watchingthedaisies

My Donegal Garden – June 2020

“And as he spoke of understanding, I looked up and saw the rainbow leap with flames of many colors over me.”

                                                                                                                                Black Elk

My garden continues to enchant me with a rainbow of floral hues; I find it very hard to choose a favourite:

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Red

Red aids courage, and inner strength. It lies opposite green on the colour wheel.

I have a number of red roses, but I do not know all their names. However, this new red Achillea is called Tutttifrutti “Pomegranate.”

Two Roses and Achillea Tuttifrutti “Pomegranate”

Orange

Orange welcomes joy and laughter. Blue is orange’s opposite hue. Placed side by side they enhance each others brilliance.

Both Fox and Cubs and Nasturtium would take over the garden if left to their own devices!

Fox and Cubs and Nasturtium “Tropaeolum majus”

Yellow

Yellow sharpens the mind, and is the complementary colour of purple.

Rosa “Pilgrim” is a David Austin purchase with an exquisite scent.

Rosa “Pilgrim”

Meanwhile Lysimachia is growing bolder every year, but she lifts my spirits and highlights the bright hues of her neighbours.

Lysimachia and friends

Lime Green

Lime green welcomes new beginnings. I always associate it with spring.

Alchemilla mollis produces great froths of lime green blooms, which make a perfect backdrop for flower arrangements.

Alchemilla mollis

Pink

Pink relates to the heart chakra and romance. It also invites inner peace.

My “James Galway” and “Generous Gardener” roses are thriving at the moment.

“James Galway” and “Generous Gardener” Roses

Blue

Blue resides on the restful side of the rainbow. It aids creativity and communication – a perfect colour for writers and bloggers.

These Viola are smiling alongside lettuce, rocket and tomato plants on my edible bench, while Salvia nemorosa “Ostfriesland” has settled into her new home, near Catmint which is much loved by my neighbours’ cats.

Viola, Salvia nemorosa “Ostfriesland”, and Catmint

Purple

Purple enhances creativity and spirituality. It can aid meditation and relaxation.

I have enjoyed watching scores of bees burrowing into my Foxgloves.

Foxgloves and happy bees

Some of my purple elder flowers have been picked to make elder flower cordial and ice lollies. Very refreshing on these warm summer days.

Magenta

Magenta resides between purple and white. Like purple, magenta aids meditation.

Geranium psilostemon and Geranium sanguineum will flower all summer long, providing an abundance of ambrosia for bees and other insects.

Geraniums psilostemon and sanguineum

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”

                                                                                                       Marcus Tullius Cicero

If you enjoyed this post you might also like Colour Your Day or one of my regular monthly gardening posts.

Happy gardening.

Brigid P. Gallagher is a retired natural medicines therapist, passionate organic gardener and author of “Watching the Daisies- Life lessons on the Importance of Slow,” a holistic memoir dedicated to the art of mindfulness and healing from debilitating illness.

81 comments

  2. Your garden abounds with gorgeousness Brigid, a joy to see while we enter the coldest month of the year here in Melbourne. xx

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  9. Brigid, a wonderful post and I feel serene, spiritually at peace, harmonious, joyful and more courageous reading all about the beautiful flowers, the meaning behind the colours! So many to admire I’ve had to go back and forth, letting my eyes feast on the wonder of nature! A haven for you, aiding creativity and happiness!

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    • Thank you Annika. I feel incredibly blessed to have a garden. Every morning I take a little stroll outside, sniffing the roses and talking to all the flowers. It sets me up for the day ahead. I am so glad you enjoyed your virtual visit xx

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  20. Your garden is amazing, Brigid. It is beautifully balanced with arrays of selection and colors. You have a haven right at your finger tip. I could sit in your garden all day long to let the color and fragrance do the refreshing and restoring the inner power and strength. 🙂

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      • I usually don’t make plans especially color scheme. I read many landscaping and gardening books, but I ended up doing what is convenient for me. Now I want to plan a butterfly garden to encourage the butterflies to lay eggs. I do need some planning. I also want to use some space to plan some vegetables. So I’ll get rid of a lot of convenient plants.

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