Clematis virginiana is one of the better things about Pennsylvania's roadsides. Not only is this native vine quite decorative, but it also hides from view our plentiful Keystone Ice cans and Happy Meal cartons.
A few years ago I clambered down into the swamp over the hill and pulled up a little rooted piece. I took it home and tucked it into the soil beneath the flowering quince in our yard, and every late summer since, I've sat on the glider and wondered: where is that damn thing? I can see a few stray strands of it amongst the quince branches each spring, but by August, they've disappeared.
This summer was a wet one, and the clematis thrived. Finally, the dark, glossy foliage of the quince is veiled in cream-colored lace - better than I'd hoped. If you sit in the grass underneath and look up, you see the source of a wonderful humming - one hundred pollinators, of all stripes, foraging.
Clematis virginiana also has a host of wonderful common names: you can call it devil's darning needles, virgin's bower, or old man's beard. If you were having a nudist wedding, and you were the bride, I think you could just drape yourself in a few strands and be quite stunning.
4 comments:
I'll try to remember that the next time I have a nudist wedding.
How delightful that when it finally decides to reward you for your patience it goes above and beyond.
Dang! I wish I had thought of that for our nudist wedding!
I see my nudist wedding idea is popular. If anyone needs me to make a dress for their nudist wedding, I can totally do that.
Lovely pictures! I'm getting married in October and had to giggle at the thought of my more prudish relatives' reaction if I chose your wedding dress design. Haha!
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