Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head

I awoke during the middle of last night to the gentle pitter-patter of raindrops. It's been at least a month since  even a smidgen of rain has occurred so this was indeed a welcome sound. Today I took some photos. 

 I'm not a huge Daylily fan but I've got five plants in my garden. 'Purple D'Oro' is my newest, although it's not all that new. Just new to me. I was attracted to the idea of a repeat bloomer. 

 This is one of my newest Fuchsias. I buy them by the dozen [not really, well almost] at Fry Road Nursery

 Campanula punctata 'Cherry Bells' really wants to take over. 
I should have located this plant in a better place. I say this a lot. 

 Speaking of "Cherry," my Nasturtium container is going to town. 
I kind of like the unkempt look. Am I nuts?

 Penstemon 'Sunburst Amethyst' is a stalwart. 

 This dwarf Gaura is just coming on. 

 Lookie my Yucca, Loree. It's going to bloom!

 The Dahlias [above and below] I bought at Costco last spring are blooming! 


 I really love these Alstromerias. 

 My Verbena rigida are in full array. 

 Several years ago I purchased a six-pack of this little annual Baby's Breath. 
Since then it has reliably reseeded in various pots. 

 My new white Abutilon [Flowering Maple] is small but a prolific bloomer. 

 Geranium 'Elke' I love this pink!

 This is a freebie Monkey Flower. I love this color too!

 My Cordyline has doubled in size since last year. 

 And finally, my blueberries are starting to ripen. Hooray! I need all the brain food I can get. 
To all of you in the midst of the heatwave, I'm sending you cool thoughts.

33 comments:

  1. I'm enjoying your cherry nasturtiums with you. Despite the late hour of this pathetic thing we're calling a Seattle summer, I was chitting some in tupperware last week as a last-ditch-effort to add more color to my patio and a squirrel tipped them over and they scattered to the winds. So I'll just enjoy yours instead. And I don't mind one bit if they're growing wild with abandon.

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  2. Dear Grace,
    Gorgeous......you have a fantastic garden. I am so happy you had rain. A thundershower is coming in for us. It was 100 degrees today...rain will cool things down a bit I hope.
    Always a delight to visit your gardens.
    Sherry

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  3. Yes, we've had rain here today too, after none for quite a while. In fact, right this minute, it is pouring really hard! Isn't that sort of abnormal? I thought the rain usually disappeared after July 4th. My garden was starting to need it actually.

    I am so in love with your flowers in this post. I like the unkempt look of the Cherry Nasturtium too. I want that pink baby's breath. The white Abutilon too. But the pink Dahlia with the yellow center, oh MY!

    Have you ever saved seeds from it? (Hint...)

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  4. Grace, I am green from envy! But, since green is my favorite color, I don't mind. Dahlias are blooming, blueberries are ripening - they are ahead of mine! Nasturtium - I'd rather have this one instead of mine yellow and orange! Your garden is super!

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  5. Is this your first yucca bloom? They are so fabulous, be sure to put your nose up close as they have a fabulous scent!

    I'm seriously considering planting Blueberries, I love them and they are so pretty!

    I'm curious if you've had trouble with blogger being super slow to load photos recently? It's driving me crazy!

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  6. Oh my goodness Grace. I love everything you posted here today. You have such a wonderful variety.

    Happy Summer Gardening and I'm glad you've gotten some much needed rain. We've been getting some too.

    FlowerLady

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  7. Your photos do look pretty with the raindrops on the flowers but enough already with the rain! I don't know about you but we need some serious sunshine here in these parts!

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  8. Dwarf gaura? What a good idea. Mine (not dwarf) is doing its annual tip over. I do LOVE gaura... Your flowers all look gorgeous! Wish we could share some of this cool week with the rest of the country.

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  9. We could use some rain but I don't think we'll be getting any soon.
    Love those nasturtiums! Great color.
    Still waiting on our dahlias to bloom. I keep thinking I need some campanula cherry bells, but then everyone says they roam, a lot, and not in a good way. Is that true for you?
    Now I'm lusting after your Alstromerias.

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  10. Lovely! Your garden looks incredible for not having rain for a month!
    "I should have located this plant in a better place. I say that a lot." ME TOO, Grace!! Over and over!!

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  11. Hi Grace,
    enjoyed your post! I didn't know flowering Maple came in white! My red is blooming now.
    Your Alstomarias are gorgeous! I hope they are planted beside that bi-colored Dahlia cause that's a winning combination when I scrolled your photos!

    glimpsesofglory-karen.blogspot.com/

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  12. I think the gods are being kind to us. Giving our arms a rest from hauling watering cans and hoses around the garden . Gorgeous plant collection.

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  13. I love the "unkempt look" too...well, at least when I say that it excuses me from some of my mess.

    Not finished with book, but it has gone on to another step in the process. Doing more illos now and will be doing rewrites.

    Don't want to go on another journey, but have to.

    Love how regal the Cordyline looks.

    Hugs,

    S

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  14. Grace, I always love to see what's blooming in your garden -- both the plants I can't grow here (Alstromeria, Gaura) and the ones I can grow (daylilies, Geranium). Elke is beautiful. -Jean

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  15. Grace,

    Your photos are lovely and the purple and pinks are wonderful together.

    Eileen

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  16. Oh Gracie how I would love to wake to the gentle sound of rain. I have never been successful with fuschia and have never seen a white abutilon....gorgeous. My dwarf guara hasn't bloomed yet ... sigh All plants and blooms are gorgeous here!

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  17. The rain was welcome here too ... This cool weather is making the plants so happy! No wilting and fainting just yet! Your garden seems to be thriving! A wonderful tour!

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  18. Pinks and purples....I love it! Such a lush garden, happy for you to have received some rain.

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  19. Beautiful post...don't you just love Verbena rigida...they are so carefree...and that wonderful color...yum!

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  20. Blueberries are beautiful!
    Campanula punctata 'Cherry Bells' is adorable and now I want one.
    Oh the rain!!!!

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  21. I LOVE the cherry nasturtium - I need to find some seeds and add them to my west flagstone bed. The color would be great there. Love all your shades of pink and lavender, very soothing.

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  22. What fantastic dahlias from Costco! And making mental note that the annual gypsophila reseeds. And let's use "exuberant" instead of "unkempt," shall we? It all looks fabulous, Grace.

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  23. The composition of plants in the background of your nearly blooming yucca is absolutely stunning. I like your new abutilon, but that "white" looks suspiciously yellow to me.

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  24. Grace, that white abutilon is gorgeous. I discovered them a year ago and I'm in love! Congrats on your first yucca bloom...in my experience you'll have many more! And, no, you're certainly not nuts loving that overgrown nasturtium container - it's fabulously unabashed!

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  25. Grace, my garden needed this rain. Our tall fir trees creat a canopy and keep soil under them dry. To wet those spaces, we need rain to be heavy. But enough is enough, we are ready for some good sun! Thank you so much for your comments! They inspire me!

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  26. Your Dahlias are far ahead of mine! The slugs have been enjoying mine quite bit. I planted Cherry Bells last year and read how it can really spread, but mine didn't survive the winter. Love the cute Baby's Breath and Alstromerias!

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  27. Grace girl you have so many gorgeous pink flowers I don't know how to choose from them !
    Elke is a wonderful pink for a geranium .. I want that too! the Baby's Breath is gorgeous and those dahlias from Costco ? I'll have to think of those for next year .. Monkey flower .. too cute and makes me laugh : )
    Hey .. I can't feel sorry for Billy any more .. he is a BIG BABY !! hahaha
    Joy

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  28. It's so enjoyable to visit your blog Grace. So much pink loveliness ~ I am right there with you on loving everything in that color. The yucca bloom looks very intriguing. Kudos to you for getting it to bloom. and the delicate pink baby's breath is very sweet. I finally pulled all the 'Cherry Bells' out of my beds and let them grow only in the rock pathway ~ much more manageable that way!
    I'm glad you got some rain ~ I can't imagine Oregon going without rain for a month?? Is that unusual? I haven't seen anything on the news about your state being in a drought but maybe I've missed it. We've been getting more than usual ~ strange year all the way around.

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  29. Hi Grace,
    I enjoyed all of your blooms. I have that bellflower, too, but it is in a spot with so many other plants, that it doesn't get to spread very far. I moved some to across the street. That could end up spreading more.

    I like the look of your nasturtiums, too. The view from the dwarf guara is dreamy. Those blueberries look yummy!

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  30. wow, you have so many exquisite flowers. Each prettier than the next!!

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  31. pretty pretty pretty - my gosh. i love fuschia - they seem really difficult though so I've never bought them.
    I also have those sweet cherry bells - love it. mine is a far cry from taking over though - ha!

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  32. Gorgeous. I'm not sure I've ever seen a white abutilon before. Your cordyline looks very much like my new one.

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  33. The hardy geranium "Elke" do you have that planted into a container/pot or in flowerbed? I agree with you; I like that color of pink! Monkey Flower..is that an annual or perennial. also pretty bloom color.

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