'Angelique'

I confess to a mild case of tulipomania this past weekend. 'Angelique' distracted me from mundane gardening tasks. On the other hand, I enjoyed deck-cleaning, "the container dance"*, watering & seedling-thinning more because every few minutes, I would reposition the tulip pot to take a few more photographs.

Based on the many bulbs that froze during the winter, I estimate this one tulip cost me at least $10. Worth it, I think.

Even though space is limited on my balcony, I'm going to allow myself one "luxury" each season. By luxury, I mean inedible flower. Well, "inedible" in the sense it doesn't nourish the body; however, one could argue that beauty feeds the eye and spirit.

What do you think? Should inedible ornamental plants be banned from the kitchen garden -- does it cease to be a sustainable, low-impact kitchen garden if they're consuming resources of soil & water and not producing food?

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*The movement of pots from side to side and back to front so I have room to position a ladder to water the hanging baskets. Involves much bending, lifting, shuffling & stretching -- not necessarily done gracefully.

Hanami #5: White Bouquet

Cultivar & variety identification is tricky for a novice like me and the research is time-consuming but oh so fascinating. With help from the excellent UBC Botanical Gardens Forums & the Cherry Scouts, I learned to distinguish between a cherry blossom & a plum blossom. Soon I hope to return to this and previous posts and tell you exactly what Sakuras we've been viewing. For now, I will think of this cherry blossom as one of my favourites because of colour (white with traces of pink), inflorescence and, perhaps most of all, how it looks against the clear blue sky.

A more delicate shade of pink

I'm continuing with a pink theme but no cherry blossoms this time -- instead, a tulip named 'Angelique'. Last November I planted 5 bulbs in a container. It looks like 3 survived the freezing temperatures of December & January and the first one started blushing and unfurling today. (Yesterday I couldn't tell if it was the pink 'Angelique' or the white 'Mount Tacoma'. )

I think I like tulips best in their shy adolescent stage. How about you?

Hanami #4: Under a Pink Sky (Easter Monday)

Hanami #3: Under a Blue Sky (Easter Monday)