planting seeds
Gardening to Beat the Blues
by Maura daly
I
brake for blues . Bluebirds , blue flowers , blue skies . I love them all . Eating wild blueberries on rocky outcrops while hiking along the Appalachian Trail remains in my mind ’ s eye one of the highlights of those mountain explorations .
In the early 1990s , when I was resettling in Maryland after almost a decade as an educator and outdoor leader in south Asia , I had the good fortune to be introduced to Kunzang Palyul Choling , the Buddhist Temple on River Road in Poolesville . There , I stumbled into
Photo : Wib middleton
Beloved for their distinctive spring color , Virginia bluebells ( Mertensia virginica ) are also appreciated by early season pollinators , with bumblebees and mason bees providing cross-pollination during their visits . Other visitors include the nectar-seeking Giant Bee Fly , butterflies , skippers , and Sphinx moths . deep spiritual wisdom that has literally saved my life , and one that has also brought me into a deeper understanding of the natural world around me . The 65-acre Peace Park maintained by volunteers there has become my refuge . Along its quiet trails and streams , I could enjoy a welcome respite from the news and traffic on the 8 ’ s that dominated trafficky life in the Washington area .
No ordinary park , this wooded wonderland and wildlife refuge has given me access to deeply knowing one particular piece of land . While my home base moved from Poolesville to DC and eventually to various homes in the upcounty , my gardening feet were slowly and surely becoming more rooted in the gardens and woods at KPC .
Specifically , my first particular adopted corner of the property was the Blue Garden , part of a fivecolor garden mandala set up on Temple property . I adopted a tiny corner tucked into the east side of the grounds . A complete novice , I ’ d stop at garden centers all over the metropolitan area , looking for blue blooming plants that might flourish in the designated space . Annual , perennial , beneficial , native , suited to the soil , the moisture , helpful to the planet — I didn ’ t care . I just wanted it to be blue .
“ Maybe you could try the oldfashioned favorite , spiderwort ,” advised David Therriault at Alden Farms , when I consulted with him in the mid-1990s about his recommendations . Sure ! And blue hydrangea and some blue fescue and why not some blue Siberian irises friends had brought to Maryland from Michigan ? Okay , as long as it ’ s blue . One summer day , as I was
22 plenty I summer growing 2023