The clover I mentioned isn't black magic & purple passion -- that is the grower (and the name of a great gardening book on black plants). It is Trifolium 'Dark Dancer'  -- it is the photo in the lower right box. 

I went to home depot on Friday to get some potting soil and annuals. Yesterday I started putting them all together with some of the bulbs I bought last month. Here they are so far

Pansies, allysum and ranunculus in pinks and purples and reds

Icelandic poppies and pansies

Iris (red and white) and sweet peas

Linaria and anemones (purple and white)

Rosemary, oregano, thyme and lemon thyme

I also got black magic & purple passion clover (I see it in the gardening magazines all the time and couldn’t resist getting it. Now I wish I got a black Iris to plant it with), St. Johns Wort,  and Pennyroyale. I also managed to find (finally!) some grape hyacinths. I pitched them in the fridge with the rest of their chilly neighbors to rest until late December.

I ran out of dirt & need to go back to Home Depot.

One of my roommates had the cutest little dog, and when I was gardening he was watching me plant the ranunculus bulbs intently. Later, I went out to the backyard and he had dug them up from the planter! So my other roommate “punished” him and I repotted them.  Later still I went out again and he re-dug them up AND the pot of pansies and poppies. He even dragged one of the pansies out onto the grass and chewed on it! So roomie “punished” him again (we are such softies with him) and I replanted again. I had to replace some of the ranuncs because I suspect he planted them elsewhere himself. Then I set all of the pots and planters on top of upside-down 12” pots so the are out of doggie nose reach. I’d be mad if it wasn’t so damn funny.

I really hate saying this. I hate saying it; I hate writing it; I hate thinking it. So I use "softer" words. "When things are final." "Splitting up" " Moving out"

The gardenwitch is getting divorced.

So I am moving in with friends; luckily, friends who are just as green and who have lots of patio space for my plants.

Movers are coming October 2. I'm sure I'll have little dignity left by then -- after all I weep at the drop of a hat lately. I wept in front of the apartment complex manager when I broke the lease. I wept in front of the bank lady when I set up a new checking account. I weep so much in my car I'm suprised it doesn't mildew. On October 2 I'm sure I'll be weeping in front of the movers.

After breaking the lease and going to the bank today I went to Armstrongs and got bulbs for spring -- ranunculus, hyacinths, daffodils, anemeomes, etc. (Sorry, I'm too tired to spell check). Call it a consolation prize. Or an eye to the future.