Sunday morning blues
‘Blue Elf’ aloe flowers stand out against blue containers
After being grazed by a very light frost early Saturday morning (I suspect temps simply hovered around 32 F in my garden for an hour or so), I noticed that a few new leaves had curled on the purple vitex (Arabian lilac) that I planted last fall, and the ‘Radrazz’ rose’s edges had slightly burned. Other than that, spring continues apace.
The blues grabbed my attention yesterday, and for once I don’t mean my bottle tree. The ‘Blue Elf’ aloe’s orangey coral flowers really pop against the blue background provided by two glazed pots.
For a blue blossom, look to the spiderworts (Tradescantia occidentalis ). Even on one plant, they range from a medium purple to a nearly electric blue.
Each flower stalk supports a snarled cluster of hairy blossoms. Is this where it gets the name spiderwort?
This furled, unnamed purple iris is getting ready to brighten the back garden near the bottle tree. It’s kind of phallic right now.
The purple ‘Amethyst Flame’ irises still grace the front garden. In this photo, shot yesterday afternoon, they glow like crepe paper backed by the setting sun.
Another look at the ‘Blue Elf’ aloe.
If your Sunday blues are due to lingering snow, let these blues give you hope for spring. It’s coming. And if you’re a Southerner like me, you’ll be getting outside to enjoy the blues. There’s another beautiful spring day waiting just a few feet from this computer screen.
See ya.
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Hi Pam!
I like your cloose up picks at your flower, it is so fine to see how the flower is “edyfy”.
Here in our part of Sweden it´s still rader cold, we have some Hellebourus and Giantus and some Primula is on there way.
Have a nice weekwnd Ken
Hi, Ken. What does “edyfy” mean? I’m glad you have some early spring flowers brightening your garden too. —Pam
It is a beautiful day in central Indiana, too, though too cold to do much outside. Later I’m going to go out and look for signs of spring. I know they are there! I hope you are ‘saving’ some of your beautiful flowers for the spring fling weekend!
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
I’d love to save them, but I fear most of these will be gone by then. However, others will be just waking up in early April, so don’t worry! —Pam
Those first couple photos – wow!
Thanks, Jim. Those are my faves too. —Pam
great photography no such thing as spring here still quite heave frost every night and surprise surprise snowing again today
steve
Thanks, Steve. I hope you get a warm-up soon. —Pam
Those stunning photos are a real pick me up after a trying day yesterday with blogger and the internet. I’m with Carol, save some blooms for us flingers! We did get to work outside today after a frigid start, it felt invigorating.
Frances
I’m glad you got outside today despite the cold weather. Your frosty photos sure looked pretty—but wintry! —Pam
wow….those first shots are incredible….it is easy to see how much you love color. Good eye,
Gail
Thanks, Gail. Yes, I do love color contrasts. And bright colors seem to suit our hot climate. —Pam
Yes, your Sunday blues sure beats my Sunday whites!!
I bet it won’t be too long before you’re singing the blues too, right? And I mean that in a good way. —Pam
I agree incredible shots and spectacular colors.
Thanks, Robin. —Pam
A few years ago I thought I had too many blues in my garden this time of year. I’ve branched out with some yellows and oranges but this definitely seems to be Austin’s season of the blues. The aloes I planted outside after my electrician broke their pot are sending up flower stalks too. I never knew they flowered as I’ve had the potted ones for year and nothing. I hope they turn out as beautiful as yours.
I remember reading that your aloes are blooming too. Do you know what kind they are? I still recall the ones we saw in bloom in Jill Nokes’s garden that were so appealing. I have some African aloes that haven’t ever bloomed, but maybe next year. —Pam
Your Blues are beuuutiful Pam. I drove home from the snow belt today and your blues with the elf flower is just the antedote to the winter blues here.
I’m glad the blues of spring helped to combat your winter blues, Lisa. —Pam
Howdy and what a way to get the blues! I loved the aloe against the blue pots and then the whole post was just gorgeous. You make me miss Austin all the more. Maybe next year I will get down to the fling. Early April with the bluebonnets going and it not too hot yet is just a choice time of year in an always-special place. Thanks for sharing the blooms! Lynn
I’d love to meet you one day, Lynn. Thanks for your comment. —Pam
This is one place where ‘having the blues’ is a good thing! Your pictures prove a point and that is ‘Gardening is all about sex!’ How could that be bad! LOL 🙂
Indeed! As the birds and the bees arrive for spring, I expect to see a lot more of that on everyone’s garden blogs. —Pam
I’m emerging from wallowing in my snow blues to enjoy your spring blues. LOVE those aloe flowers against the ceramic blue pots!
The aloe’s flowers only last a few weeks, but I do enjoy their color against those blue pots. I’m glad you did too. —Pam
Well, I guess my mind isn’t as filthy as I thought – I’ve never noticed the phallic tendencies of bearded Irises. Your blue containers are so wonderful, they have inspired me to seek out my own. Unfortunately, when I went to Target yesterday, they were all out of the tall cobalt containers which I had been waiting to go on sale.
The good stuff always sells out fast, doesn’t it? I hope you can find the pots you want somewhere else. —Pam
These photos are amazing!
Thanks, Marie. —Pam
Pam, I have yet to figure out why they call them spiderworts. I grow them here but never saw anything very spidery about them.
I read somewhere that the roots are tangled and spidery, and that’s where the name comes from. I like them despite the name. —Pam
I love the Aloe flowers against the blue background. Seeing the Iris makes me smile as I sail off into dreamland … Your photographs are beautiful.
Thanks, Kate. Happy dreaming of spring. —Pam
Great first pic and I love your Irises. Here we have to wait at least another month or so before they start flowering.
Isn’t that interesting that our iris bloom times vary so much, when we have so many other spring bloomers in common. —Pam
Beautiful shots of the irises, Pam. It’s been so dreary the last few days, although I have loved the rain. Everything is just suddenly popping out all over. My blooms are definitely at least a few weeks behind yours. Must be that Central Austin heat!
I have several other irises that still haven’t set buds, so maybe the ‘Amethyst Flame’ is just an early bird. —Pam
Beautiful, beautiful pictures – I fell in love with the aloe flowers against the blue sky. Terrific!
/Katarina at Roses and stuff
Thanks, Katarina. The background is a blue pot, but the sky was pretty blue too! —Pam
I´m sorry Pam 😉
I get “Edyfy” by the internet lexicon.
I mean that it is intresting to see in close up how a flowers is built up.
I can tell you that I´m hawing fun when I write anyway, even if my english are not so good.
Best regards Ken
Hey, your English is a whole lot better than my Swedish. No need to apologize. I’ve had Babel Fish mangle my translations before. Still, it’s a handy tool for reading foreign blogs. —Pam
I love the irises. That color is so perfect: vibrant, cool, and fresh all at the same time. Thank you for the pictures.
Heirloom Gardener
Well, thank you for your comment, HG. I love this iris’s color too, and as it happens it’s my easiest iris to grow, a dependable bloomer. —Pam