Expect the Unexpected

Don't you love it when a bloom opens up and totally surprises you? Last fall my friend Kim and I went on a plant shopping spree out on eastern Long Island. Prices were marked down and we each bought a few new things.

I've loved my standard blue Centaurea montana so when I saw a tag for a white one I had to give it a try. This flower opened up earlier this week and I'm just blown away by the beauty of the bloom. I never expected the lavender/blue center.

Many years ago I purchased a Verbascum. I promptly planted it in the wrong spot, right in the middle of one of my daylily borders. Verbascum are very short lived, in our area they often don't come back at all.

This one plant though surprises me every year suddenly popping up through the daylily foliage and blooming it's heart out.

Tradescantia 'Hawaiian Punch' is always another surprise. This is one of those Tradescantia's that run underground but since I have it in a really tough location, I welcome any running. No matter how much I think I'm prepared for this color it always catches me by surprise. What a perfect name.

Another surprise plant that pops up here and there is this woodland Geranium. It would probably be much more prolific if I had planted in my rich soil, water enhanced shade bed in the back but it's out front in the dry, root bound shade bed instead. I never know where it will pop up and I love it's simple and gentle presence.

Finally, look what came yesterday! Six yards of the most wonderful, black, crumbly, triple sifted compost blended with manure. Whooeee, mom and I moved as much as we could without totally straining our bodies. I know what I'll be doing for the next week now.

Today Kim and I are off again. Eastern Long Island is still quite rural, filled with charming hamlets, farms and fantastic perennial nurseries. I used to make trips often, not concerned with the hour long drive but with the high price of gas now, this is the first trip of the season. We hope to hit Talmage Farms at Agway and The Peconic River Herb Farm. Both are known for having wide selections of perennials and I've got my hopes set on more white Centaurea and a few pots of all gold Hakone grass.

See ya!