Unseasonable, infeasible heat has supercharged the garden these past two weeks. Straggling daffodils have been blasted dry by a preshock of summer, and this year alliums, Iris and peonies are competing with tulips in April’s pageant of pulchritude.
Over the last week our white Persian lilac, Syringa persica ‘Alba’ has come into flower. The stems on this shrubby lilac are dainty and the flower heads so voluminous that early morning sees the plant sunken under the weight of trapped dew. This is almost the plant that is generating the most questions from our visitors this week…
…. Almost but not quite. The tuberous geranium Geranium tuberosum pips it with ratio of about four “what is that lovely geranium?”s to three “what’s that white thing that looks like a lilac?”s. I think it must be the be the purple marbling on the pale blue flowers, and the way it grows coolly and calmly in the shocking green of the parterre’s new growth.
Banana update
I’ve always wanted to use the word ‘pulchritude’ in an article, but never had the nerve.
Interesting to hear the questions people ask. Can’t believe you have irises already.