Tuesday, July 15, 2014

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. 

15 comments:

  1. Beautiful blooms as always. My favorite this time is that wonderful Rudbekia, Cherry Brandy.

    Happy Summer Gardening ~ FlowerLady

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  2. Grace what a lovely trip. I think some favorites in your garden now are the Ville de Lyon' and the agastache-hummingbird mint that is not liking my garden. Those pink dahlias are my absolute favorite...hoping more dahlias I panted will show themselves but it doesn't look like it.

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  3. I was just thinking "That looks like a Gaura." I had that pink milkweed all over the garden when we lived in Massachusetts. Yes, we got lots of monarchs, but it was popping up everywhere, and impossible to dig out. I like the orange one better. Your garden is looking lovely. Some day maybe I'll make it down in that area, and visit Dancing Oaks.

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  4. Beautiful! Right now we are in color heaven with all the daylilies blooming!!

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  5. Everything looks beautiful ! My Hollyhocks are going to be pulled out SOON …rust .

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  6. I must remember that whenever I'm looking for ideas for a pink infusion in my garden, I should come to your blog. I now think I "need" some milkweed. Beautiful photos here, as always.

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  7. Yes! Beautiful indeed! It would be difficult to pick a favorite, but I love the hollyhock, especially with the single petals; looks like an old time flower. I have trouble getting the plants established. The seeds always germinate quickly but the plants don't always do well for me. But I'm determined to try again.

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  8. The Epilobium really does look like Gaura....I scrolled up and down a few times thinking you had posted a pic of Gaura......
    I love your Hollyhocks. I originally grew doubles but they self-seeded back to singles....still beautiful tho. Your Clematis and Phlox took my breath away! They are gorgeous. I love them both but end up fighting mildew and rust on the Hollyhocks. You live in a much damper area than I do.....how do you keep them free of molds and mildews?
    Thanks for sharing your beautiful gardens!

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  9. I love fuchsias, too. One of my favorite genera. Unfortunately I don't have any right now. No part of my garden is safe from the deer, and my parents fail at overwintering baskets. I haven't been around to take care of things. Someday I'll have a protected garden where I can grow things like fuchsias, safe from the ravenous deer.

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  10. Oh, to be so close to Dancing Oaks...but you needn't leave home to enjoy a superb garden tour.

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  11. Hello Gracie Girl
    Funny ... I said the same thing to myself about that plant reminding me of "Gaura" as well ... great minds think alike ? haha
    I love that deep gorgeous colour of the Sparkling Burgundy .. wish we could grow it as a perennial here.
    Yes .. I am jealous of all the flinging gardeners that got to meet each other, darn it ! haha
    Oh well ... there will always be e-mail right ?
    Your garden is looking very pretty girl ... so enjoy !
    Joy : )

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  12. Thank you for spreading the love for Dancing Oaks! They were kind enough to make the trip to Portland to be a part of our "mini-nerd night" during the Fling. I don't think they sold many plants but hopefully they got their name out and posts like yours help to reinforce the message. We are so lucky to have them here in Oregon!

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  13. Oh just let me at those Eucomis ! I have never seen so many varieties, we are lucky to even find one variety in a nursery here in the uk. I have 'Bi-coulor' in the garden and they are totally hardy down to at least -10 degrees, and have survived hard winters.
    I love your hardy fuchsias too, they look so exotic it is hard to believe that they are also very tough.

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  14. I knew it. I knew if I walked by the Pineapple Lilies at the store the other day, you'd post a picture of some, and then I'd be kicking myself for not buying one. I swear I had that exact conversation in my head. Darn it.

    I first thought Guara, too for that Fireweed relative. I need one now.

    Love the phlox, and that dahlia is spectacular.

    That purple clematis is one happy camper. Wow!

    My mom emailed me with uber excitement after reading the fuchsia article. It ended in, We have to go!!!! Did you see the post I did, last week maybe, with just fuchsia pics? I love them to pieces and DEFINITELY need more of the hardy ones. I lost my Isis this winter and never found another one this year. Hmpf.

    LOVE the begonia that's in the bottom of the variegated fuchsia pic. And that Brachyscomb is to die for. Need one next year!

    And now I'm at the end of your post and have total plant lust, as always......

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  15. Nobody could accuse you of being boring Grace! What a truly happy and healthy looking clematis is your 'Polish Spirit'.

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