Thursday, May 24, 2018

So Much to Love

We're long overdue for a blog post. The garden is looking superb and I'm spending as much time as I can out there.

Recently, I stopped by the K-Mart in Corvallis to look for something and got stopped by the plants at the front door. When I "heard" this Cuphea calling my name I said, "Oh honey, you're coming home with me!" In fact, two of them were vying! So, yep. I let them both jump into my cart. The flowers are tiny but prolific. Such a cutie pie, it will make a good "spiller". Have you all seen this plant? (It looks similar to Scaevola but it's not. The flowers are much smaller. Info here.)
Cuphea ramosissima 'Cuphoric Pink'

Speaking of Cuphea. I had to have this one too. I grew it last year and was so pleased with it.  
Cuphea llavea 'Vienco Burgundy'

Last spring I purchased Cistus 'Victor Reiter' from Annie's. Her photos of the pink flowers made me swoon. Finally, one year later, mine has blooms. I'm not disappointed.
Cistus 'Victor Reiter'

And finally, flowers on Geranium renardii. I love the leaves, of course, and have had a flower-less plant for several years. The flowers are charming.
Geranium renardii

The blossoms on Rosa 'Rhapsody in Blue' are extremely fragrant. I love this rose. Thank you Carol.
Rosa 'Rhapsody in Rose'

Montia is just full of flowers.Thank you Nancy.
Montia parviflora var. flagellaris

Miniature rose 'Jeanne LaJoie' is blooming right on cue with variegated honeysuckle.
Rosa 'Jeanne LaJoie' with variegated honeysuckle (Lonicera perclymenum 'Harlequin')

 This Linaria is finally--after three years--a strong, happy plant. Thank you Diana.
Linaria triominthophora

I succumbed to this purchase a few weeks ago: Papaver orientale 'Harlem'. My thinking is that I have trouble with the fickleness of the annual 'Lauren's Grape' Poppy so this one will serve as a reliable replacement. 
  
Papaver orientale 'Harlem'

Another impulse purchase is this red-leaved Begonia. Ooh la, la! The tag just said, "Rex." Online I found it named, Rex Begonia Constellation Series Taurus. (There were several different ones in the series.) Whatever the name, it's pretty. Or gaudy. What do you think?
Rex Begonia Constellation Series Taurus

 May is the month for Dianthus! I love them all so much.
Dianthus

 The mild winter means strong,  floriferous California Poppies. The pink ones are my favorite.
Pink California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

The Astrantia are also looking fab!
Astrantia major 'Abbey Road' (I think.)

Rosa 'William Baffin' is perfect right now.
Rosa 'William Baffin'

 Even this bumblebee thinks so:
Rosa 'William Baffin' with bumblebee

I'm still deciding where to plant this fabulous little red-leaved Rhododendron. Don't you love it?
Rhododendron 'Everred'

Last fall I hauled home this large, hollow log. After getting my son to cut it into threes, it has made a home in my one of my woodland beds.
Log love.

And now for some garden shots:


















We had a garden visitor for two days last week. Total cuteness. Sadly, he moved on.

We have a lot of tadpoles in the pond. Here is one their older cousins.

 And finally, a plant I am unsuccessful at growing but my neighbor does so well. The view could be a lot worse, yes?
My neighbor's Delphinium
 Happy Gardening!

15 comments:

  1. i would grow all of the plants you highlighted, except the roses and the rhododendron. that pink 'scaevola' cuphea had me fooled on first glance.

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  2. Your roses are so, so pretty! And the poppies, too! Actually, everything is looking wonderful. May is a beautiful month, isn't it? In fact, it's beautiful in just about every part of North America--probably most other parts of the Northern Hemisphere, too. Enjoy your beautiful garden!

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  3. What a wonderful collection of plants. I am in love with cupheas as well but I only have a few.. I also covet the 'Rhapsody in Blue' rose since seeing it at the Portland Rose Garden. Do you know a source?

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  4. I too plant in hollow logs - or at least logs that we make into hollow logs. ;)

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  5. WOW, more beauty from your gardens. I just love your 'Rhapsody in Blue' rose.

    I always enjoy seeing what you have growing. I love your color scheme too.

    Happy Gardening ~ FlowerLady

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  6. What an amazing spring garden! And fantastic clump of Three Birds Flying -- maybe I should've waited three years!

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  7. An absolutely magnificent master garden again Grace. I love all the pinks and purples...especially the purple rose. I do envy all the space you have to plant wonderful species. I found if I enter my blog URL, and my name, I can post on blogs as someone other than anonymous. Yea!

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  8. Grace, it's wonderful to see your garden from the wide view! It's these perfect little 'rooms'. All of your pretty pinks and purples cheerfully on display. The new papaver orientale 'Harlem' is drool worthy. Yeah...I want that one too!! Happy Friday!

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  9. I could stay for days! Love the relaxed style and lack of "en mass" plantings.

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  10. Your garden looks fabulous! Each and every bed looks perfectly groomed too. (I wish I could say the same for my own.) Cuphea 'Cuphoric Pink' will be one I'll be looking for down this way.

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  11. Looking great Grace! I wish I could wander around your garden. I could never get delphiniums to grow for me either, but my friend did!

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  12. Your garden is so lovely this spring!

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  13. So much fun to see. I wish I'd do a blog post. I'm going to get fired if I keep this up. But you're inspiring me.

    Cheers

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  14. I swear, you and Phillip from Dirt Therapy have all the most interesting flowers! Wow!

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  15. Your garden has matured into a very beautiful princess. Looks refined.

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Thank you for being here! Your comments feed my soul.