Friday, May 18, 2018

Sweet, Sweet Scent


Our unusually cold March and April combined to delay the flowering of the Clove Currant by nearly one month.  This bush has been with us for decades.  When we first began to grow flowers, several women of considerable years took us under their wings and encouraged our efforts.  Ellie was with us from the start and gave us root runners from her Ribes odoratum plants.  We now have them growing in several different locations as one simply cannot have too many of these.


The fruit of this plant is a black currant.  Despite a large number of these bushes, we seldom see many ripe currants.  It is likely that the birds enjoy the currants.  Jam is not the reason that we grow so many of these bushes.  Their scent is a unique winner.  The aroma of cloves carries on the wind for a considerable distance.  We frequently walk into the sweet cloud as we work about the garden.  The scent is light and pleasant adding greatly to our enjoyment outside at this time of year.  There is much work to be done but this sweet smell silently overtakes us without warning.  Busy garden days are simply made pleasant by Clove Currant.


Beauty is the draw of this plant.  An old fashion Bleeding Heart anchors the corner in front of Becky's parents memorial bench.  It is a fair walk to this place since we located the bench in a spot that overlooks one of the favorite fishing holes of Becky's father.  We never fail to visit here when the flowers are in bloom.


The Great White Trillium also exerts a strong connection on us.  None were found growing here when we first found this land.  Recently, we buy more each year trying to establish a large planting.  Patience is required but we now have just slightly more than a few growing here.  Their flowering cycle is much too short so we need to take breaks from the work to take in the beauty of these flowers.

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