smith:<br />
<br />
There is no land but the land<br />
There is no sea but the sea<br />
There is no keeper but the key<br />
Except for one who seizes possibilities...<br />
<br />
That’s how Patti Smith says it.<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="PSmithphoto" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/PSmithphoto.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="PSmithphoto" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
We welcomed September by seeing her shake the John Drew theater at <a href="http://www.guildhall.org/">Guild Hall</a> like it has never shook before. Fantastic<br />
<br />
Which reminds me, If you missed the radiocast of my Top Ten All-Time Favorite Songs on <a href="http://peconicpublicbroadcasting.org/post/dianne-b">WPPB with Bonnie Grice</a> it is not too late to hear it as it is forever available to you on the podcast...<br />
<br />
Patti Smith’s ‘Free Money’ is the 2nd song...I must have foreboded that she was going to be SO GREAT...<br />
<br />
Lots of people told me they liked my sort-of weird
compilation and commentary...so if you want to hear Catherine Deneuve
sing a sexy song...or William Burroughs speak in rhyming couplets or the
best version of Summertime ever...<br />
<br />
Listen here--<a href="http://peconicpublicbroadcasting.org/post/dianne-b">The Song is You</a>.</span></td>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Dianne B's DO'S and DONT'S</strong></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">DO order Allium pulchellum along with your surely impending spring fall-planting bulb orders<br />
It is the last allium to bloom - Really Late blooming, like summer – July – about 20” tall and absolutely divine<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040269" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040269.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040269" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
DON’T feel sympathetic about Slugs marauding boldly over your leaves and in the broad sunlight !<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040394" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040394.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040394" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
<br />
DON’T plant one stinky lily in the middle of nowhere...I just hate the way this looks<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040409" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040409.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040409" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
DO ask questions<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040449" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040449.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040449" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
These are seed pods (or berries?) of Arum italicum.<br />
One of my favorite plants in one of its fabulous phases.<br />
It is always good.<br />
<br />
<br />
DON’T dismiss all yellow flowers like I usually do (except
for daffodils) because these happy daisy-like things popping up from
Ligularia ‘Othello’ are quite mirth-making at summer’s end<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040491" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040491.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040491" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
DO have patience with moss.<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040450" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040450.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040450" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
After several years, this little area is starting to respond<br />
<br />
And when you get a nice fat multi-stemmed nursery plant<br />
DO divide it before you plant it...it’s like getting three for one<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040457" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040457.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040457" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
This is a woodlander from the great <a href="http://gloverperennials.com/">Jim Glover</a> that I have never<br />
heard of...<br />
Hemiboea subcapitata...white flowers in September?...we’ll see<br />
<br />
<br />
And most of all...<br />
<br />
DO trust your <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/weeder.php">Dig Deep Weeder</a><br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040520" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040520.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040520" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
Now, That is a stubborn root</span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">unearthed</span></td>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>ONE GOOD TURN</strong></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><img align="none" alt="Nisse Hope" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/Nisse%20Hope.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="Nisse Hope" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
Once part of an elaborate and extraordinarily
time-consuming orchid conservatory in an old life, this orchid now
belongs to Nissa Hope.<br />
So wonderful when something you once had thrives somewhere else.</span></td>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>HAVE I GOT A BULB FOR YOU....</strong></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">One set - 3 bulbs - of Voodoo Lilies for $25</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1040705" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040705.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040705" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
Guaranteed to be winter hardy on Long Island...that is all
I can promise. They look extremely tropical, but are as reliable as
Hosta.<br />
<br />
This is Sauromatum venosum (or maybe S. guttatum I don’t
think it really matters), there are several in the Arum world that
have, more or less, the same characteristics....but not one is as
dependable as these<br />
<br />
A weird and wonderful early summer spathe that only lasts a few days comes first.<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040059" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040059.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040059" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
It is followed by tall, graceful, <strong><em>spotted</em></strong> stems topped by a circular tuft of exotic leaves that last for months and make fresh the tired old garden...<br />
<br />
Obviously, I have a limited supply, but to those I hear from first:<br />
<br />
Here’s what to do...<br />
<br />
Go to <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/home.php">diannebbest</a> and click on <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/gift-certificate.php">Gift Certificate</a> at the top of the page.<br />
<br />
When that pops up – choose $25.<br />
<br />
Don't click 'To Me'<br />
Click "Directly to recipient " button.<br />
<br />
Type in Recipient's (or your own, of course) Name .<br />
In the "Add Unique Message" box type: VOODOO</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">For $25 you will get one set of Voodoo Lilies.<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040715" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040715.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040715" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
In this set there will be:<br />
1 Huge bulb – you will get the fattest bulb you can imagine...at least 3” in diameter...<br />
1 Medium bulb – you will get a nice plump one 1 ½ - 2” in diameter<br />
<br />
and 1 (or more) fine smaller 1” bulbs and probably a few more bulblets thrown in for good measure<br />
<br />
Look at those spotted stems...<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040714" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040714.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040714" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
You can plant them on receipt (will ship before end
September) and leave them in the ground forevermore and they will
glamorize your garden for years to come.<br />
<br />
They will all bloom next summer<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040711" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040711.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040711" vspace="0" width="434" /><br />
<br />
I said they are guaranteed and I mean it.</span></span><br />
Not like those crazy Chinese peonies...</td>
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<td style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus,comic sans ms,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This is some year that we are living in<br />
WSJ headlines on September 2:<br />
News you would never have believed could appear on the same page not that many years ago:<br />
<br />
Married Same Sex Couples Get Tax Equity<br />
<br />
Justice Dept Won’t Challenge Marijuana Laws<br />
in Colorado or Washington.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>AUTUMN GARDEN TIP:</strong><br />
Turn the handles of the <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/bag.php">Yard Bag</a> toward the inside of the bag before it is fully filled to keep it open and ready for the next batch of unsightly stuff<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040626" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040626.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040626" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
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<td style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus,comic sans ms,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>FEW LAST TOUCHES of EXUBERANCE</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">That special September freshness...</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Lespedeza ‘bicolore’ (not as boisterous as the magenta-flowered one) bursts forth from under the magnolia<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040568" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040568.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040568" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040567" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040567.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040567" vspace="0" width="326" /><br />
<br />
<br />
The beloved Aralia elata ‘Silver Umbrellas’ splathers itself in its billowing cloud<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="P1040599" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/P1040599.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040599" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
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<td style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus,comic sans ms,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Flora the Good Dog<br />
<br />
<img align="none" alt="FLORAImage 4" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/99e01b385c/FLORAImage%204.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="FLORAImage 4" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br />
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<td style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus,comic sans ms,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">Visit <a href="http://www.diannebgardens.com/">DianneBGardens</a></td>
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-86294019735786968112013-08-09T21:14:00.000-04:002013-08-09T21:14:42.209-04:00<br />
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<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">DIRTIER ....The Newsletter</span><br /><div>
<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Volume 49 August 8, 2013</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;">Dianne B</span></span></div>
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<tr><td align="left" style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus, 'comic sans ms', verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>GREEN WAS THE COLOR</strong></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Of my garden on the <a href="https://www.gardenconservancy.org/">Garden Conservancy</a> Open Day a few weeks ago ...the polar opposite of my intentions when this particular day was scheduled the year before. Sauntering and sweltering as the Famous Suffolk County Heat Wave kicked in, many expected<br />a “garden” bursting with big colors, because let’s face it – when<br />people tour a garden that’s what they envisage.</span><br /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Oh well, too bad... on this day they had to settle for subtle fauvist colors like arrays of fabulous Pineapple Lilies </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1040282 (1) 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040282%20(1)%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040282 (1) 2" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />My endless combinations of darkest burgundy and rich greens<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040263" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040263.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040263" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />Or what I like to think of as the enigma of my Moss Garden<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040260" border="0" height="346" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040260.jpg" style="height: 346px; width: 434px;" title="P1040260" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />Coined by Apollinaire, <u>orphism</u> is an art term (new to me) that describes the facet of Cubism about moody color, which is the kind I really like. But maybe to say orphist is a little, you know, arty. So, instead of saying that the garden was experiencing a lull,<br />I’d rather say it was in an orphic stage.<br /><br />Of course, a few days later --- isn’t it always the way?--- the colors went wild and many fat summer buds burst open<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040329" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040329.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 344px;" title="P1040329" vspace="0" width="344" /><br /><br />This stand of Lilium Flore Pleno doubled, tripled in the last few years emerging famously through a crazy Cryptomeria cristata<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040314" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040314.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040314" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />Lilium ‘Black Beauty’ at the base of the Maple Monumentale (discussed in depth later on)<br /><br />This Calla ‘Picasso’ would have elicited sighs...<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040377" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040377.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040377" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />And I don’t really like these gigantic thick-substanced white Oriental giants, but everyone else would have oohed and aahed over their 7, maybe 8 foot stature climbing into the massive Angelica tree<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040381" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040381.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040381" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br /><br />So, maybe next year the timing will be a little better...<br /> </div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>THERE ARE 1000 REASONS TO GO TO RIVERHEAD</strong></span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">THIS FABULOUS furtive foresty art work is surely reason enough<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="MariaElenaGonzalezOneofEightWorksinAluminumSizeVariable2013" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/MariaElenaGonzalezOneofEightWorksinAluminumSizeVariable2013.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="MariaElenaGonzalezOneofEightWorksinAluminumSizeVariable2013" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Maria Elena Gonzalez, One of eight works in aluminum, size variable, 2013</span><br /><br /><br />If you live anywhere on Eastern Long Island, invariably you must go where all the car dealerships, big stores, courts and lots of lawyers are located. Accomplish these chores before August 25 and then you<br />can visit an ingenious gallery called <a href="http://artsitesgallery.com/index.html">art sites</a>.<br /><br /> Installed there right now is a very intriguing indoor and outdoor show called...<a href="http://artsitesgallery.com/index.html">SUMMER OF LOVE: FOUND & LOST</a>.<br />Organized by my friend,<br />artist and social commentator Hope Sandrow,<br />it includes pieces by 23 artists as well as her own poignant work.<br />It’s an eye-opener and a mind-boggler.<br /><a href="http://artsitesgallery.com/index.html">Artsitesgallery.com<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="HSandrowCaterpillarinWater6098" border="0" height="362" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/HSandrowCaterpillarinWater6098.jpg" style="height: 362px; width: 362px;" title="HSandrowCaterpillarinWater6098" vspace="0" width="362" /></a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hope Sandrow, Caterpillar in Water</span><br /><br />This show will pique your curiosity and make you think<br />about stimulating connections<br />you might have<br />never even<br />considered.</div>
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<tr><td align="left" style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus, 'comic sans ms', verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>JACKS and VOODOOS</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040059" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040059.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040059" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />Unfurling of a voodoo, Sauromatum guttatum<br />Look at those fabulous purple dots<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040045" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040045.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040045" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />Straight up in front of Mother Black Mambo<br />is an Arisaema consanguinem<br />Look at those sensational purple striations<br /><br />And a Drancunculus<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040208" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040208.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040208" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />Hidden by a vine so it does not look quite so vulgar</span><br /> </div>
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<tr><td align="left" style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus, 'comic sans ms', verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>DIANNE B’s DOs & DON'Ts </strong></span><br /><br />
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Absolutely DO mass vari-colored hydrangeas together in a<br />blue glass vase.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040259" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040259.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040259" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />The hydrangeas are from Ayse Kenmore’s garden. The vase is one that Lys magically produced from her stashes of heirlooms.<br /><br />DO be particularly appreciative of the little things. I love this<br />native species Clematis.<br />I think it is vitacella 'Etiole Violet',<br />but I could be wrong<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040054" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040054.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040054" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />DO watch for clever weeds parading as the plants around them.<br />They are ingenious...the weeds<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040371" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040371.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040371" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />The weed is in the lower left<br /><br />DON’T think you must have white flowers to give the impression<br />of a white garden<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040358" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040358.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040358" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040366" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040366.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040366" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />And DON’T make sweeping categorical pronouncements like:<br />Alocasia are all too stiff and skyward.<br />It is what I thought, but I am mad about this one<br />aptly named ‘Teacup’<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040365" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040365.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040365" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040364" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040364.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040364" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />And this is from one tuber!</span></div>
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<tr><td align="left" style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus, 'comic sans ms', verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>A SUGAR MAPLE or A NORWAY MAPLE<br />HOW INTERESTING CAN IT BE?</strong></span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://kendruse.typepad.com/ken_drusereal_dirt/">Ken Druse</a>, with his estimable horticultural expertise,<br />let me know several months ago that I may have been deceiving myself all these years and perhaps my prized Exclamation Point Tree<br />is not a Sugar Maple after all, but a Norway Maple.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1000015" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1000015.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1000015" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />With all sorts of plantsman’s lore under his belt, he explained that distinguishing between a ‘Newton Sentry’ and my Acer monumentale (introduced as ‘Temple’s Upright’) is a “100-year-old gardening conundrum.”<br />He didn’t leave me just dangling...<br />but kindly provided a method of determination.<br />With our mutual friend Geoffrey Ross as witness,<br />I pulled off a leaf (in fact a whole woody stem) and it<br />DID NOT BLEED WHITE SAP.<br />So, I am sticking to Charlie Marder’s old nomenclature that ours is an Acer saccharum ‘Monumentale’, an Italian columnar sugar maple.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="TREE0690" border="0" height="322" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/TREE0690.jpg" style="height: 322px; width: 242px;" title="TREE0690" vspace="0" width="242" /><br /><br />But Ken, thanks so much for the mind game and such good use of all that garden jargon.<br /><br />And by the way, Ken Druse is coming to the Hamptons this weekend to give a talk on Saturday, August 10, for the<br /><a href="http://www.sgcny.org/home.html">Southampton Garden Club</a>.<br />Any of you who have availed themselves of his great cadre of books know right away that this is an event not to miss.</span><br /><br />For more info call 631.283.2226.<br /> </div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: red;"></span></span></strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>A NON-GARDENING CHALLENGE</strong></span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This household is abuzz because Skye is about to depart for Connecticut College...<br />I noticed on Orientation Day that a course is offered...<br />simply called<br />Bob Dylan<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="3404038_300x195" border="0" height="197" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/3404038_300x195.jpg" style="height: 197px; width: 302px;" title="3404038_300x195" vspace="0" width="302" /><br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="tumblr_mqx05iyn5d1s5htf6o1_500" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/tumblr_mqx05iyn5d1s5htf6o1_500.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 462px;" title="tumblr_mqx05iyn5d1s5htf6o1_500" vspace="0" width="462" /><br /><br /><br />I love Bob Dylan and I bring this up<br />because as soon as I finish this issue of DIRTIER,<br />my next deadline is choosing ten - only ten - songs from the great pantheon of music that has enriched my happy lengthy life.<br /><br />So, how do you choose<br />just one Bob Dylan?<br /><br />Our local Radio Star Bonnie Grice has invited me to join her weekly program <a href="http://thesongisyou.org/">The Song Is You</a>.<br />For this, I must choose my ten favorite songs.<br />Let me say that this is A Very HARD exercise because I love music<br />and sing my heart out all the time...<br />something I must do in my heart and not out loud,<br />because my voice is terrible.<br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="bonnie4website 2" border="0" height="212" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/bonnie4website%202.JPG" style="height: 212px; width: 142px;" title="bonnie4website 2" vspace="0" width="142" /><br /><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Bonnie Grice</span><br /><br />Anyway, you can listen to me and Bonnie on<br /><a href="http://thesongisyou.org/">The Song Is You</a><br />on Peconic Public Broadcasting WPPB, channel 88.3<br />on Friday evening, August 16 at 7PM or the next day,<br />Saturday the 17th at noon<br />OR<br />as a podcast on<br /><a href="http://www.prx.org/">PRX</a> the Public Radio Exchange</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>JIM JEFFREY</strong><br />Rest In Peace in a Heavenly Garden</span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">There have been many tributes and remembrances written<br /> locally and nationally about the extremely well-loved<br /> Reverend Jim Jeffrey.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0555" border="0" height="362" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/IMG_0555.jpg" style="height: 362px; width: 290px;" title="IMG_0555" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br />A most touching thing for me to share<br />was seeing my Dianne B Yard Bag and Trowel in his gregariously bursting-with-passion greenhouse the day after he passed on.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040217 (1)" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040217%20(1).jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040217 (1)" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />I had given those to him after our very first (rainy) St. Luke’s<br />Garden Day in 2012<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="JJefferiesDB" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/JJefferiesDB.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="JJefferiesDB" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br />We were the co-chairs of this first-ever Church Garden Clean Up Day and he was so proud of all the work that was done.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="JJeffries0548" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/JJeffries0548.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="JJeffries0548" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0549" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/IMG_0549.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_0549" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="JJeffries0555 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/JJeffries0555%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="JJeffries0555 2" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />These are a few of the flowers that we cut from his garden<br />on the morning of his Funeral Service at St. Luke’s.<br />All the flowers in Hoie Hall for the Reception<br />were from his bountiful garden.<br />He would have loved that.<br /><br />Sorry this picture doesn’t do them any justice.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040228" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/P1040228.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040228" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br /><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>YOU CAN'T DO EVERYTHING</strong></span></div>
<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">While Lys and Skye went on an eye-opening trip to The Galapagos and encountered all sorts of ethereal creatures<br />like<br />The famous Blue Footed Booby (notice that it is hovering over eggs)<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="DSCN0045" border="0" height="242" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/DSCN0045.jpg" style="height: 242px; width: 322px;" title="DSCN0045" vspace="0" width="322" /></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> a fabulous little booby chick – can you believe the black wings? Looks like some Bob Wilson fantasy</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="DSCN0067_2" border="0" height="242" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/DSCN0067_2.jpg" style="height: 242px; width: 322px;" title="DSCN0067_2" vspace="0" width="322" /></span><br /><br /><br /><div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> and this is what a Magnificent Frigate Bird looks like when it is a grown male and puffs out its gular like a red balloon<br />to attract the female flying overhead</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="DSCN0074" border="0" height="242" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/DSCN0074.jpg" style="height: 242px; width: 322px;" title="DSCN0074" vspace="0" width="322" /><br /><br />Another fascinating evolutionary tidbit:<br />because it can't dive for its own food it steals from other,<br />which is known as<br />'kleptoparasitism'<br /> </div>
<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">– These beautiful Flightless Cormorants are wooing and courting<br />and exist only on 2 tiny islands<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="DSCN0186" border="0" height="242" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/DSCN0186.jpg" style="height: 242px; width: 322px;" title="DSCN0186" vspace="0" width="322" /><br /><br /><br />Obviously my girls were there during the height of the mating season.<br />I am glad to have them home<br />with all of these romantic reminisences<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="LysSkye" border="0" height="322" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/LysSkye.jpg" style="height: 322px; width: 242px;" title="LysSkye" vspace="0" width="242" /><br /><br /><br />But I stayed behind and also saw all sorts of other<br />otherworldly phenomena, though not from the natural world.<br />The creatures at The Watermill Center Benefit, Devil’s Heaven<br />were also astonishing; but of course, without<br />the Darwinian pedigree.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>SEE FOR YOURSELF WHAT EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT...</strong></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">You have probably seen and heard about<br /><a href="http://watermillcenter.org/">The Watermill Center</a> ‘Devil’s Heaven’ Benefit because it was<br />covered by every<br />Important newspaper, broadcast or blog that deals with<br />Culture<br />Art<br />Fashion<br />Or<br />Anything interesting<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">BUT</span></strong><br /><br />Do You Realize that<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><a href="http://watermillcenter.org/events/discover-watermill-day-2013">DISCOVER WATERMILL DAY</a><br />is this coming Sunday<br />August 11 from 3 - 6<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="WMCenter-5" border="0" height="170" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/WMCenter-5.jpg" style="height: 170px; width: 302px;" title="WMCenter-5" vspace="0" width="302" /><br /><br />On this day, and only this day,The Watermill Center is open FREE<br />to the public<br />and most of what was on display will be reinstalled.</span><br /><br />This is a rare treat and something not to miss....even though Lady Gaga probably won’t be there for this day,<br />I will be and hope<br />to greet<br />many of you.<br /><br />A sampling of what you will see:<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="WMCenter" border="0" height="183" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/WMCenter.jpg" style="height: 183px; width: 280px;" title="WMCenter" vspace="0" width="280" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="WMCenter-1" border="0" height="218" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/WMCenter-1.jpg" style="height: 218px; width: 218px;" title="WMCenter-1" vspace="0" width="218" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="WMCenter-4" border="0" height="185" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/WMCenter-4.jpg" style="height: 185px; width: 277px;" title="WMCenter-4" vspace="0" width="277" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="WMCenter-21" border="0" height="179" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/WMCenter-21.jpg" style="height: 179px; width: 287px;" title="WMCenter-21" vspace="0" width="287" /></span><br /><br /> </div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">And in case you were horticulturally puzzled by any pix of me at the great LongHouse White Night Benefit the week before...the flower on my head is a fabulous fake Night-Blooming Cereus...<br />it was a spontaneous added touch from Lys as the wrapping on a birthday present. Isn’t it great?<br />The guy is our friend, Dr. Andre Goy.<br />Earlier in the evening, he had on a hat too.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Image 1" border="0" height="463" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/Image%201.jpg" style="height: 463px; width: 434px;" title="Image 1" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />And speaking of <a href="http://www.longhouse.org/">LongHouse</a>...<br />There is much to see right now<br /><br />Do not miss the fantastic art on the grounds by Alice Aycock<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Aycock0225" border="0" height="241" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/Aycock0225.jpg" style="height: 241px; width: 362px;" title="Aycock0225" vspace="0" width="362" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Yoan Capote</span></span><br /><img align="none" alt="YoanCapote" border="0" height="163" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/YoanCapote.jpg" style="height: 163px; width: 241px;" title="YoanCapote" vspace="0" width="241" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">And the Ai Weiwei Circle of the Zodiac – all 12 of them in GOLD</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="AiWeiwei" border="0" height="258" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/AiWeiwei.jpg" style="height: 258px; width: 291px;" title="AiWeiwei" vspace="0" width="291" /><br /><br />Just spectacular...<br /><a href="http://www.longhouse.org/">LongHouse</a> is open 4 afternoons each week<br />Wednesday thru Saturday<br />2-5<br /><br />There is so much to do, isn’t there?<br /><br />So, I don’t expect you will be doing that much gardening this month,<br />except for keeping up with pruning.<br />If your garden is anything like mine, clipping and shaping is constant or the picture would jump completely out of proportion.<br /><br /><br />Usually this is the portion of DIRTIER where I try to make an offer<br />you can't refuse to buy something on <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/">The Best @ Dianne B</a>.<br />But, sorry, I hardly make a dime as it is on the<br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/japanese-clippers.php">Japanese Clippers</a> and the<a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/felco.php"> Felco</a>,<br />although I do have both in stock.<br /><br />In the world of <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/">The Best @ Dianne B</a>...<br />Be prepared for the NEW AUTUMN OFFERING of<br />THE ULTIMATE GARDENING GLOVE<br /><br />You will love them....<br /><br /><br />Oh yes, and look for the Labor Day issue of <a href="http://www.cottages-gardens.com/Hamptons-Cottages-Gardens/">HC+G</a>...it will be here before you know it and contain a Great Photo Essay of<br />Craig Socia’s latest,<br />A Petite Castle, no less.<br />I wrote the story, but you might not even know it because those magazine people do have a way with the editing knife...<br /><br />Anyway...<br /><br />Enjoy the balance of the busy summer<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="FLORA0015" border="0" height="427" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/FLORA0015.jpg" style="height: 427px; width: 434px;" title="FLORA0015" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />Flora<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0036" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/ee90deb645/IMG_0036.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_0036" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /> Magnolia</span><br /><br />Hope to see you somewhere soon.<br /> </td></tr>
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-23802153937293947222013-07-07T14:25:00.000-04:002013-07-07T14:25:30.530-04:00Can it really be the 4th of July?<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">DIRTIER ....The Newsletter</span><br /><div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;">Volume 48 3 July 2013</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus, Comic Sans MS, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;">Dianne B</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td align="left" style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus, 'comic sans ms', verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>DIANNE B’s GARDEN DOs + DON’Ts</strong></span></span></span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">DON’T be skeptical.<br />It was with only a shred of belief last year that I ordered two<br />Acanthus ‘White Water’ from the <a href="http://www.territorialseed.com/">Territorial Seed Company</a> –<br />only because I was ordering tomato plants for Lys<br />and said, “Oh, what the hell...<br />why not?”<br />Even though I've never had luck with Acanthus,<br />even from the fanciest nursery.<br />Well, you see, you never know.<br />Not only did both plants come up with gusto this season...<br />but they are really white-leaved and you know,<br />I am a sucker for that.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030620" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030620.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1030620" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />DO let the ants crawl all over the peonies and don’t worry.<br />Peonies love ants and vice versa: my first piece of gardening lore from Steven Hamilton’s grandmother Minnie-Minnie Meyer.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030841" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030841.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1030841" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br /><br />DO invest in single petal peonies, for my money they are the most beautiful...<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030897" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030897.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1030897" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br /> DON’T EVER Plant big Oriental lilies under Japanese maples –<br />it was a lousy idea and those lily stems poking through the otherwise harmonious canopy is just awful...<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030877" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030877.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1030877" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br /><br />DON’T fall for an enticing name...<br />After waiting 3 years for this ‘Red Velvet Elvis’ iris to bloom,<br />it’s a dud.<br />This Louisiana Iris definitely does not like New York.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040064" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1040064.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040064" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />DON’T GIVE UP....2 examples<br />I thought this spindly twig of a Chionanthus would never bloom,<br />But here it is.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030886" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030886.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1030886" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />Just as ethereal as an image I’ve tried to emulate for ages.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030887" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030887.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1030887" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />and 2.<br />Back to Acanthus.<br />I've been waiting for bloom on a simple Acanthus mollis<br />for years and years.<br /> I finally have ONE, just one,<br />but it's a great tall muskily colored sexy stalk.<br />Another nice thing is that it was a gift from Rick Bogush<br />of <a href="http://www.peconiclandtrust.org/bridge_gardens.html">Bridge Gardens<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040052" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1040052.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040052" vspace="0" width="326" /></a></span></span><br /><br />It looks even better now than this pix.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>SNEAK PREVIEW</strong></span></span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Not only are the <a href="https://longhouse.org/longhouse-instore?catid=6&productid=71">LongHouse Reserve</a> and <a href="http://watermillcenter.org/benefit">Watermill Center</a> Benefits the best parties in The Hamptons<br />(and this is according to Bill Cunningham<br />in the New York Times, not me);<br />but they afford the most fantastic opportunity to buy really good, preselected art of many kinds<br />(usually at much better than gallery prices).<br /><br />Due to my inside track in these two wonderful foundations,<br />here is a tiny taste of what will be found at the Benefit Auctions:<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">At <a href="https://longhouse.org/longhouse-instore?catid=6&productid=71">LongHouse</a> – White Night – Saturday, July 20 2013</span><br /><br /><br />Alice Aycock, a drawing, beautiful<br /><img align="none" alt="aycock" border="0" height="149" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/aycock.jpg" style="height: 149px; width: 434px;" title="aycock" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />Michael Combs, a photograph of creatures<br />he has carved with his own hands<br /><img align="none" alt="combs_michael" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/combs_michael.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="combs_michael" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />Dale Chihuly, a gorgeous glass nest<br /><img align="none" alt="chihuly_resized" border="0" height="432" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/chihuly_resized.jpg" style="height: 432px; width: 323px;" title="chihuly_resized" vspace="0" width="323" /><br /><br />Christo, the iconic wrapped Pont Neuf<br /><img align="none" alt="christo_2" border="0" height="381" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/christo_2.jpg" style="height: 381px; width: 434px;" title="christo_2" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />Dickie Landry, a great photograph<br /><img align="none" alt="landry_richard_resized" border="0" height="432" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/landry_richard_resized.jpg" style="height: 432px; width: 295px;" title="landry_richard_resized" vspace="0" width="295" /><br /><br />Hope Sandrow, one extraordinary feather<br /><img align="none" alt="sandrow" border="0" height="362" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/sandrow.jpg" style="height: 362px; width: 290px;" title="sandrow" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">At The Watermill Center – <a href="http://watermillcenter.org/benefit">Devil’s Heaven</a> –<br />Saturday, July 27 2013</span><br /><br /><br />Peter Dayton’s fabulous photo transfer table.<br /><img align="none" alt="PeterDayton" border="0" height="371" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/PeterDayton.jpg" style="height: 371px; width: 434px;" title="PeterDayton" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br /><br />Alex Prager photograph<br /><img align="none" alt="LASTWMsmworks list_all_0626_v2-1" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/LASTWMsmworks%20list_all_0626_v2-1.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 290px;" title="LASTWMsmworks list_all_0626_v2-1" vspace="0" width="290" /><br /><br /><br /><br />Andy Warhol Punching Jean Michel Basquiat,<br />a famous photo by Michael Halsband<br /><img align="none" alt="MHalsband" border="0" height="362" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/MHalsband.jpg" style="height: 362px; width: 357px;" title="MHalsband" vspace="0" width="357" /><br /><br /><br />Lovis Dengler, magical photograph<br /><img align="none" alt="LovisDengler" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/LovisDengler.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 333px;" title="LovisDengler" vspace="0" width="333" /><br /><br /><br />Lucy Winton, a very special drawing<br /><img align="none" alt="Image 2" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/Image%202.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 333px;" title="Image 2" vspace="0" width="333" /><br /><br /><br />Warren Neidich exemplary construction<br /><img align="none" alt="Warren Niedich" border="0" height="354" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/Warren%20Niedich.jpg" style="height: 354px; width: 434px;" title="Warren Niedich" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br /><br />If you absolutely cannot make it,<br />not to either Benefit<br />(or have qualms about the ticket prices that start at $500)...<br />there is still an opportunity to exercise your art collecting yearnings:<br /><br />The auctions will both be online:<br /><br />LongHouse as of July 8th at <a href="http://paddle8.com/auctions/longhouse">paddle8.com</a><br /><br />Check <a href="http://watermillcenter.org/benefit">watermillcenter.org</a> as of</span> July 15<br /><br />Don't miss out.<br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">My admiration for these splendid Acers never wanes and<br />I just grow fonder with the leafing out each season...<br />as I madly snip and clip to keep them in<br />my close garden bounds.<br /><br />This long-fingered red leaf<br />came from the great <a href="http://hahgarden.com/">HAH</a> Plant Fair<br /><img align="none" alt="P1030387" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030387.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1030387" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />A classic cut-leaf in gold<br />came from a <a href="http://www.madoo.org/">Madoo Conservancy</a> auction<br /><img align="none" alt="P1030407" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030407.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1030407" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br /><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">the clever mixing of two classics<br /><img align="none" alt="P1030424" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030424.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1030424" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />the exuberant new growth of Full Moon maples,<br />Autumn Moon is better in summer than it is in autumn,<br />and Red Moon (the dark one)<br />is actually Acer palmatumxShiras Johin.<br />Johin means elegant,<br />which is no surprise.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030511" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030511.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1030511" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030515" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030515.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1030515" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />The mounding form of this Lion’s Head we first saw<br />at April Gornik and Eric Fischl's<br />and the little burgundy one<br />beneath it is 'Shaina'.<br />It is a real 'dwarf' just like <a href="http://www.marders.com/">Marders</a> promised.<br /><img align="none" alt="P1030518" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030518.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 313px;" title="P1030518" vspace="0" width="313" /></span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>LET ME SHOW YOU A FEW THINGS</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">This extra black purple German Iris is a real flower that produces dye. Not some dyed-to-match thing from a corner deli mind you, but the real thing.<br />The mysterious color dribbles out of the flower as it is waning,<br />or, I suppose, it would bleed also if crushed while still fresh,<br />but who could bear to do that.<br />I imagine this is from whence terms like Royal Purple derived.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1040017" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1040017.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040017" vspace="0" width="326" /></span></div>
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The falls look even blacker than this, trust me</div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Allium ‘Forelock’<br />This one’s a treasure...a stand-out...a weirdo<br />just like I like them.<br />It arcs gracefully, like a swan neck, as it is coming into its own;<br />but taller than all the other Alliums which are,<br />you know, stiff as a board.<br />This droopy one is my favorite stage and lasts a few good weeks<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0543" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/IMG_0543.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_0543" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />And then magically when about to burst open<br />it straightens up tall...well over 6 feet...<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030970" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030970.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1030970" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1040162" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1040162.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040162" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />Then turns into a funky brush-top colored like a three layer cake in Lavender over violet iced with a funky green<br />It's great.<br /><br /><br />And here is a Smoke Bush actually Smoking (Cotinus coggyria)<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030945" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030945.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 381px;" title="P1030945" vspace="0" width="381" /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040154" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1040154.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1040154" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Another of those gardening dreams come true<br /><br /><br /><br />The gigantic palm-shaped leaf<br />Magnolia macrophylla has a huge flower too.<br />Unfortunately you see it here on Day 2...<br /><br />I thought to myself the day before – oh I’ll take a picture tomorrow, but as you see –the big bloom is a fleeting thing<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040001" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1040001.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040001" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br /><br />And now, a few views of the Sag Harbor garden of<br />Jon Gilman and Brad Learmoth. This is a self nurtured garden...<br />the palpable difference between it and a paid-for landscape<br />is always so evident:<br /><br /><br />Look at the way they’ve nestled their Monkey Puzzle Tree<br />in a quiet corner<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0193" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/IMG_0193.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_0193" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />The personality of their koi pond (one of their ponds)<br />is apparent in the mix of disparate and eccentric elements<br />( too imaginative to have been bought yesterday<br />at any price)<br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0198" border="0" height="275" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/IMG_0198.jpg" style="height: 275px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_0198" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br /><br />The wonderful strangeness of their plant choices<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0194" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/IMG_0194.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="IMG_0194" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />And then, this single rose<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="IMG_0202" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/IMG_0202.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_0202" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Continuing Saga of <em><strong>Glamorous Groundcovers</strong></em><br /><br />There can often be too many ferns of the big thug type that like to take over....<br />but of the Athyrium species, I think you can never have enough:<br />this is the Japanese fern ‘Ghost’ and tucked in front is the lacier<br />A. felix-femina 'Victoriae'. Ringing the foreground is ever-useful Lamium and the shiny green leaves<br />are always beautiful Hellebore.</span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The other indispensable fern is Autumn Fern.<br />Oh, it is the last to put out new fronds in spring but hangs on longest through the seriousness of winter, and is the<br />most delicious mutation of coffee colors ever.<br />Here with Solomon’s Seal, Asarum and more hellebore leaves....<br /> the very best groundcover, though most gardeners<br />don't perceive them as such.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030996" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030996.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1030996" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br /> </div>
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<tr><td align="left" style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus, 'comic sans ms', verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">ERIC FISCHL'S BAD BOY BOOK</span></strong><br /><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Well, it is definitely my current <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A5MREJI">bedside reading</a><br /><br /><br />Full of artworld anecdotes and artistic metaphors<br /><br />A large crowd gathered at <a href="http://www.guildhall.org/">Guild Hall</a> last week to hear Eric talk and get their books signed. It was there I learned how many people were unaware that you can view his controversial and now iconic bronze<br />sculpture ‘Tumbling Woman’ right here in East Hampton...<br />So don't be in the dark<br />Come into the light<br />where else but at <a href="http://longhouse.org/">LongHouse Reserve</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">IN MEMORIAM</span></span></span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Last Issue of <a href="http://bulbsociety.org/ABOUT_IBS/Publications/#herbertia">Herbertia</a><br />+<br />The Dissolution of the<br /><a href="http://www.bulbsociety.org/">International Bulb Society</a><br /><br />This seems sort of sad. Even though they were only paper periodicals (and always a little too tropical and/or houseplant-y for me)...<br />I joined because I liked the idea that this society existed at all.<br />Another of gardening’s little quirks....</span><br />and now it's gone<br />~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">but I feel really sad about the memoriam which follows...<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Rest In Garden Heaven<br />JOHN BARHAM</span></span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="Barnhampointing" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/Barnhampointing.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="Barnhampointing" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />He was a great guy and a passionate gardener.<br />I know that all of you who have ever<br />been the recipient of his<br />good-natured gregariousness<br />or have been<br />touched by his bigger-than-life<br />fondness for abundance<br />will join my feeling<br />of melancholy<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="August 10 09 - Barham 044" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/August%2010%2009%20-%20Barham%20044.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="August 10 09 - Barham 044" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />He loved monkeys,<br />and buddhas and linghams and hands and bronze birds and bells,<br />but most of all he loved monkeys in all their<br />various representations.<br /><br />So, his gift of a pair of bronze monkeys<br />are among my most precious treasures.<br /><br />In his garden<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="BarhamMarc 028" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/BarhamMarc%20028.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="BarhamMarc 028" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br />In my garden<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="DBensonGarden8" border="0" height="432" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/DBensonGarden8.jpg" style="height: 432px; width: 324px;" title="DBensonGarden8" vspace="0" width="324" /><br /> </div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">THE ARTIST IN THE GARDENER</span></strong><br /><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Bearded Iris and Tulips have a never-ending palette<br />and unlike a painter saying a work is finished...<br />a garden is never finished. So, I relish the opportunity to choose a few new iris for next year....<br />For instance...</span><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030684" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030684.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1030684" vspace="0" width="326" /></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I love this burlap color Iris<br />(it sort of looks like most of my summer clothes)<br />but it does not harmonize with the pink tree peonies behind it..</span>.<br />so I am on a hunt for a rosy-taupey one<br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">And how to expand this combination of a Japanese maple showing off its new leaves, the droopy-bell Allium bulgaricum and this gorgeous Iris named ‘Touch of Mahogany’?<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030854" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030854.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1030854" vspace="0" width="326" /><br /><br /><br />And more of this purple-navy blue against the intense darkness of Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy’<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030861" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030861.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 380px;" title="P1030861" vspace="0" width="380" /></span></div>
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<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">And I know I have always touted <a href="http://www.schreinersgardens.com/">Schreiner’s Iris Gardens</a><br />as my go-to Iris source, but I have a new find.<br /><a href="http://mtpleasantiris.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Mt. Pleasant Iris Gardens</span></a><br />I have just placed my first order and get this ---<br />they have a beautiful web site but you<br />have to print out the order form<br />fill it in<br />and<br />mail it<br /><br />I am charmed</span><br /> </div>
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<tr><td style="color: #626262; font-family: papyrus, 'comic sans ms', verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">PRECIOUS PULPITS</span></span></strong><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Is it Jacks-in-the-Pulpit<br />or<br />Jack-in-the-Pulpits?<br /><br />Either way...more thrilling than ever<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030998" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030998.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1030998" vspace="0" width="434" /><br /><br />‘Black Mambo’ continues to proliferate</span><br /><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">and this rare one, Arisaema costatum, is in its second year<br />in my garden and I'm ever so proud<br />because it adorns the backcover of the scholarly<br />Timber Press tome,<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Genus-Arisaema-Monograph-Botanists-Nature/dp/0881928399"><em>The Genus Arisaema</em></a><br />(for which I paid $79.95 !)<br /><br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1030991" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1030991.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1030991" vspace="0" width="434" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><img align="none" alt="P1040060" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1040060.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040060" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br /><br />see it at the base of the bronze bird...look at that leaf<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040173" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1040173.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 273px;" title="P1040173" vspace="0" width="273" /><br /><br />The disappointing note here is <a href="http://www.willowcreekgardens.com/default.aspx">Willow Creek Gardens</a> in California,<br />from whence it came,<br />no longer carries these<br />superlative Arisaema because<br />NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE WANTED THEM<br /><br />Can you imagine?<br /><br /><br />and there is nothing to say about this A. candidissima peeping through the Oxalis except that it is divine<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040168" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1040168.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1040168" vspace="0" width="326" /></span><br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">I realize that most of you will be spending your Holiday weekend splashing, partying, firework watching and eating hotdogs,<br />but there are those of us who do not neglect our gardens<br />no matter what the occassion...<br />So for those of you who need a little incentive<br />in the way of garden accoutrements ---<br />this is your chance at<br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/home.php">Dianne B Best</a><br /><br />Our<span style="font-size: 18pt;"> <span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="color: red;">Made in America</span></span> </span>items are yours at<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: mediumblue;">SPECIAL PATRIOTIC PRICES</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: mediumblue;">For 4th of July<br />1/4 Off<br /><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">in other words...25% less</span></span></span><br /><br />The Engraved <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shovel.php">Monogrammed Steel Shovel</a> you have always wanted,<br />(or wanted to give</span>)<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">108.75 instead of $145.00<br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(Shovel price total does not include $20 heavy shipping fee)</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/shovel.php"><img align="none" alt="Dianne BBestProducts 1-121" border="0" height="289" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/Dianne%20BBestProducts%201-121.jpg" style="height: 289px; width: 434px;" title="Dianne BBestProducts 1-121" vspace="0" width="434" /></a></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The One and Only <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/tool-belt.php">Dianne B ToolBelt</a><br />$43.50</span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">instead of $58</span><br />(discount applies to Loaded or Empty Tool Belt)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/tool-belt.php"><img align="none" alt="Dianne B Best Products001" border="0" height="289" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/Dianne%20B%20Best%20Products001.jpg" style="height: 289px; width: 434px;" title="Dianne B Best Products001" vspace="0" width="434" /></a></div>
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<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Irreplaceable <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/marker.php">Zinc Markers</a><br />$29.25 instead of $ 39<br />And that, my friends, is an unbelievable bargain<br /><br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/marker.php"><img align="none" alt="DianneBBestPlantMarkers" border="0" height="287" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/DianneBBestPlantMarkers.jpg" style="height: 287px; width: 432px;" title="DianneBBestPlantMarkers" vspace="0" width="432" /></a><br /><br />And last but not certainly least<br /><br />The Exclusive Dianne B. <a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/peepstick.php">Peeping Stick</a><br /><br />$26.25 instead of $35<br /><br /><a href="http://www.diannebbest.com/peepstick.php"><img align="none" alt="DBPeepingStick3483" border="0" height="290" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/DBPeepingStick3483.jpg" style="height: 290px; width: 434px;" title="DBPeepingStick3483" vspace="0" width="434" /></a><br /><br />This offer good until the French Independence Day, July 14</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">LAST CHANCE</span></strong></span></div>
<br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Of course, the garden loves to be visited at any time,<br />but this season’s last <a href="http://www.gardenconservancy.org/opendays/open-days-schedule/venueevents/957-the-garden-of-dianne-b">Garden Conservancy Open Day</a> for me<br />is Sunday, July 14.<br /><br />The lilies are plumping up and I hope they will be bursting into bloom<br />And there are a few other floriferous havens here and there<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="P1040156" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/b8f4ff9a03/P1040156.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 338px;" title="P1040156" vspace="0" width="338" /><br /><br />But you know my garden is not really about flowers,<br />so come to see the layers and patterns and shapes and colors that are in their peak of fashion now...</span><br /> </td></tr>
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-34849065584530886892013-05-08T09:08:00.003-04:002013-05-08T09:08:42.530-04:00IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS<br />
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IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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The Little Bulbs they call them…</div>
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and thrilling they are despite their size. </div>
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Of course, it requires some very nimble scampering about to get close enough to them to get a picture, or heaven forbid,</div>
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try to sniff the scent.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Here is a breathtaking little fritillaria michailovskyi under a hellebore. Look closely, it is wine red and gold.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1020551" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/4b513b847c/P1020551.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1020551" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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And this, an irresistible tiny 1st year hellebore, tenderly Yellow</div>
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and A Double!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1020621" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/4b513b847c/P1020621.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1020621" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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Yellow is more appealing in Hellebores than in Daffodils but this </div>
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dwarf has plenty pizzzazzzz and could only do it by being yellow...</div>
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why it is named after sleepy Rip Van Winkle is beyond me.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1020638" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/4b513b847c/P1020638.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1020638" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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One lonely species tulip ‘Persian Pearl’...</div>
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precious, isn't it?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1020692" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/4b513b847c/P1020692.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 326px;" title="P1020692" vspace="0" width="326" /></div>
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<br /></div>
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One stands-on-its-own Muscari ‘Blue Magic’.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1020709" border="0" height="434" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/4b513b847c/P1020709.jpg" style="height: 434px; width: 151px;" title="P1020709" vspace="0" width="151" /></div>
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<br /></div>
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And talk about tiny…only a spring flower nut like me could be enthralled by this little liverwort. Those little things you see growing behind it are new stalks of moss ... that’s how petite is this Hepatica.</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><br />
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<img align="none" alt="P1020628" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/4b513b847c/P1020628.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1020628" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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But you can forget about this one...</div>
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<br /></div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1020694" border="0" height="274" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/4b513b847c/P1020694.jpg" style="height: 274px; width: 434px;" title="P1020694" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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<br /></div>
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This is the “flower” of a just emerging Asarum. Totally insignificant except for maybe the one day before the leaf rapidly covers it up...</div>
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When you see photos in catalogues of this, believe me....the people that go crazy for these are real fanatics<span style="font: 16.0px Papyrus;">.</span></div>
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It's the Asarum leaves, though, that make up for</div>
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the insignificant hidden 'flower'.</div>
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Excerpted from <a href="http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/483379/4b513b847c/ARCHIVE" target="_blank">DIRTIER</a>. </div>
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Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472106550298298679.post-72040240911989117562013-04-11T07:57:00.001-04:002013-04-11T07:57:44.462-04:00<br />
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This Flying Duck Orchid is a tropical fantasy, but isn’t it great?</div>
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<span style="font: 19.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Papyrus;"><img align="none" alt="flyingduckorchid" border="0" height="482" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7fbd34a6c1/flyingduckorchid.jpg" style="height: 482px; width: 366px;" title="flyingduckorchid" vspace="0" width="366" /></span></span></div>
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And you know I have a weakness for ducks…</div>
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_0059" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7fbd34a6c1/IMG_0059.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_0059" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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Ours are exceedingly hungry these days…as are the geese, seagulls and as always – the swans…as a matter of fact, the swans are more demanding than ever. We do have the most adorable signs on our lane -- ‘Slow Down for Ducks’ they say, but somehow that doesn’t quite prepare you for a swan commandeering the street.</div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1020090" border="0" height="249" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7fbd34a6c1/P1020090.jpg" style="height: 249px; width: 434px;" title="P1020090" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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Now they hang out in the street like a carnival barker saying<span style="font: 19.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>“Come on in, hon”….”Give us some food.”</div>
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<img align="none" alt="P1020098" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7fbd34a6c1/P1020098.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="P1020098" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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And of course, me and my Nature Trail Committee Girls – we always comply.</div>
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<img align="none" alt="IMG_0056" border="0" height="326" hspace="0" src="https://aa7a9a7bcb-custmedia.vresp.com/7fbd34a6c1/IMG_0056.jpg" style="height: 326px; width: 434px;" title="IMG_0056" vspace="0" width="434" /></div>
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Excerpted from the latest issue of <a href="http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/483379/7fbd34a6c1/ARCHIVE" target="_blank">DiRTIER</a>.</div>
Dianne Bensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08424298054449383889noreply@blogger.com0