The Sunday porch: Belvidere, Illinois

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2 Palmer Hse., 1937, HABS, Library of CongressThe Palmer House, Belvidere, Illinois, 1937, by Joseph Hill for an Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

1 Palmer Hse., 1937, HABS, Library of Congress

The HABS described the stone portion of the home — built in 1851 — as “severe Greek Revival” and then noted that the front porch was “ornamented with jig-saw wood pat[t]erns which distinguish the building.”

The house is still standing, although the porch has been rebuilt (at half size) as an enclosed porch.

You can see more Sunday porches here.

Life in gardens: Mr. Hesse

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2 Mr. Hesse, Wash, D.C. 1928 or 29, Library of Congress“Mr. Hesse, Bot.[anic] Gardens,” Washington, D.C., 1928 or 29, by National Photo Company, via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Years later, did he go back and say, “I remember it as so much bigger. . . “?

1 Mr. Hesse, Wash, D.C. 1928 or 29, Library of Congress

The little boy was almost certainly the son of George Wesley Hess, who was Superintendent and then Director of the U.S. Botanic Garden from 1913 to 1934. There are more photos of the family and the Garden here.

I bless thee, Lord, because I GROW
Among thy trees, which in a ROW
To thee both fruit and order OW.

— George Herbert, from “Paradise”

In a vase on Monday: Fritillarias

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21bb potted Fritillaria meleagris, Feb. 2016, StuttgartPotted Fritillaria meleagris in our living room this week.

Fritallarias in pots, late Feb. 2016, Stuttgart, enclos*ure

The plants are 13″ to 15″ tall.

29 potted Fritillaria meleagris, Feb. 2016, Stuttgart

I love the checkered pattern on the blooms.

31 potted Fritillaria meleagris, Feb. 2016, Stuttgart, enclos*ure
Right now, almost all the supermarkets and florists here are selling small plastic pots of three or four blooming or almost-blooming spring bulbs (about €3.30 each — cheaper than a lot of cut flowers).

Potted Fritillaria meleagris, Feb. 2016, Stuttgart, enclos*ure

I replanted these into two purple ceramic pots that I had from a previous plant purchase. Then, to catch the excess water, I also put them down in blue pottery teacups from Rwanda’s Gatagara Cooperative.

25 potted Fritillaria meleagris, Feb. 2016, Stuttgart

I covered the soil with seashell chips.

32 potted Fritillaria meleagris, Feb. 2016, Stuttgart, enclos*ure

The yellow-blue sake pitcher and cups in the photos above were made by American ceramics artist Hayne Bayless.  They were purchased years ago at the Smithsonian Craft Show — which will be held this year from April 21 to 24 at the National Building Museum* in Washington, D.C.  If you plan to be in the D.C. area that week, you can buy advance (discounted) tickets here.

To see what other gardeners have put in a vase today, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.

*The Oehme/van Sweden exhibit will still be there.

The Sunday porch: Oxford, Ohio

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woman in hat and stole, Miami University“Woman in hat and stole on porch,” Oxford, Ohio, ca. late 19th or early 20th century, by Frank R. Snyder, via Miami University Archives Commons on flickr.

Is her slight Mona Lisa smile about her nice outfit or the photographer? (Click on the image for a larger view.)

Whoever said that money can’t buy happiness, simply didn’t know where to go shopping.
— Bo Derek

The winter garden: Greene County

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Farmhouse window, John Vachon, Library of Congress“Plants in window of farm home. Greene County, Iowa,” 1940, by John Vachon, via Library of Congress Photographs Division.

The pleasure of working outside is only matched by the pleasure of dreaming inside.

— Tyler Whittle