When Knitting Was a Manly Art

Another couple rounds on the Aran this morning. With our young helper showing up at 8:30am each morning, I’m pressed to make decisions on what is important. So far, the knitting has won out, but I’m getting *way* behind in my email.. Pictures tomorrow.

In our front yard we currently have blooming a Lavatera xclementii (commonly know as Lavatera Barnsley). It was cut back to about 6 inches early this spring and it’s already over 6 feet in height. It’s a mass of flowers that will continue until our first frost. What’s interesting is that the bush has two different colored flowers. Barnsley is a sport of Lavatera Rosea and is considered a periclinal chimaera, which means that the plant can revert to it’s predecessor. This one does each year. Barnsley is pinkish white with a pink eye.

And Rosea is a pinky-mauve.

Both flowers occupy the same bush, but never the same stem.

Popularity: 8% [?]