Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Happy Camper!

Yes, that's me. I'm a happy camper because finally, there is a blossom on my Desert Four o'Clock. (Mirabilis multiflora). I've been babying this guy since last year when I purchased from Annie's Annuals. 

Mirabilis multiflora

I first saw Desert Four O'Clock at Dancing Oaks Nursery a few years ago. The blue-green, glaucus foliage is  a nice complement to the ephemeral lavender flowers. 
Mirabilis multiflora at Dancing Oaks
Here you can see that yesterday's flowers are about to wither and die and today's flowers are watching the clock.
At Dancing Oaks.

Here is my plant... growing in a very well-draining, gritty soil. There's hope.
I'm concerned about winter-wet so I think I'll keep it in its container under the patio
for at least one more winter.

This silly 'Dreadlocks' Amaranthus is going to town.

Look at the all of the baby dreads it's growing.

Oenothera kunthiana 'Glowing Magenta'
I'm so glad this lovely little plant's flowers are NOT magenta but instead a perfect pink.

I'm a little obsessed with my Candy Lily (x Pardancanda 'Sangria') Check out these colors. It's just exquisite, isn't it? But I only have one variety. Amy Campion has a bunch of them. Check out her blog post here.  I'm so jealous. 




The flowers last for only one day and then they get all twisted up like this.
Kind of looks like a family of caterpillars,  doesn't it?

I love wildflowers. Last year on a hike, I found Coastal Hedgenettle (Stachys chamissonis) growing all along a creek bed. I took just a few little tiny cuttings. They rooted. And this year those cuttings are a nice plant and that nice plant is blooming! Isn't it pretty? 




I'm sure some people consider this a weed and just in case it decides to take over the garden, I'm keeping it in a container without drain holes to mimic a bog. The plant itself isn't remarkable as you'll see below, but I like it because of the flowers. There are tons more buds.



This Meadow Rue is going gang busters. There are probably two hundred tiny button flowers on this plant. Very difficult to photograph.
Meadow Rue (Thalictrum delavayi 'Hewitt's Double') 

Phlox paniculata 'Bright Eyes'

Monarda didyma 'Balmy Rose' I love this color!

New to me this year, I'm in love with this hardy Lobelia.
I love this color too. Ha ha.

Red Four O'Clocks (Mirabilis jalapa) that wintered over beautifully and just started blooming.

More Four O'Clocks. I've got them all over one part of my garden. I love them.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Fuji Waterfall'  new to me this year.
I bought it as a tiny cutting from Fry Road Nursery. 

Penstemon 'Enor' I finally found the right place for this beauty.
It needs as much sunshine as you can give it.

Aster 'Monch'  new to me last year.
I really like how well it mingles with other flowers.

I've been so enamored with this little Cyprus Vine for years and decided to grow it this year. It wasn't until the beginning of August that it really starting blooming. 

Cyprus Vine or Ipomoea quamoclit


The hummingbirds love them.

The flowers only last for the morning. 
By early afternoon they're doing this.

Cannas... I love them!

This Canna is called 'Bird of Paradise'.
I haven't seen blooms yet but it's the foliage I go for.





Tiny Wire Vine in a rusty can. Just for fun.

Honeybee on Anemone 'Wild Swan'

Bees on Dahlia 'Junkyard Dog'

Honeybee on Knautia 'Mars Midget'

Honeybee on Garlic Chives, (Allium tuberosum)

It took a bit of searching to get the identity of this little guy.
He is a Gray Hairstreak Butterfly.
And finally, on Saturday evening, all was quiet as I finished my garden puttering. But then I heard noises in the neighbor's yard. I got closer and through the fence, this is what I saw...


She had her mommy and several relatives with her but they moved on while she stayed, posing for my camera. It wasn't easy to capture her through the fence but I took as many photos as I could. And I was happy when I uploaded them and had one keeper. 

Thank you for your sweet comments, my friends. 

13 comments:

  1. I used to be so conscientious about keeping up with my favorite blogs, but the last year has been such a challenge, I've just been too distracted. It's so nice to come back and see more of your lovely garden. I have seeds for some really pretty mixed and broken color 4 o'clocks if you'd like some. They've been persistent even in my heavy clay with no special care.

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  2. Wonderful! I'll have some candy lilies to share soon I hope. Save some seed of that awesome red 4 o'clock for me, ok?

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  3. I love that candy lily. I sowed a bunch a couple of years ago, but never planted them out, and now they're thriving in their 4-inch pots. No sign of flowers yet, though, so I don't have a clue what they'll look like. Maybe next year.

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  4. I know deer are probably no end of trouble to those who garden around them but my heart melts whenever I see one, especially a baby!

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  5. Your garden is looking lush and colorful, Grace, quite a contrast to your neighbor's that looks like a desert wasteland. I'm impressed with your tall Cannas, mine got nibbled by a deer when just a little shoot, so now is nearing 3' tall and I don't entertain much hope for flowers. The Cyprus Vine is really impressive, so vigorous, feathery and floriferous! I'm still waiting for my Dahlias to grow big and bloom. When I look at your cute Dahlia 'Junkyard Dog', I imagine the 2 bumblebees as eyes with a twinkle, adorable.

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  6. They do look like dreadlocks, that's funny! And that candy lily is pretty indeed. I've been meaning to add Phlox Bright Eyes, and your picture has me convinced that I really do need it.

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  7. That Ipomoea quamoclit is just gorgeous. That's all just one plant? How big was it when you bought it?

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  8. Your garden is looking great as usual! I'll post some pics soon of mine so you can see what ISN'T blooming right now. ;-)

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  9. I love visiting your garden; so many plants I'm not familiar with, and since my beds are finished for the year, it's nice to see your blooms. Oh, I forgot, I do have four o'clocks and surprise lilies! :)

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  10. So much beauty in your garden! Your Cyprus Vine is gorgeous and the dread locks on your amaranthus are silly and fun! How cool that the fawn visited your garden! Do you have a problem with deer eating your plants?

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  11. Just gorgeous Grace...I love that Candy lily and always the dread locks make me swoon!

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  12. So I'm wondering 'how is Grace's garden doing with this heat'? Alas, not to worry_ gorgeous as always! ;)

    The hottest summer I can recall; I don't know about you, but I'm ready for fall. We have been selectively hand watering, and surprisingly things look pretty good. Hope all is well!

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  13. Eeeeeeee, a baby deer!?!? SO sweet!
    I'm so happy to have adopted one of Amy's Candy Lilies, especially after seeing her post. No blooms yet, but I have high hopes for next year.
    That Meadow Rue is adorable!
    My mom offered me a piece of her pink Lobelia today. I have to wait, but I'm excited. :)
    I love my Red Four O'Clocks that you sent me seeds for. I have them tucked in all around the yard.
    I lost my Knautia this year. Boo.
    Great post, as always.

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