Thursday, June 23, 2022

Purple Lupines

 Hi everyone. 

It's time for Rain's Thursday Art Date, and this week her theme for  Colorful June is purple. 

In my town there is a  group that maintains the snowmobile trails that crisscross town. (In fact you could snowmobile from my town and connect to trails that go all the way in Northern New Hampshire, Northern Maine, Vermont or even Quebec.) At a couple of spots where the trail crosses the state road, there were these gorgeous fields of lupines that I think are on state property. Many are purple, but I'm loving the other shades too. I stopped at one a couple of weeks ago  when these flowers were at their peak and snapped a few photos.










Lupines always remind me of this children's book.


Here's the little write up about it on Amazon if you aren't familiar with the story:

"Barbara Cooney's story is about Alice Rumphius, who longed to travel the world, lived in a house by the sea, and wanted to do something to make the world more beautiful. This story has a timeless quality that resonates with each new generation. The countless lupines that bloom along the coast of Maine are the legacy of the real Miss Rumphius, the Lupine Lady, who scattered lupine seeds everywhere she went. Miss Rumphius received the American Book Award in the year of publication."

 It is a lovely story.  Real lupines are beautiful. I actually didn't know about this book until one of my English teacher friends introduced it to me on a camping trip we took in Acadia National Park several years ago after school let out for the summer. I loved the story, and  I had to buy a copy for myself.

One of my other friends has been editing her gardens and invited me over to see if I wanted any of the plants she needed to remove. She said she couldn't dig them out to just let them die, but if someone wanted them that would help her out.  She had oodles of purple lupines. Of course I'd be happy to take a few, even if I needed to figure out where to plant them. But my problems could be a lot worse!!! 


 I actually made space for them in and around the new bee garden I am still setting up. The lupines worked perfect in there as I don't want anything that looks too formal. I hope they seed into the space so next year I have some pretty flowers. 

My friend was also taking out some day lilies, and I said I'd take a couple.


Ha ha. "I really don't want any of these." She said as she kept digging them out. Now I have about 15 new lilies, which I planted here and there around my yard. Hopefully they will all take, but lilies are pretty tough plants.

Enough said. That's it for me today. I hope your week is going well. And thanks so much for stopping by my blog.











22 comments:

CJ Kennedy said...

The lupines are so pretty. I had never heard of Miss Rumphius. How fun is she! Like the Johnny Appleseed of the flower world. Enjoy your day

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Lupines seem very adept at populating wild spaces and do well everywhere. There are fields of them here and they are a wonderful splash of colour. I m not sure of their impact on other meadow flowers but there are more of them every year. Hugs - David

Angie's Recipes said...

The lupines look really beautiful with all the colours and shades..not just purple.

DVArtist said...

There is nothing prettier than a field of Lupines. Nice your friend gave you some lily plants. Have a very nice day.

Divers and Sundry said...

"Snowmobile". You had me at "snowmobile" lol And then you added "trail" and I'm just wondering what living someplace like that would be like. Wow!

That book was one of my kids' favorite read-alouds back in the day. We didn't know what a lupine was before that. I still have the book around here somewhere...

I love daylilies! I'll be interested in seeing them in bloom in your garden. Mine are all the common orange field lily, but Mother had several different colors. There are so many!

Valerie-Jael said...

I love lupines. Here they have planted them along the tram tracks, and you see a riot of colour when you're sitting in the tram. Glad you got some new additions to your garden! Miss Rumphius is a great character. Have a wonderful day, hugs, Valerie

Carola Bartz said...

The field of lupines is gorgeous! Did I understand you correctly, they grow wild there? How wonderful! I do love lupines, but I am not sure they would do well in our climate. We do have wild lupines that are native to CA, but they are much shorter and smaller than the ones in your photos. I used to have day lilies in my garden, but I took them out because they weren't doing well - they just need too much water, and that just doesn't work in our drought.

Linda Kunsman said...

Although as you know I am not a fan of the cold I would ride a snowmobile on a trail (as a passenger of course;)
Those lupines are gorgeous!! And the book sounds like a lovely read. Enjoy adding to your garden.

Christine said...

Lovely purples, I do remember that book! Lilies are hardy.

carol l mckenna said...

Absolutely beautiful floral photos and Barbara Clooney is a delightful children's author ~ Xo


Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,

A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

Iris Flavia said...

Beautiful flowers and an even more beautiful story!
I just ordered it at amazon :-)
And lilies, ohhhh. Lucky you!
I planted something. Lost the paper. Hm. They grow like crazy, let´s see what they are...
Hugs and to a great day!

Tracey@Hotchpotchcreations said...

Lupins really are beautiful, what a lovely discovered display of varying colour along the trail. I've always wanted Lupins in my front garden but always been worried of the toxins as a dog owner but as Freya is more of a sniffer of flowers than an eater I may take the plunge.
So pleasing to see those Lily's given a chance else where, we been doing the same with some of my MIL's plants.. just wish my gardens where bigger.
Happy TAD hugs TRacey xx

Tom said...

...I've seen some beautiful lupines, but your are to die for. Thanks for sharing them!

Jeanie said...

BLogger Steve was talking about Lupines. I love them and haven't seen them around here, though I'm sure I haven't looked hard enough. Three cheers on more lilies. (And nice interview with Elizabeth!)

Andrea @ From The Sol said...

I have always loved the Lupines and tried to plant them in the garden when we lived on the lake. I had a hard time getting them to take, but finally did for one year then they didn't come back. And here are Lupines growing in the wild by you ... so beautiful and inviting. Maybe that is what they need, just to be free. I love the book you recommended. Our young people need to know about nature and the things that are beautiful in our world ... assuming of course our generations don't continue to ignore global warming and spoil it for everyone. There is an intensity in what you write that is so inviting and enjoyable. Thank you for that ...

Andrea @ From the Sol

pearshapedcrafting said...

My Dad's garden always had lupins. I really do love your photos! This was a real treat! The bees will thank you! Hugs, Chrisx

NatureFootstep said...

I love lupines. To bad they are invasive flowers and many people dislike them. :(

NatureFootstep said...

strange, I thought I had comment on this one. Bt I don´t see it.
Anyway. I like this flower and has taken quite a lot of shots of them

Rain said...

The Lupine Lady! I love that story! We have an area down the road where there is a HUGE patch of lupines and then nothing else for miles! They are such unusually pretty flowers! Very nice that you were able to receive some plants from your friend! ☺☺

Lowcarb team member said...

The lupines are very pretty.

All the best Jan

Aimeslee Winans said...

Ah, lupines! Gorgeous varieties up there. Down here we have our state flower, the Bluebonnet lupine and they grow wild in the hill country (central Texas), although sometimes you'll see patches of them in people's yards here by the coast. It's an annual spring tradition down here for folks to drive to the bluebonnet fields and be photographed sitting amongst them. Glad you got some from your friend and day lilies too. XXO

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I've never heard of lupines before. They are beautiful. And you are SO lucky. Seems even my day lilies have quit blooming. I hope yours do well, dear.