Love at First Sight

Astrantia major and poppy seedheads in Susan's garden

First times are special. There's nothing quite like that moment when you see a flower for the first time and you fall in love with it. One of the flowers that I fell in love with last year is Astrantia major, as seen above in Susan's garden at 615 Green in early June 2010. This fantastic flower is captured quite spectactularly on a visit to Battery Park Conservancy gardens by Marie Viljoen on her blog 66 Square Feet . The lovely papery bracts of the Astrantia remind me (in coloring at least) of the bracts of the Acanthus hungaricus we studied in the Perennial border at Brooklyn Botanic last year. It's a cold winter's day and I'm thinking about plants I can't wait to meet again.































Acanthus hungaricus, Bear's Breeches, in the Perennial border at Brooklyn Botanic

Lettuce vs. Frost

Susan's lettuce at the 615 Green Community Garden in Park Slope withstanding the recent freezing temperatures, thus far winning the battle against the frost. It looks nice too nestled among the decidious leaves/needles of the Dawn Redwood. It was great to see Susan's plot in another season yesterday and 615 Green is always a pleasant garden to visit, no matter the season.

Ode to Susan's garden & Pat's perfect derby hat

It's the end of the third lovely evening I've spent in Susan's garden and I think we've only known each other two months. If I was an old Irish bard this would be a true ode and I bet I would be drunker than I am now, but since I'm a modern-day blogger, you get what you get. No rhymes or hoopetedoodle. Just a few pics of a little patch of earth that Susan tends and a few words from me yapping about how I love it and her. One of the best things about this internship has been meeting Susan and sharing this experience with her. It's also been cool to dine in her garden (she is a master gardener and master hostess) and to watch it grow. Plus her husband knows how to dress for the derby, which is nice.