Little Green Mysteries.

For the past three or four years, I've planted a few perennial flowers in the back garden here and there. I'm mostly obsessed with hydrangeas, two of mine bloom beautifully and two have only one or two blooms all summer. This makes me sad, and sometimes I try to coax them into blooming more. I talk to them and I offer them luxuries like, "I will build pretty little winter huts to protect your fragile branches in the 0 degree snowy, windy weather" and "I swear I will water you at least twice a week this summer!" but to no avail, the two skimping hydrangeas are showing up late again this year, and I probably won't see much before we leave. sigh.

There is another strange phenomenon going on in the back of the yard where I planted some peonies three years ago. It looks like this back there:
There are two plants on the left, one gianormous one in the middle and a small blooming one on the right. They have been there for three years and this is the first year the left ones haven't budded. They were bought all at the same time from the same store and I can't figure out why only two are blooming. While looking up information on the care of peonies, I find that they are a very hardy plant. Oh dear, it must be me.

I did have a sweet little surprise while walking past plants and taking notes. I couldn't remember what kind or color these healthy lilies were (peeking out through the strangling weeds that I have still to take care of):
And then I remember that i, in fact, forgot to plant this lily last year and it's growing out of the pot I bought it in, probably better than if I had planted it myself.

So, here's to the Erin, the new groundskeeper at Casa de McEwen (as of August). I know the plants will love her more.