Elves Are Not Just For Christmas

I have a wonderful neighbor who lives next door.  Her name is "Z", we have never been told what this letter stands for and something has told me not to ask!  She is a whiz with gardening and works part time for the city as a landscaper.  She has transformed her yard into a mini-botanical garden full of flowers and food.  She's planted a row of raspberries along her driveway and has built a small cold frame in her backyard as well as a raised bed full of yummy and beautiful things.  

A few years ago I would come home and find small treats from her on my front porch:  a small container of berries, a bouquet or a plant start.  I, in turn, would leave small treats on her front porch whenever I could.  I don't have garden beds and my containers are filled with plants that are not generally good for cutting.  But I have left her bouquets of peonies and sweet peas, two things I am able to grow, as well as berries when I have extras from my own store.  We call ourselves "elves", because we love to do these things in secret.  Yes, it would be easy to just hand each other our offerings when we're both out in the yard together, but half of the joy is finding unexpected treasures waiting for us on our front porches.

Look what I found today:  I love the color combination of the roses, bachelor buttons and zinnias.  This photo doesn't show it well, but she added some dusty miller leaves around the outside of the bouquet and it looks just like a doily.  Made my day!