Late July, Already!

Oregon has the best summers and this one is no exception. Sunshine, temperatures in the 80s, cool nights, slight breeze. I think we've had only three or four 90 degree days so far. I'm really thankful. 

Just because it's summer doesn't mean I quit buying plants. Check out this newbie. It's a tropical so I'll need to move it inside during the winter but aren't these leaves gorgeous? 

Breynia nivosa 'Roseo-picta'

Also on the tender side, I'll have to take care not to let this one (below) get exposed to too much cold. I bought it from Annie's Annuals this spring. It just started blooming.

Lavatera assurgentiflora

Clerodendrum bungei just started blooming.

Gardenia 'Frostproof' has been blooming for about three weeks.

I have a new fascination with hardy Geraniums. There are some really rare varieties for sale at Robin Parer's nursery called appropriately, Geraniacea located in California.

Geranium nodosum 'Clos du Courdray'

I'm growing most of my new hardy Geraniums in pots so I can really enjoy the flowers.

Geranium himalayense 'Plenum'

Geranium x oxonianum 'Tanya Randell'

I've got a few others that haven't started blooming yet. Stay tuned.

Check out this new to me (last year) Fuchsia 'Nettala' from Secret Garden Growers. Easy and hardy!

Fuchsia 'Nettala'

Fuchsia 'Nettala' 

Lily from a bagged of mixed bulbs from Costco

Lilium 'Stargazer'

Another newbie this year from Annie's is this white-flowered Cupid's Dart. It had been on my wish forever and I nabbed two of them when I saw them for sale. It mingles really well with other flowers. 

Catananche caerulea 'Alba'

Also from Annie's... this Heracleum is just starting to bloom.

Heracleum sphondylium 'Pink Cloud'

A Dahlia called 'Mistral'

From Far Reaches Farm in northern Washington this sweet Codonopsis. I didn't expect bloom this year because the plant was so small. But check it out. 

Codonopsis convolvulacea subsp. grey-wilsonii

 And my other Codonopsis from Dancing Oaks:

Codonopsis pilosula

This Rhodochiton is a tender but wintered over from last year in a protected pot.

Rhodochiton atrosanguineum

And the Anemonopsis is blooming too. I love how plants just have there own unique blooming time table. 

Anemonopsis macrophylla

I bought this Scabiosa at BiMart (variety store) last year. I really hoped it would winter over and it did.

Scabiosa 'Gelato Blueberry'

This is a small pond but you can't tell because it's so full of plants.

 A few wide shots.

And now for some critter shots:

A baby robin waiting for dinner

A towhee parent and child

You know you're a (weird) gardener when you're more excited to see a rare critter on your basil than you are to eat the stuff. Below is a gray hairstreak caterpillar. It is pink because it's been eating purple basil flowers.

Gray Hairstreak caterpil

I saw the mother a few weeks ago and thought she was nectaring but apparently she was also laying eggs. (I took this butterfly photo last year but shows what this little thing will become.)

And this is a gray hairstreak. (Not the best photo)

Finally, we saw twins this morning. This little one, her sibling and mama visited my front garden. Unfortunately when I opened the door to get a better picture, they scurried off.

Photo of baby deer through a very dirty window.

Thank you for visiting.

The Earth Laughs in Flowers

With all the political unrest these days, isn't it nice to have Nature to sooth us? It's been rough here with a record-long heat wave to start the month of August. It's back to reasonable now, thankfully and the flowers are singing their summer tunes. 

The first of my five herbaceous Hibiscus plants just burst into bloom yesterday.

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Kopper King'

I bought this one for the dark foliage but the flowers aren't too shabby either.

Tons of buds!

Volunteer Morning Glory

Below is a garden miracle. This Crape Myrtle was a gonner many years ago when  a windstorm broke it off at ground level. I replanted the area with other things and didn't look back since I have another Crape Myrtle in a different part of the garden. Last year, I noticed leaves and life! Now look at it. It's a miracle. 

 

Crape Myrtle blossom (Lagerstroemia)

The miracle Crape Myrtle with Alstroemeria 'Tri-Color'

Volunteer Nicotiana. Aren't they cool?

 

A cute crispa cross Clematis from my Ohio friend Deborah.
Isn't it adorable?

Mystery Clematis is still putting out blossoms.

Clematis 'Alionushka' is happy too

I lost most of my Dahlias after last winter's ultra cold, ultra wet madness. These are the tried and true. (Junkyard Dog is alive but hasn't bloomed yet.)

Dahlia 'Rip City'

Dahlia 'Bonne Esprance'

Dahlia NOID

Dahlia 'Ivanti'

Dahlia 'Pink Princess'

I love this rose:

Rosa mutabilis

Lonicera 'Major Wheeler'

Major Wheeler Honeysuckle 

Right on cue, the Cyclamen popped up.

Cyclamen hederifolium

I got the below plant from my friend Nancy in Corvallis. It is looking nice in one of my woodland borders. 

Eurybia divaricata 'Eastern Star' (formerly Aster)

 

Kniphofia 'Pineapple Popsicle'

Salvia 'Wendy's Wish'

Clerodendrum bungei

Heuchera 'Paris' 

Iris x norrisii 'Sangria' (aka Pardancanda norrisii)

New this year 'Fat Domino' Persicaria. I had my doubts as to whether it would live up to its name but I'm pleasantly surprised. The mature spikes are definitely fatter than the species.

Persicaria 'Fat Domino'

This Evening Primrose is such a happy camper. I've had it reseed in my garden now and it winters over just fine and blooms all spring and summer. 

Oenothera kunthiana 'Glowing Magenta'

The epithet says "magenta" but it's more like a warm pink, which I love.

Oenothera kunthiana 'Glowing Magenta'

I love this Epilobium. (I can't get used to its new name Chamaenerion.) It's a dwarf Willow Herb from Dancing Oaks that I just love. It reseeds politely and has a really long blooming time. And the bees adore it.

Epilobium fleischeri

Epilobium fleicheri

My two little 4 inch pots of this Phlox have finally spread out to cover this area (below). Mingling with Sedum 'John Creech' and S. 'Tri-Color' (and various weeds) it looks really cool in this mostly shady spot.

Phlox glaberrima ssp. triflora 'Triple Play'

Rheum palmatum var. tanguiticum rising above more 'John Creech' Sedum

A few of the resident buzzers...

Campanula lactiflora 'Lodden Anna' and honeybee butt.

Garlic Chives Allium tuberosum and bumblebee butt.

Allium tuberosum

Heliotropium cv.

Oh so much more. But enough for now.

I hope your garden is bringing you sweet respite from the world's woes.