One of our group, Steve, was celebrating his 79th birthday while we were staying here at Trulloinvilla this week. To add to the planned festivities Blythe & I went out to pick a bouquet of wild flowers and grasses yesterday. All this week, as we drove through the Puglian countryside, I have been marveling at the many plants, both domestic and wild, that are blooming along the country roads.

Our host tells us that it has been a very wet spring which I think has lead to the lushness of the growth along the road passing by our front gate. We had only to walk for about 200 yards along the road to gather an incredible array of wild flowers and grasses to build the bouquet.

I recognized some of the flowers like Queen Anne’s Lace, poppies, and thistle, but a lot of the plants were completely unknown to me, including Purple Viper’s-Bugloss, corn marigold, quaking grass, wild oats, and false barley. They made a beautiful arrangement that all of us have continued to marvel at each time we pass by. I think Steve was very appreciative, but I know it was an incredible gift for me to have the opportunity to create it.

Steve, I hope you have many, many more wonderful birthdays surrounded by friends!