The Begining of Fall

Summer officially ends in a few days but we've already gone from a prolonged heat wave to cooler than average temperatures that feel very fall-like.  Considering that summer started early, I guess it's only fair that fall should too. Fortunately the garden is still happy. I'm loving all of the late and repeat bloomers. 

Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate is coming into its own right now. The plants reseed themselves and if I'm diligent with the slug bait, the tiny seedlings grow and flourish and repeat the cycle. That is, if they're not eaten by a hungry bird which I witnessed this morning but didn't get a photo of.

Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate

Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate

Most of my Echinacea are done but this little flower popped open a few days ago. The cooler temps mean richer hued petals.

Echinacea tennessensis 'Rocky Top Hybrids'

 All of the hardy fuchsias are at their beautiful best right now. The hummers are fighting over them.

Fuchsia 'Santa Cruz'

There are a few repeat bloomers in the Clematis department. In the case of 'Princess Diana' the intermission was very short. She's a prolific and boisterous gal. 

Clematis 'Princess Diana'

And because of her happy ways, once she goes dormant, I will be moving her.

Clematis 'Princess Diana'

Here's a new, unnamed Clematis. It looks like it has some crispa parentage and perhaps a cousin or sibling of C. versicolor. No matter the name. I love it.

Here's another newbie. I've never met a small-flowered Clematis I didn't love.

 And one more. Don't you love that coloring?

Japanese Anemone is the quintessential fall flower. I dug out all of these 'Prince Heinrich' a few years ago. But I missed a few and now I'm glad I did.

Anemone japonica 'Prinz Heinrich'

And, of course, no fall garden would be complete without Aster (or whatever we're supposed to call them now). My favorite of the clan is vibrant pink 'Alma Potschke'. 

Aster novae-angliae 'Alma Potschke'

I'm thrilled to pieces with how well my new Cirsium has done this year. And this bumblebee seems to be too.

Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpeum'

Begonia grandis

Rehmannia elata (Chinese Foxglove)

This hybrid Mimulus comes from Annie's Annuals & Perennials. I'm going to protect it this winter even though it's purported to be hardy down to Zone 7. Its flowers have been nonstop since I purchased the plant last spring.

Mimulus x aurantiacus 'Cherry'

I am hoping my new Correa will bloom this winter like it's supposed to do. It's had a few bells all summer and now it's loaded with them. What a sweet plant.

Correa 'Dusky Bells'

I've already picked a bunch of hydrangea stems for drying. I still need to get some 'Limelight' ones but I want them to get as pink as they want first. 

Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'

I think the 'Glowing Embers' blossoms are ready.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Glowing Embers'

And now for some wide shots.

Thanks for visiting.

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!