It’s Poetry Friday! Tabatha has the roundup today at The Opposite of Indifference where she very cleverly interviews poet William Blake. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.
My last post was about peonies, so this week I decided to give the hydrangeas equal time. In contrast to peonies that don’t hang around long, hydrangeas have stamina. The blooms last and last outside (even in heat) as well as inside. They are bright and happy placed in cool water and left alone on the kitchen table. A few weeks ago, I snipped some blooms to take to a friend’s house. When I arrived, the blooms were so wilted I feared I had stretched their endurance too far. But I chose to bet on the potential of these resilient flowers, and I was rewarded.
I hope wherever you are you can enjoy these longest days of summer and the full Strawberry Moon tonight.
Imagine the Possibilities 
Potential should not be overlooked…yes! Also, never underestimate the power of some good old fashioned TLC… we gardeners often hear others complaining about how they can’t keep plants alive, when what we see is so much STRIVING for life…these plants, they are doing everything they can to live! xo
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Thanks, Irene! I hope you have a wonderful retreat at Highlights. Wish I were joining you. And please say hello to Charles for me.
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I love hydrangeas! And my neighbor’s bushes are doing beautifully, and mine is not. I’m thinking I need to transplant it to another location in my yard. Yours are beautiful!!! I love that winking! 🙂
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Thanks, Marcie! Enjoy your time at Highlights.
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I need some hydrangea-hope today… my beautiful pastel yarrow are coming up plain white this year 😩 Here’s to the future!!
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It’s strange how each year can be different. Without our dog’s scent, the deer are wreaking havoc on many of my plants. But we have our daughter’s dog this weekend, so hopefully he’ll help take care of that.
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I love that you found the ‘other’ strength of hydrangeas, Rose! The lesson to not ignore potential, that not over ‘yet’ is one to remember! A beautiful poem about them!
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Thanks, Linda.
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Oh, to be like those hydrangeas and “wink in the sunlight” when we get the chance to be revived after being “weak, wilted- tired.” Beautiful, encouraging words.
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Thanks, Diane.
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I love how the blooms revitalized in the cool water. I bought two hydrangeas this spring and they are hanging in there. I’m trying to figure out where they want to be? Now I am determined to look at their potential!
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I hope you have lots of luck with them, Margaret.
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Rose, I love the way you have captured the resilience of the hydrangeas, and the lesson they provide for the way we look at others and ourselves is a great way to end your poem. Beautiful!
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Thanks, Denise.
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Go, Hydrangeas! Nice recovery 🙂 Glad you didn’t count them out too early.
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Me, too! I almost threw them away.
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Love the detail of wrapping them in moist paper toweling. I’ve done that many times. I didn’t really know hydrangeas until I lived in the Pacific NW, but I’m happy to report that two neighbors have them here in NC. One is purple, the other blue. Beautiful, resilient flowers, glad you took a chance and shared your poem with us.
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Thanks, Ramona.
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Today, I saw the wink of sunlight on a hydrangea and it was beautiful.
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Nice, Jone. Thanks!
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I love love LOVE this lesson from the hydrangeas!
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Thanks, Mary Lee.
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I love the beautiful, poetic way you describe the flowers and their journey–punctuated with that fabulous, commanding last line. I love hydrangeas and love this poem!
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Thanks, Laura!
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Three cheers for nurturing potential, Rose!
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I’m picturing perky pastel hues making eyes at the sun. 😉
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Yay for those resilient, perky hydrangea blooms and your poem capturing their and your endurance! I’m hoping and waiting for some buds to form on my hydrangeas…
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