The Middle of July

With many of the garden bloggers posting photos of the Garden Bloggers' Fling, I'm afraid my photos will be kind of boring. Last Friday, however some of my garden peeps and I took a trip to Dancing Oaks Nursery. I didn't take a lot of photos because it was a little toasty but I did get a few shots to share.

Fred and Leonard, proprietors and gardeners extraordinaire have such a full, exuberant garden. I love how they allow things to grow where they want. No fussiness here, just down to earth, awesomeness. The area near the checkout building had a large patch of milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) just finishing its blooming. I was kind of jealous. Here is a photo. 

The milkweed at Dancing Oaks

The milkweed in my garden. Not quite as spectacular but, we're getting there. 

Here is my pink milkweed (Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella')
Still no monarch butterflies but I'm hoping. 

One of the plants in Fred and Leonard's garden that I've been ogling over for a few years now is Epilobium fleischeri. A relative of the native Fireweed, (Epilobium angustifolium) which I also love and grow in my garden, I love the wispy, airy elegance of E. fleischeri. Plus it's a sun-loving, drought tolerant stalwart. It was growing in several places in their garden. My photos don't do it justice. 

No bees in this photo but trust me, they were all over this plant.

Here's another photo. It doesn't get  more than 3 feet tall and wide. 

A few more clumps of it. Kind of reminds me of Gaura. 

Viewing the garden was an education on winter hardiness. There were a lot of survivors, despite a cruel, plant killing winter. 

Here is a photo I took a few years ago. (Like a dimwit I was too awestruck to get a photo this time.)
Notice the dark foliage on the Eucomis 'Sparkling Burgundy'?
Well, this plant survived temperatures down below zero F last winter.

Here are some photos I took in the hoop house. Look at all the different varieties they sell. 

This cute little butterfly captivated us. Blurry, but you get the idea.
Anyway, after seeing my friend Annie's Eucomis survive and seeing these, I'm going to
be planting some this fall.  

Back in my humble garden:

Check out my happy hollyhocks.
Never have they looked so good. For some gardeners they grow like weeds,
but I have to really baby them. But I'm loving the results.

Phlox ... Darn it. I don't have the cultivar name. 

They're looking good though, aren't they?

My first Dahlia blossoms--pink, of course. 

Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy' now in full bloom. 

More Phlox and Galega 

Echinacea 'Pow Wow Wildberry' 

A very happy Clematis 'Polish Spirit' 

And Clemmy 'Ville de Lyon' 

I'm very impressed with this red flowering Agastache I purchased last year.

My blooming Artichoke with Daisy 'Ice Star'
Notice the Pacific Wax Myrtle behind them on the far left.
It died back to the ground but is making good progress recovering.

I love this pink Day lily. I think it's 'Final Touch'. 

 Did you all see the article about Fry Road Nursery on OregonLive? Owner Ann Detweiler talks about her specialty plant--hardy fuchsias. I am so smitten with this genera. All of mine survived the winter and are up and blooming and they'll keep blooming until frost. The hummers love them almost as much as I do. I've purchased a few more plants this year and I'm thinking about going back for a few more. They need to be watered a lot their first year but after that, a weekly watering and a hearty mulch top dressing. 

I didn't write down the name of this variety but doesn't it look good
with the Japanese Forest Grass? 

I showed this one last time. Cool, isn't it? 

Here's another one. 

Love this little bargain annual Impatiens

My Brachyscomb 'Radiant Magenta' is looking really good after I got rid of the aphids.

That's it. Now go check out the Garden Bloggers' Fling photos.