Among My Swan

 Hello from mizzly Long Mizzle,

There's been some wonderfully moody hues and inky blues washing through the garden this week. The trees are starting to bear their witchy lacework and soon we'll be able to see glimpses of the old graveyard and creek beyond.

In exploding colour pallet contrast, the zinnias, 'vanilla ice' sunflowers, dahlias, californian poppies and  river lilies jump out, even if on limited time now. This may be one of the last tomato and pepper harvests from the greenhouse. A rogue mutant snail seems to be trying to finish our harvest off.

This lone 'Apache' chilli is reserved for Monsieur's heat bomb challenge. He likes to give it the large that he is now heat tolerant. Much to the ridicule of my hardcore Manc friends, when I first met him twenty years ago, a mild korma was about as much heat as he could handle. 

Eager eyed and with great anticipation, the sprogs and I present the chilli to him on a plate and wait for the culinary drama to unfold. It is always worth growing chilies just for this, even if Monsieur does call it schadenfreude, I call it karma!
 

This was the week I 'Marie Kondoed' all my summer dresses, deciding that yes, they do all spark flippin' joy! Closing the suitcase, I  hoped that by next summer, the Covid situation would be greatly improved and the world approaching a phase of healing and hugging again. I don't want to sound like John Snow of Game of Thrones, but these dresses know that "wn'trs coming"(said in an exaggerated northern accent)... and I don't think they want to see it.

A couple looked as bright as Halloween pumpkins, so I pulled them back out, just in case I need them for next week.

A quick update on the Hyacinths... Mam and I started two more Bulb Vases off . The ones we planted just over a week ago (see my last post here) have already rooted. We brought them into the light just to photograph, but they will be staying in Mumrah's Glass Emporium (otherwise known as 'the garage') for another month at least.

Back home at Long Mizzle, I have been busy planting out daffodils bulbs - some in the ground, some in pots. This old swan planter really is past its best - hence why someone dumped it, but I just couldn't resist saving it. It now contains a white daffodil variety called 'smooth sails', which I thought quite appropriate. I am on the look out for some feathery winter bedding or foliage for the top (suggestions welcomed).

Swans always remind me my old student friend and housemate, who found a huge fibreglass fairground swan (the type you could sit on) washed up on Brighton Beach. We were a household of crazy young, mad art heads: a sculptor, musician, potter and photographer. We never did receive all our holding deposit back - something about various heavy items having to be removed via skip from the property - including 'one giant fairground swan' and 'fifteen bags of clay'. These were the days before 'freecycle', but I like to think someone skip dived everything and the swan still lives on.

The swan theme continues indoors with this chazza shopped 50p pot. This is where my air plant (Tillandsia ionantha 'Druid') sits with no soil or water. Every fortnight, the lovely green druid has a one hour soak in tepid water. It is a perfect houseplant. I'm pretty sure I have forgotten to water it a couple of months at a time.

This 'Vriesea era' (above, front) is the house plant I bought from the Enys Fayre a few weeks back. It has a little cup in the crown that can be flushed with rainwater each week (not tap water - they do not like the salinity). The roots are to remain relatively dry. Each house plant brings its own fascinating adaptations on dealing with water, or a lack of it, reflecting the part of the world they hail from. Both airplants (Tillandsia) and Vriesea can be found around South America.

 

Each morning when I wake up, I sing hello to my little sprouted seedlings that will become part of next year's cut flower patch- Achillas, Cornflower and Ammis Majus. The ones in the greenhouse, bar the sweet peas, have not germinated yet, so Monsieur may have to get used to even more pots of mud in the house soon.

Colour snap! The pink River Lilies colour co-ordinate with the pillow cases!

As custodian of a small stretch of old cornish dry stone wall, I have been trying to remove all the choking ivy without pulling out the stones. I'd absolutely love to go on a dry stone walling course to learn to do repairs and even build one from scratch.

I never take the strimmer to it, as there is just so much wildlife sheltering here- slow worms, frogs, stick insects, probably even field mice, as the cats are always very interested in it. I can't bear to see sliced up wild life.

These are my favourite ferns that grow naturally in the stone work - Hart's Tongue (Asplenium scolopendrium)

The dampest, shadiest part also has beautiful spongey moss... It really is a true definition of a living wall!

 

Finally, I can't go without mentioning my new, cosy kimono from kinky_melon! Just when I thought the season of floating around the garden in a silk kimono was over ... I discover quilted kimonos exist!!!!!  (I am a big fan of VintageVixen's blog  - it is so colourful and has endlessly cheered me up since stumbling across it during lockdown).

 

That's all for today. I hope that whatever you are up to involves colour and spice and maybe even some cake!

Please let me know how your week's been, gardening or otherwise.

Big flowers to you,

Lulu xXx

 

[Title Reference:  'Among My Swan' is a Mazzy Star album . Hear the track 'Rose Blood' here]

 

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