Reasons for Urban Gardening No. 1: Cut roses for free

All those rose poems finally make sense.

Sacred Emily

Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose

Loveliness extreme.

Extra gaiters,

Loveliness extreme.

Sweetest ice-cream.

Pages ages page ages page ages. 

- Gertrude Stein 

IKEA recognizes

This landed on my stoop last week. Can't argue with the sentiment! 

The preamble

Le jardin du Bed-Stuy began with Home Depot-acquired bulbs, which looked like bits found in boys pants. The images of dinner plate dahlias, unfurled pink Sarah Bernhardt peonies and gaping yellow day lilies on the bags were irresistible in sad and chilly early April. 

The dahlias and peonies went in the ground in mid-April. By May, three dahlias inched out of the ground. The peonies, my favorite blossom, didn't. Mildly heartbreaking. The dahlias, however, soared and thickened at their green trunks. They are now about 12 inches tall and about to pop any day now. 

Having thrown away the bags, I had no idea what color the flowers will be. Either purple or white, we'll have to see.