Garden Love Letters
Abundance is
painting en plein air
a rare blue
seeds for the future
untamable vines
the cunning of a fritillary chrysalis
the wings’ first flutter
the tickle of ferny foliage
beads of butterfly eggs
earrings of snapdragons
the spider’s web
a garden that loves you back…
The air in New Orleans has a presence. It makes itself known with an affliction we call Swamp Booty.
Meet a New Orleans native—Commelina erecta . Commonly known as Whitemouth Dayflower, Widow’s Tears, etc.
Parsley is biennial. It yummily leafs out its first year. Year two it grows up, up, up bringing in pollinators with its umbel shaped flowers followed by seed heads.
The Gulf Fritillary feasts on its host plant the passion vine before crawling away to disguise itself as a dried up leaf. Sometimes the birds aren’t fooled. They have broods to feed.
Ten to twelve days later, weather and birds permitting, a Gulf Fritillary flaps its wings for the first time.
Patience is growing asparagus from seed knowing you won’t have a taste for at least three years.
North America’s largest butterfly, the Giant Swallowtail, egging the lemon tree.
Swallowtail eggs. Soon the caterpillars will be devouring lemon leaves.
The world you find when you stoop down for a closer look.
A garden that loves you back.