Upon a May Night . . .

Upon_a_May_Night_2014_Copyright_Michaela_Harlow_thegardenerseden.comJPG An Evening Stroll to the Secret Garden, through a Carpet of Wild, Blue Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata)

Awake before the dawn this morning —listening to the forest come alive with the songs of hermit thrush and the yelps of young fox— my mind drifted back to yesterday evening, and a few stolen hours in the garden at twilight. A glass of wine and few moments to  collect fresh Lily-of-the-Valley, Daphne, fragrant Viburnum and Wild, Woodland Phlox for beside the bed. Spring is such a fleeting season, and oh, how I treasure May nights.

Memorial Day is the biggest gardening weekend of the year in New England, and yesterday was a busy work day for me. I spent the day shopping at nurseries and making multiple trips to and from growers with truckloads of plants. Hours in my own garden are so limited in May; with available time for maintenance confined mainly to early mornings and evenings. Thank goodness for lengthening daylight hours and French-pressed coffee to greet the sunrise.

Secret_Garden_with_Ostrich_Fern_and_Sterling_Narcissus_copyright_Michaela_Harlow_thegardenerseden.com The Secret Garden: from Fiddleheads to Feathery Fern, in the Blink of an Eye

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5 Replies to “Upon a May Night . . .”

  1. Deb Weyrich-Cody

    OMG, LOVE blues of the Phlox and Muscari together! What a HEAVENLY combination and, most especially in the magical morning light at Dawn… But, speaking of Heavenly, wasn’t that just a divine sunrise this morning? We were driving straight East along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence and it was amazing to suddenly be able to discern the horizon as the Sun gradually made it’s prescience known. But, even then, only after that gorgeous, silvery slip of a Moon and her partner the Mornjng Star kept their silent watch o’er us all…

  2. Michaela

    What an exquisite comment to discover on this dark & stormy morning! Yes, the sunrises and sets have been beyond magical. I am grateful for them, and for friends appreciative of life’s great poetry. xxx

  3. Deb Weyrich-Cody

    Ah yes, “Life’s Great Poetry” – LOVE it – what a great title this would be my dear M!
    (And please do excuse the spelling mistakes here; I’m afraid my lack of sleep was showing; )
    Glad you liked it: ) xo D.

  4. Michelle

    Simply **beautiful**, Michaela! I have to ask: how do you stop mosquitoes from breeding in your reflective water-bowl?

  5. Michaela

    Hi Michelle, Thank you, and that’s a great question. I use OMRI approved, organic Bti “mosquito cakes” or “dunks”, they are harmless to birds, fish, amphibians, bees, butterflies, and all wildlife except fly larvae. If you are curious, you can find them at Gardener’s Supply Company (link on side bar/end bar), and at many garden centers where organic pest controls are sold. I refresh the cakes about once a month & weight them at the bottom of the bowl to keep them invisible.

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