Mrs. Moon PulmonariaIn the evenings, I gaze out the window and absentmindedly flip through gardening magazines. [Makes t.v. time loads more bearable.] Shining back at me, last night, was the nearly full, Super Moon. That one that everybody's yapping about. Extra big, extra bright, all set to smile upon us, come sundown, Saturday night.
Whatcha doin' to celebrate the biggest moon in 18 years?
Me? Not much. I jumped the gun. Earlier this week, I planted the first of the spring flower seeds, pretty new perennials to spruce up the ugly half of my backyard. Among them, this dainty darling, Mrs. Moon.
And, I guess I should have waited. Because according to lunar legend...
Plants respond to the same gravitational pull of tides that affect the oceans. Just as the moon pulls the tides in the oceans, it also pulls the subtle bodies of water. Tests have proven seeds will absorb the most water at the time of the full moon - and germinate faster during this time in the lunar cycle.
So, anyhoo, back to the baby moons -- Do you grow this perennial? She's a goodie for mountain gardens, flourishing in our wet clay soil during springtime. Dormant later in summer, when things are dry as a bone.
And, just like the big cheese up above, Mrs. Moon has phases, too. She starts out blooming pink, morphing to pretty shades of purple and blue.
Around here, she's the hardiest of the bunch, but if you garden in a normal environment there are plenty of varieties to choose from: Azure, Benediction, Blue Ensign, Lewis Palmer, Majeste... Rubra Red:
Blue Moons:Pulmonaria saccharata Mrs. Moon, also called Bethlehem Sage, USDA zones 3-8, grows to about 12 inches tall. Pretty speckled foliage with silver spots on the leaves.
Pulmonaria blooms late in May in my mountain garden. Will likely bloom a bit earlier for you gardeners at the bottom of the hill.PS: Have fun tonight! A little bit of howling at that magical moon might be good for what ails us all. According to Big Brother, it might be bright enough to see lunar landings and more!
