Hi Peeps! I'm sitting here on the sofa, breathing the scent of Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll' aka, "Gertie." Life is good. I know I read like a broken record but, what's not to love about this time of year in the garden? With our incredibly fabulous weather this year thems some happy plants out yonder. How's that for a little variety?
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I have so many Oxalis crassipes ‘Rosea’ plants scattered around my garden,
even at eye-level. |
Call me weird and old fashioned but I've become enamored of Columbine, Aquilegia 'Clementine' because of its puffy, double flowers.
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| Aquilegia 'Clementine' red. |
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Then I found this little gem at a plant sale.
Wouldn't it be fun if the two plants crossed? I'll keep you posted. |
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| Erysimum ‘Constant Cheer’ |
A few years ago, my obsession was Verbascum. I planted about six seed packets and have had tremendous success. And 2013 is a stellar year.
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| My Verbascums are reacting positively to the warm weather. |
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| So pretty. I should have gotten a photo of the foliage. |
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| My sweet dark pink California poppies. |
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| And more poppies. Yes, I love pink. |
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| Silene in front and Jupiter's Beard behind. |
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| Same thing from the other side plus 'Niobe' Clemmy and 'Knock Out' rose. |
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| Straight back is Rosa 'Rhapsody in Blue' looking better than ever. |
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| Rosa mutabalis |
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| With my Tetrapanax being a no-show, I planted artichokes for a fabulous foliage filler. |
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| The outer pond is barely visible with all the plants. |
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| The north side of the garden |
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| I re-sculpted the edge on this bed, thanks to exuberant turf. |
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Here is my latest project. It's a full-sun, hot area. I'm still debating on the plant choices.
I've got several in waiting. |
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My Thalictrum ichangense ‘Evening Star’ is blooming but who cares?
It's those sweet leaves that are so alluring. |
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| Zip is waiting for me to bring him catnip. |
Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to change the subject for a second. I've never been thrilled with tooting my own horn but I am compelled to announce the release of my memoir, Reaching. If you'd like more information, visit my writing blog. The link is on my sidebar. Life is good.
great interesting garden!
ReplyDeleteI love all your pretty pink flowers! They are so cheerful. Your Verbascums look so big and full. Love the color combo of pink and peach on that Erysimum. Kudos on the book!
ReplyDeleteI love your happy, colorful, wonderful gardens. Love all of the pinks.
ReplyDeleteAgain, congrats on your book. I am proud of you and happy for you.
Love and hugs ~ FlowerLady
Grace, you're right, life is good! Your Verbascums is so tall and blooms so prettily! You have blooming roses, it's so nice, I'm waiting for them here. Rose 'Knock Out' I'd wanted to have too.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day!
What a glorious abundance of blooms...and a book too! This is your time.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the book! Your beds look so neat and tidy, something I can only aspire to. I'm always amused when hybridizers of genera with no natural blue pigments desperately call magenta blue. It's a pretty rose though. I have a lot of trouble with grass getting into my borders so I admire your brick and gravel solution.
ReplyDeleteIs your cat a Maine Coon? I have a similarly long-haired cat and she can't do a proper meow, only a squeaky whisper.
The oxalis in a hanging basket is a great idea! I don't have a clue why, but the last two years, mine has gotten rust really bad. I end up having to cut it all the way back.
ReplyDeleteI've never grown erysimum or verbascum. Although a verbascum was extremely close to jumping in my cart at Portland Nursery last week. Now I wish he would have made the leap.
All the garden bed shots are gorgeous. It's on my bucket list to walk it in person one day.
Lots of interesting flowers in your garden right now. Mine is just getting started with the earl bulbs. Your pink Oxalis is very charming, and makes a good container plant. Those pink poppies with their papery petals are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI hope that you brought Zip his catnip quickly, as he looks like he doesn't like the pampering to be delayed.
Your gardens are amazing! Those poppies made me sing! And the layering of foliage and colors is breathtaking!!! Thanks to Mindy I have now found your awesome blog and look forward to following along!!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the publication of your book! Your gardens are looking fabulous. Your proclivity for pink reminds me of a scene from the 1957 movie "Funny Face" http://youtu.be/KX6TaA6IRkk
ReplyDeleteStill so happy for you...and that garden is spectacular....I love the double columbines too and many of mine do cross breed....Keep Reaching Grace!
ReplyDeleteYour stand of Jupiter's Beard makes me drool. I have killed that quite successfully many times. It hates my heavy soil. But I can't blame it. So do I. Your garden looks amazing and I'm off to buy your book!
ReplyDeleteCheck out the Garden Love column on my blog! :o) I bought your book from Amazon!
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks like a dream to visit; just lovely!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the book!!!!!
I have had to cage my catnip but finally have some going.
Your garden is really lovely with the selection of pretty flowers.
ReplyDeleteI would like to check out your writing blog for a sypnopsis of your memoir.
I love your garden, Grace. You are zones ahead of me, and your pictures give me hope of what is to come. I will definitely check out your book, for which I add my congratulations. Yes, life is good! P. x
ReplyDeleteJupiter's Beard was all over the South France where we travelled in May. Now, I love it even more. Mine is getting ready to bloom, but yours... just look at it! Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteToot away Grace! (that sounded a little rude....) And, good for you. Even the most established writer must plug, plug, plug. And, remember a signed book is a sold book - something Pierre Burton (a Canadian writer who wrote far too many classic Canadian books) said/did every time he passed a book store - went in, found his books and began to sign them. Where did you get the Verbascum seed?
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Grace, I just love to see the exuberance of your garden! The photo of the north side of the garden is so lovely I could just stand there all day. :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your book!! :):)
Great gardening job and congratulations on the book! Jeannine
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