Morning Glory

Morning Glory
Originally uploaded by linfrye

Daily Practice
Journal

I love this time of summer/early fall when the morning glories seem to crawl over every inch of ground, shrub and surface. The 'heavenly blue' color is one of my favorites and has now covered much of my Clematis vince and fence-- but I'm also crazy about that deep blue/purple that sings midnight to me. Here and there a smaller, bright red/orange morning glory, Ipomea quamoclit or cypress vine) competes with the heavenly blues to see which will take over more of the garden!

There are hundreds of different varieties of this plant named for its habit of opening in the morning and closing by afternoon. Some species are annuals, others perennials. Most tolerate poor soil. Their twining nature makes them very useful for creating shade and for covering vertical surfaces.

Seeds contain ergot alkaloids and can produce hallucinations and poisoning if ingested in large quantities. Best to enjoy this flower before it seeds! LOL

Still, when the morning glories dominate much of the landscape, they seem to herald a change in the seasons. This morning's early fog echoes the same seasonal shift .... now if only the high heats do the same!

Have a great day!