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!

High Summer!

Hi Peeps. I've finally managed to get a blog post together. As I'm sure you know, the garden is changing rapidly as spring bloomers fade away and high summer's bounty takes center stage. Don't you love this time of year?

In spring, I purchase, among (many) other things, this Mertensia maritima from Far Reaches Farm. Not long after planting it I mentioned here that it was looking really sad. Alison said she lost hers so, fearing mine was on the edge of death, I quickly dug it up and put it in a pot, away from slugs and other unseen threats. Look at it now.

Mertensia maritima blossom

It's blooming and looking healthy. It's still a bit leggy so I stuck this driftwood piece in the pot and allowed a bit of Kenilworth Ivy (Cymbalaria) to mingle with it, bringing out the blue of the foliage. 

Mertensia maritima ... Not quite as lovely as the nursery photos but I'm not complaining.

Here are a few more bloomers.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Peppermint Swirl'

Hydrangea m. 'Buttons and Bows' with Rosa 'William Baffin'

And the luscious 'Ayesha' Hydrangea

Abutilon cv. my sister bought for me at Sebright Gardens

I'm not a huge fan of Daylilies but this one fits the warm color scheme of this area.
Hemerocallis 'Just Plum Happy'

Origanum ... either 'Santa Cruz' 'Bristol Cross' or 'Barbara Tingey',
you tell me.

I lost most of my Dahlias to winter's vagaries but 'Bonne Esprance' is happy as can be.

Ditto for Dahlia 'Awalkoe'

And Dahlia 'Rip City'
There are three more Dahlia plants that haven't bloomed yet.

Phlox paniculata 'Peppermint Twist'

Another Phlox with P. Becky Towe' foliage and Star Jasmine flowers.

Gladiolus

Lonicera x heckrottii 'Pink Lemonade' has finally overcome its annual spring aphid infestation stage.

Geranium 'Patricia'

Patricia with Rosa glauca foliage.

The Wine Cups never looked better in my garden. (Callirhoe involucrata)

Alstroemeria 'Tricolor' looking fab.

Mimulus lewisii, the parent plant

Mimulus lewisii baby plant with flower

Impulse purchase: Milk Thistle (Silybum mananum)

The foliage is what sold me.

Thalictrum delavayi 'Hewitt's Double' is so challenging to photograph.

Check out the Sarracenia that I bought for a buck at a plant sale last year.

Mukdenia rossii 'Crimson Fans' has colored up nicely.

I really love Astrantia maxima in my woodland border.
It is mingling with Anemonopsis macrophylla buds.

Berkheya purpurea... my kind of "sunflower."

I was thrilled to see the first Gardenia 'Frostproof' blossom.
The next day there were seven blossoms!
I LOVE this plant.

Kniphofia 'Pineapple Popsicle' 

One of three surviving Canna plants.

I am in love with Hibiscus moscheutos 'Kopper King'
Behind it is variegated Comfrey (Symphytum x uplanicum 'Axminster Gold')

No, the Chameleon Plant (Houttunynia cordata 'Variegata') is not invasive in my garden.
The soil is too dry, despite my watering efforts.

And now for wider garden shots.

Clematis viticella 'Venosa Violacea'

The bare spot is waiting for a transplant. My son got me that cool rock.

That is Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers' back there.

Tetrapanax acting all regal and elegant as it invades the entire bed.

Rock-sorting on the patio from a recent rock-hounding trip.

Acer palmatum 'Ben Hime' looking decidedly more red this year thanks to more sunlight.

I'm in love.

Finally, critter alert.

One of the tiny little froglets in our pond.

We're still hoping we'll see a monarch butterfly but at least this swallowtail
noticed a tasty treat.