Thursday, May 13, 2010

Wisteria Hysteria!

This is an old film photo of young 'Tree' Wisteria plantings from nearly twenty years ago. They were to grow like a colonnade along with six others, planted along the top garden entrance. "Were To!" For as often happens . . .  I "meant" to install strong supports, but thought at that time a Wisteria vine might be inclined to grow straight up like a tree and support itself! Alas, its 'vine tendencies' have a strong will. Without support my 'Tree' Wisteria colonnade in several years time began to long for the ground to slowly flow upon in serpentine waves . . .  to climb and cling to anything that might give it a ride. Still I "meant" to get some supports before they fell further. The poor dear vines were too old and thick by then, so as they fell horizontal all began sending up and out runners here and there and everywhere. Of course, I mean to make baskets from the mile long runners I pull up! Be aware if you plant Wisteria . . . it may just become like an octopus in your garden but with far more tentacles than the eight armed mollusk of the sea. Though truly it's delicious dripping chimes of profuse blooms makes it worth the maintenance. This photo shows my pre-Bishop's weed days . . . I tweaked the image a bit in photoshop . . . for a painterly effect I added maybe three additional blooms. I cannot even tell which ones are copies. 
Today my old vines still survive sending out a small wall of blossoms, along with runners that decide at one point here and there to stop and put up new vertical vines/trunks . . .  that I "Will" support and grow as trees! They are exciting to me from the very beginning, when their translucent buds begin to swell and expand.


Even the flowers have a vine tendency. They swing and dance in the air.
Looking down from the balcony.
Just down the stairs looking out towards the top garden . . . standing near the Rock Maple.
Out towards the Mount Holyoke Range . . . not quite a colonnade.
From inside the top garden looking out towards the house and Rock Maple. Each view is weighted down with blooms.

In the distance a runner sprouted a new 'Tree!'
Each little pea-like floret spreads its wings and full sensual chimes hang and sing in the wind. They have the added gift of sweet nectar and perfume and are so delicate to hold . . . a gentle one-hand clap for the excitement of Wisteria.
Boy Bluebird is busy eying for morsels of food.

It was a chilly morning with patches of frost on the ground, when I went out at 6AM. There are many warblers about . . . I will add their portraits in another post . . . wish I could add their songs. The American redstarts are flitting about, I spotted my first Red Admiral sipping Lilac nectar and the Baltimore Orioles are busy weaving their nest! Today I am sharing blues and purples . . . with a bit of rusty orange . . . stay tuned for orange and black! These photos show a few of the blooms from my garden now and as it is nearly May Bloom Day over at Carol's May Dream Gardens I will let this post be my contribution. Hard to believe it is the middle of May already!
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