Monday, September 7, 2015

Blissful Confusion

Let me explain. When it was sunshine and cloudless, blue sky day in and day out--the typical Oregon summer--it was a given that I needed to religiously haul the hose around and provide much needed hydration for my plants. But then clouds rolled in and teased me with ideas of downpours and soggy soil. Empty promises, mostly. Despite the rainy-looking clouds, I'm still hauling the hose around. Just not as often.

Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy' in front of Calamagrosis x acutiflora 'El Dorado'

Dahlia 'Sayonara' I think

Dahlia 'Fatima'

Dahlia 'Mystic Dreamer'

Dahlia 'Wildcat'

Dahlia 'Ivanhoe'

Dahlia .... can't remember the name...
I like the variable petal colors.

See? Some of the flowers are pure white.

Here's another NOID... the petals are dark purple underneath and lighter up top.

It has nice form but I'm not sure if that color is bright enough (or pink enough) for me.

Dahlia 'Dutch Explosion' or is it?

Dahlia 'Juanita'
I love that this blossom is exactly like the pink one above,
only deep red.

Dahlia 'Otto's Thrill' I'm not sure if it's my thrill though...

Clematis 'Haizawa' has been blooming since June. 

I have been cutting off the seed heads and keeping the soil moist.
And this is my reward!

Clematis heracleifolia

Clematis heracleifolia

Epilobium fleisheri

Geranium pretense 'Double Jewel' and Leptodermis oblonga

Both are reblooming!

Pelargonium 'Apple Blossom' before the little bud worms took over

Fuchsia 'Olympics Sunset'

This is one of those impulse purchases. Obviously a double fuchsia which I don't typically
go for. But I love the colors. The name of it escapes me.
I hope it's hardy.

Fuchsia magellianica

Fuchsia 'DeBron's Black Cherry'

Fuchsia 'DeBron's Black Cherry'

Amaranth from my friend Annie

Pink Baby's Breath Gypsophilia repens 'Rosea' 

Four O'Clocks are going crazy this year. (Mirabilis jalapa)



Salvia 'Wendy's Wish'

Salvia 'Wendy's Wish'

A few more blooms on this Loropetalum

Oreganum x 'Bristol Cross' has been blooming nonstop since June.
The bees love it.

The Asters are starting to bloom

Kiss-Me-Over-The-Gate (Polygonum orientale)

I'm very impressed with this Veronica that has been blooming nonstop since May.
Veronica spicata 'First Love'

I've pulled out most of my annual Impatiens glandulifera but a few low-growing
late-bloomers remain to satisfy the bees.

And of course it's time for the Sedums to bloom!


Last week, before the predicted rain was supposed to hit, I picked most of my
Hydrangea serrata 'Preziosa' blossoms. 

However, I left the rest of my hydrangeas.
Here is Hydrangea macrophylla 'Glowing Embers'

Now I understand the reason for the name. This photo doesn't do it justice.

Here is Hydrangea paniculata 'Pinky Winky'

 And now, for some garden shots:







Lots of amending to do in this border.





Look at my new scrap yard score! It's the lower part of a vintage, White sewing machine.




And finally, Japanese Blood Grass (Imperata) through the Seven-Son Flower's Trunks (Heptacodium).
I hope your garden is giving you many late summer pleasures!

17 comments:

  1. Your garden is as beautiful as always Grace! I love the dahlia's...especially the Ivanhoe and the no name one underneath it. Practically everything in my deck garden is toast from the heat and no rain in August mode. The only things thriving in the heat right now are the "Yellowbells" and my over seven foot tall palm like Candle Plants, also with yellow flowers, that are too high to photograph well. I am really looking forward to cooler Fall weather and hopefully some rain.

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  2. Wow another beauty and color filled post. Stunning.

    Thank you for sharing with us here.

    FlowerLady

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  3. Your garden is both lush and luscious. What a bummer that you didn't get much rain in this last round of storms. We got quite a bit. But there are more dry days ahead, I think. I haven't put my hoses and sprinklers away yet.

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  4. Wow! Those Dahlias are stunning! And the bell-shaped Clematis reminds me of sugar-coated candy. :) Everything is beautiful, and I enjoyed the mix of close-ups and landscape shots in this post!

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  5. Your garden is looking awesome, Grace! I love your new find! That bell shaped clematis is a fun one. I have pitherii, and didn't even think to take the seed heads off. Maybe it's not too late. I'll have to try that.

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  6. I actually think the no id dahlia with the dark reverse and lighter upper surface is one of the prettiest. Sorry you didn't get much rain. My garden got nearly 2 inches over the last week.

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  7. Your garden is still looking so good! Ours is on the down side now. Still have some nice plants. but so much is going to seed now.
    I wish our season was longer. But now the birds are enjoying the spoils. But I have to enjoy what is left as soon we will be talking the 4 letter words. Cold and snow! I am so glad that I am able to enjoy your garden. Thank you for sharing.

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  8. Your gardens are sooooo beautiful. I love seeing all those dahlias. It's amazing that everything looks so in spite of heat.

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  9. Your garden is saying "Thank You!" for all that hose hauling. I wish I had had your kind of success with Dahlias this summer. Mine never really got going.

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  10. Your hydrangea "preziosa" is absolutely STUNNING. I have the glowing embers, but mine don't look nearly as lovely as yours....and although I adore my dahlias, I MUST have that variegated one! Where oh where did you find it! Gorgeous. The other thing I wanted to say is that you have a magic touch with clematis. Wanna come up to my garden and sprinkle some fairy dust on my not-so-beautiful clematis?!?

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  11. The dahlias are extraordinary. Grew up with a dear mother who
    had 1/4 acre of them and loved each one! Thank you for nice blog.

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  12. Wow, Grace! Your Dahlias make my mouth water. Your garden looks spectacular, especially given the time of year and the unusually hot summer you've had in the PNW. Watering does make a big difference, as I discovered recently when I looked back on photos of my garden taken in August and September 2013 - the vast majority of those flowers are NOT blooming in late summer this year. I remain fixated on the anticipated arrival of El Nino this winter.

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  13. Your garden is looking so wonderful in late summer, so many things blooming. My Dahlias that were left in the ground have not yet started to bloom, but are putting on buds. I like your red and white one. Your Clematis look great, I love the pink bell-shaped one, so cute. I do have some Sedums blooming, they are so reliable. Your Hydrangeas are lovely, someone else was growing Preziosa, such a dark red color. The Glowing Embers and Pinky Winky are fun colors too.

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  14. Hello Gracie girl !
    You have so many gorgeous and unusual plants they all make me sigh big time!
    I love that hydrangea Glowing Embers .. how gorgeous and a hydrangea get I ask you! .. Pinky Winky did a nice colour change for me .. almost looked like Vanilla Strawberry the way it changed from dark to light going up the panicle.
    I would love to try some dahlias again .. that first year I tried they were eaten up like candy by the bugs .. ugh ! Yours are so pretty !
    I love that patch with the low creepers across the checker board stones .. that was such a good idea !
    Looking good girl !
    Joy

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  15. Not many later summer pleasures here, so I've enjoyed yours so much. I really like the close-up pictures of your flowers; I learn a lot about different species. But my favorites are still the garden shots.

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  16. Your garden is looking its usual fabulous quirky and highly individual self Grace. Hasn't that thyme planted area really filled out now? I hope that the need to lug hoses round is diminishing.

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  17. So many pretties! Love the new garden art. My Otto's Thrill looks nothing like that. It's not spidery, and it's a dusty pink.

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