Missed you

You know the old adage "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade". Well that's what I've been doing here. Last Friday I tried to get out of my computer chair only to find out that my back was totally locked. Don't know exactly what I did to it (ok, maybe too many six mile hikes that week) but I knew enough to stay home for a few days and do nothing.

How's that? Do nothing!!! Impossible, so I decided to take on a chore that I've put aside for several years now. I pulled all my old slides out of storage, hooked up that fancy Konica/minolta Dimage scanner I spent big bucks on and began to scan my slides.

Talk about a tedious, time consuming project! I've only gotten through the first few hundred but almost immediately I noticed something. These stunning plants that captured my attention 10 years ago are missing in my garden today. As I continue to search out new and wondrous plants, I've set aside some amazing performers just because they were "ordinary" or gag...annuals! At the top here is a shot of Cosmos growing by the cottage at Old Westbury Gardens. It's one of the first slides I ever took.
Here's some more beauties I find myself missing.

Amaranthus are just incredible in their weirdness! This bronze beauty (don't know the name) wasn't in my garden, I grew the deep burgundy 'Love Lies a Bleeding' variety.

How about this? Yes, for three years I had Edelweiss in my garden. If I had actually done a bit of research and planted it in the right location I might still be growing it today :-(
The hot pink blooms are masses of annual Silene armeria (catchfly) that self seed
with abandon here.

Simple Cleome. How stunning but Look, don't Touch! Wow, I was shocked when I tried to pull one out and found those teeny thorns that love to bite. Also, don't mass these under a window you like to open, phew...unless you have a affinity for gym socks.

Ok, now scroll upwards and read part two of this post.