Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Kittens & Mystery Plants

MANY THANKS TO ALL OF YOU who so sweetly shared your condolences on the passing of my garden kitty, Willow. The sadness will linger as I venture to the garden and she's not there. However, my progeny, always looking ahead, have adopted a brother and sister team to carry the torch. Meet... 


Sister Nala and... 

Brother Taz. 
My photography isn't even close to stellar but this is the best I could do under the circumstances. Aren't they adorable?
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While driving last evening, I spotted this mystery shrub gorgeously cascading over a pristine fence. Quickly pulling the car over, I grabbed my camera and took these photos. I'm thinking it must be some kind of Escallonia but I've never seen a weeping form. Are any of you savvy people familiar with this gem? If so please enlighten me. 





The Albany Master Gardener garden tour was this past Saturday. It was WON. DER. FUL. The gardens were amazing and inspiring. The only drawback is that it was a clear, blue-sky June day, which meant most of my photographs, with the stark contrast between shade and sun, were not Blog-worthy. However, on the subject of mystery plants, I thought I'd share a photo of this hardy Geranium I spotted on a shady nook. The pink, star-shaped flowers are unfamiliar to me. Do any of you have a guess as to what variety this is? 



And since we're on mystery plants and pink flowers, (you know me), I thought I'd post a few more shots of my Gazbera, taken on the aforementioned clear, sunny day. Love, love! 



The rest of my photos are from the rose garden in Avery Park, Corvallis, Oregon. I don't have names for most of them. It was kind of breezy and cool so I just snapped and tried to enjoy the stroll. If you're familiar with these varieties, by all means, do tell. 
A HUGE rambler, this one has small flowers that start out pink and age to purple. 

Pink, ooh, la, la! 

Love the serrated edges of this gem. 

More pink. This might be 'Bonica.' 


This is 'Cinco de Mayo.' I have it in my garden. I love the indefinable coloration of the petals. 

I tend to favor the small-flowered bush types. This one really wowed me. 

Here it is again. 

Rosa mundi perhaps? 


This is another small-flowered, bush-type. Check out those petals! 

And finally, from my own garden, 'John Cabot' is outdoing himself this year,
despite having a 'Polish Spirit' clemmy winding through his branches. 

'Scentimental' is also a shiner this year. 

Finally, James Missier of Garden Chronicles blog awarded me the Versatile Blogger award! What a nice thing to do, James. Thank you! I wanted to alert you, my awesome readers, to his blog, if you're not familiar with it. He lives and gardens in Malaysia and it's difficult to leave his blog without a huge case of plant-envy.  

As always, 

31 comments:

  1. Oh my, how did I not mention my heartfelt condolences about Willow's passing...I am so sorry Grace...
    This post is truly full of eye candy! I mean every single bloom is gorgeous. The area you live in is so, so pretty...how do you keep from driving off the road?

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  2. I don't know the name of that hardy geranium- but I have one. Let me know if you want me to chop it in half for you!
    By the way, I have an invite to Diana's this Saturday morning...although it is supposed to be a bit rainy.
    Sweet little kitties! They should keep you hopping!

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  3. What a bummer that your garden tour photos were not (in your opinion) blog-worthy! I love garden tours, and I bet your photos were still instructional. Sorry I don't know the plants you are trying to identify. But that possible weeping Escallonia is pretty cool!

    The roses are gorgeous, I wish I liked rose bushes better.

    Your new kitties are the sweetest little things!

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  4. Oh wow Grace, Rose heaven. There are some really lovely ones too. I love that golden one with the serrated leaves too. I wonder what it is called. Gorgeous. Congrats on the new Kitties. They are so cute. I could send you three more just like them that are growing in my flowerbeds.LOL!

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  5. I know where to go if I need some pink! Gorgeous flowers! I understand your love fore small-flower roses, I do love them too!
    Those kittens are precious! It was so kind of you, Grace to take both of them. Willow would be proud of you.

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  6. Grace, I've been away too long! Sincere condolences on Willow -- what a beauty. The new kitties will be proper garden cats before you know it. Fantastic purple rambler -- wonder if it's one of the Veilchenblau/Bleu Magenta tribe?

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  7. Oh Grace, I am so sorry about your kitty. I cannot imagine the empty spot...we have to honor your lovely kitty in some way. On the happy note I love the little babes who have come to fill the hole and to love you...they are indeed adorable.

    I can never see enough flowers or enough pink. I have seen that bush you showed but do not know the name...we have a lot of them here but they seem to be trimmed like hedges.

    Sending you love,

    Mona

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  8. Oh, our cats fill up our hearts, then take little pieces with them when they go. Nala & Taz (such cute names) look capable of lively distraction from the sadness.
    The photo of the rose with serrated edges is a masterpiece...if this is the standard you set for yourself, I am not surprised that many shots wind up on the cutting room floor.

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  9. Awwwww....congrats on the new kitties...they are too adorable! I hope you find out the name of that Geranium...it's so lovely and delicate!

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  10. Grace:
    Sincere apologies for being away from your blog for so long. Sincerest condolences on the passing of Willow. I'm sure you will have your hands full with the new kittens, love their names! As for the mystery plants, even more mysterious to me. That Geranium is a beauty though! Hoping all is well with you and yours

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  11. Your two new kittens are little cuties. Taz looks like he will be the one getting into mischief. I vote him the most likely suspect if you find a ball of unraveled wool.

    The top shrub has an awesome number of pink blooms, and the flowers drape beautifully over the fence.

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  12. Oh Gracie, so sorry about your kitty.

    But those kittens! They will keep you busy-- just don't trip on all that cuteness, quite dangerous.

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  13. Cute little kittens, love their curiosity.
    What a great group of roses, really like that scalloped edged one too.

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  14. 'Cinco de Mayo' is one of the most beautiful shrub bushes of flowers I've ever seen. I honestly can't get enough of how vibrant the color is, yet retains the soft flora feel. Marvelous.

    -Carlos Hernandez

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  15. I'm so sorry about your cat Willow. Your new kitties sure are cute. Absolute gorgeous flowers! ... I had a mystery shrub post in April and the star-shaped flowers are very much like those in your hardy Geranium photo. Leaves are different though. I never did find out what it was.

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  16. I love cats and those two look like they'll keep you busy! I LOVE the roses in this post. I've never seen your mystery shrub before but it's a beauty!

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  17. Sorry to note about your kitty.
    I had lost one in an accident and I know how it feels.
    Hope they rest in peace.

    Enjoy looking at all the beautiful bunches of roses. They are truly beautiful.
    And thank you for mentioning me in your blog. I didn't know that there was a case such as a plant-envy.
    Truly felt touched about this.

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  18. "Adorable kittens" is probably a redundant phrase, but these two really are! While they won't replace your beloved Willow, they will surely keep you busy and entertained. What I remember about having two kittens is that they got into an extraordinary amount of mischief and quickly learned to run in two different directions when they got caught in the act!
    I always enjoy seeing all your wonderful pink flowers. :-) -Jean

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  19. Oh, Grace, I am so sorry, and I can "feel" that pain, but look at those two little beauties. There is a story to tell here with my Tiggy, but for another time; needless to say my mind has been occupied. He was just on my lap for the first time in a week, but he is well; that's what is important.

    All such beautiful photos and I can only imagine the fragrance. Give the little ones a gentle rub on the chin from me. :)

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  20. gazbera - super cool! I'm sorry about willow. The new members of your family are totally adorable!!!

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  21. There isn't one of these I couldn't love. It looks like it was a wonderful tour.

    Eileen

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  22. Awwwwww you lost your garden kitty too? I am so so sorry. Your little helper is awful cute. Could the mystery plant be pink/lavender trumpet vine? I saw some once in Romantic Homes Magazine and it looks an awful lot like it. I ordered one through the internet and of course our Texas heat killed it. Blessings to you Grace and may God comfort your heart.
    Debbie

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  23. Oh, I am not so certain about it being pink trumpet vine, I think the leaves are different.
    Debbie

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  24. I ran across your article in NW Boomer & Senior News. Enjoying your perspective and creative blog writing. I'd like to enter the drawing for your book, Gardening For Seniors.
    Thanks,
    Jill DeVine

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  25. Jill, I don't have an email address for you. Could you email: grace@gracepete.com please? Thank you!

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  26. Do you know the name of the apricot colored rose with the serrated edges. I want it!!!! :o)

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  27. Hi, Grace!
    Sorry to hear about your kit cat but those 2 little cuties should give you plenty of reasons to smile. Lovin' the pinks in your post. Oh, that Scentimental rose... must have one! :)

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  28. Loved the kitty images, and the blooms were gorgeous.

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  29. Awe, they are adorable!! When I first got my Riley, he wouldn't sit on the floor so I could get a picture, he always wanted to be in my lap. I don't have one in-focus picture of him for the first few weeks I had him. They are the best aren't they? Sorry for your loss, it's been 9 years since my Diego died and I still miss him!

    Beautiful blooms too! WOW!!

    Amy

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  30. There's nothing like a kitten to take your mind off anything serious. With two, I'm amazed you have the wit to even compose a post!

    Your rose documentation is just lovely. If anyone can help me appreciate roses, Grace, it's you, so thank you!

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  31. The rose after "might be Bonica" looks a lot like Betty Boop except that those blooms start out yellowish and fade to white so there are different colors at the same time. The rose after Cinco de Mayo looks like my Lavender Dream ground cover rose-

    http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.3753

    Beautiful roses!

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