The pure beauty of the lotus flower holds
a benign spiritual promise...
a benign spiritual promise...
The lotus flower has different meanings between cultures: The ancient Egyptians associated it with creation and rebirth; Buddhism and Hinduism see it as a symbol of purity and beauty respectively. One myth describes how, during the time of the Creation, a giant lotus flower grew out of a pond and from it the sun rose. The pink lotus flower is considered sacred within the highest realms of Buddhism as it emerges slowly from dirty, muddy ponds, remaining clean. Egyptians depicted the lotus flower in various works of art, often as a border or held in the hands of a god. It is the national flower of India.
An equatic perennial, the lotus flower should not be confused with the water lily. Unlike the water lily, it only comes in pink hues or white.
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| Lotus Nelumbo nucifera |
One lotus flower is like a
complete world ...
Author unknown
complete world ...
Author unknown
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| My lotus flower blooms; I am awed by its beauty. |
The pond is at its loveliest today; even the tropical canna sports its exotic flower.
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| Canna x generalis |
The water canna lily, though not a true lily, has high wildlife value. With large, oval shaped, green leaf blades, it can grow over 60 inches tall. The canna has the ability to remove large amounts of nutrient contamination from ponds. Not usually a fan of orange flowers, I love its orange-spattered yellow petals.
The pond enhances the beauty of the cottage garden which is reaching its peak bloom time. Purple cone flowers, campanula, daylilies, yarrow, gooseneck loosestrife, and phlox are full of blossoms. Butterflies and bees are busy.
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| The main cottage garden border |
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| The border at the edge of the pond -- you can just see the lotus leaves in the center. |
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| A mirror adds depth and gives the herbaceous border another dimension. |
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| Daylilies and snapdragons in the horseshoe garden. |
At the entrance to our farm, the butterfly garden has really filled out with liatris, white phlox, purple cone flowers, butterfly weed and cleome.
The first monarch butterfly to visit my garden this year, spent several hours in the butterfly garden with numerous fritillaries for company.
The herbaceous border along the south side of the kitchen garden is a little slower coming to full color. The double red hollyhock in the middle should have reached six feet high, but was pruned by a deer early in the season.
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| Hollyhock Alcea rosea 'Chater's Double Red'. |
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| Phlox inside the kitchen garden |
As always, the shade garden provides a cool retreat from the heat of the day.
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| Most of the hostas are in flower in the shade garden now. |
The miniature/dwarf hostas in some of the fairy gardens bloomed on the day of the garden tour -- so thoughtful of them. I believe I bought the one shown here from Carolyn's Shade Garden several years ago. Check out Carolyn's beautiful blog if you are not familiar with it.
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| One of my 'Mouse Ears' miniature hostas. |
I am linking with Carol at May Dreams Gardens for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day -- a day late I'm afraid. Do check out her July posting for blooms from around the world. Thank you, Carol, for hosting!
We are still experiencing more rainfall than normal, but when the sun shines, like today, it is just perfect. Enjoy!
Pamela x
I look forward to visiting your blog in return.
The Lotus is lovely!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous purple coneflowers, too!
I love that blooming Lotus in your pond, it's wonderful. It's a bit strange you don't see them here outside in ponds, I wonder if that's due to too cold winters, I think our winters are not that cold anymore noweadays. I've seen them flowering here in the Hortus Botanicus in Leiden in the pond in the glasshouses.
ReplyDeleteThe 'Mouse Ears' mini Hosta I just bought when we were on gardentrip with our gardenclub last week. I'm always admiring the beautiful Monarch butterflies on American blogs, so beautiful......
Wish you happy gardening!
Oh, my, such luscious blooms! Your garden looks like such a peaceful, restful place. I'm sure it took a lot of hard work to make it that way.
ReplyDeleteYou have such a beautiful garden Pam, the border is spectacular. I too love lotus and relish them in every garden I visit.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing garden! The blooming Lotus is beautiful and the 'Chater's Double Red' against the white picket fence is a great photo!
ReplyDeletePam, our gardens are so beautiful! I love the pond and really all of your gardens. Spectacular!
ReplyDeleteYou could have stopped at the lotus. It's beautiful . . .and perfect.
ReplyDeleteRay
So many beautiful flowers you have in your gardens! Your lotus is indeed very beautiful and that canna is an amazing color. Thanks so much for sharing your gardens with us! -Beth :-)
ReplyDeleteYour pond is just gorgeous Pam and with the Lotus bloom, even more so. I think I'd sit and stare at it for hours.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of your garden is very colourful and how lovely that the Monarch popped by to enjoy your wares.
Pam, everything looks just beautiful in your garden. And you are way ahead of us, which makes me wonder if things bloom LONGER there. For example, the purple coneflowers. Mine are still in the early bud stage and they will bloom til very late fall (some might be hanging on until the first frost in October). Yours are obviously in full glory now! When will yours be done?
ReplyDeleteDiane from My Cottage Garden, but from my new blog.
I sent a longer message asking about the coneflowers. I didn't see the 'your comment will be visible after approval' so can you please let me know if I sent it properly? If I did, this will be the third comment in a row from me. ;) xx
ReplyDeleteYour comments came through fine, Diane. I was out of town so didn't 'approve' and post them right away. I look forward to visiting your new blog. P. x
DeleteThe lotus flower is just beautiful and I am a lover of orange and yellow flowers so I think your canna is stunning.
ReplyDeleteI love the lotus seed heads. something otherworldly about that stage.
ReplyDeleteI agree. This blossom has just gone to seed and it is amazing.
DeleteVisiting your 'blogged' garden is like a day trip, one that I never want to end. I leave inspired, a little (....ok a lot!!!) envious and in awe.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for the tour of your gorgeous garden! And that dear monarch! I can't wait for my first one to show up. I had a viceroy that fooled me for a minute. LOL
ReplyDeleteOkay, that solves that problem. Having trouble remembering how I have to sign in to comment on the different blogs. It's easier in some ways from wordpress and harder in others...
ReplyDeleteAnyway! Thanks for commenting those lovely thoughts on my new blog, Pam.
When you asked about the camera details, what did you mean exactly? The type of camera or the settings I used? Can you let me know and I'll answer on the blog as well.
But for now, it's a Nikon D3200. Took the close ups that have a really blurry background with my telephoto lens and a very large aperture. That's one of the things I just learned how to do properly by taking a course at the camera store.
Was there anything else you wanted to know?
You answered my questions, thank you, Diane. Your new blog is lovely! x
ReplyDeleteOh Pam that lotus is stunning....what a beautiful and sacred flower....and of course your garden is at its most beautiful with all the cottage blooms. Sadly no monarchs here so far. I hope they show up soon.
ReplyDeleteCottage garden in its best! And a lotus flower as a gem in the crown!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos Pam. I feel that I have been strolling around your lovely garden. That lotus bloom is stunning!
ReplyDelete