And Yet She Persisted

Yes, Mother Nature persists and thrives in our gardens, despite the vagaries of weather. Last year by this time the lilacs were finished blooming. This year I can't even see buds yet! But soon. 

Here are a few bloomers and a few critters.

My favorite daffodil, N. t. 'Geranium. Such a fantastic fragrance. I bought another package of bulbs with my friend Carol last fall so I had even more blooms this year. More is always better, right? 

Narcissus tazetta 'Geranium'

I know I said 'Geranium' was my favorite of the daffodils but recently I was at my daughter's place and spotted these lovelies. They're intensely fragrant as well. This fall I will have to be on the lookout for them. Anyone one know the name?

Narcissus tazetta ... NOID

The Rhododendron I bought in March is looking great.

Rhododendron macrosepalum 'Linear'

I'm not a huge Camellia girl but this stately gal is blooming her head off this year. It looks tropical.

Camellia NOID

I don't grow that many tulips but here's one that persists year after year. It's such a pretty thing!

Tulip

Tulip

And then there are these...

Tulip

This is my favorite stage of this cute variegated Spirea.

Spiraea x vanhouttei 'Pink Ice'

A few more spring bloomers...

Daphne x rollsdorfii 'Wilhelm Stacht' and Lathyrus vernus 'Albo Roseus'
with Iris pallida 'Variegata' in the background

I'm not a huge fan of yellow but I love the vintage cowslips, especially because they're fragrant. I bought these last week at Home Depot and they work perfectly in this spot. 

Cowslips or Primula veris

I'm still debating over whether or not to plant this new Mertensia maritima (from Far Reaches Farm) in this vintage metal trunk. I really want those blue leaves to stand out but because it's under the magnolia (M. stellata) they'll only get afternoon sun which might not be enough to satisfy it. Check out the full size plant on the Far Reaches Farm's website. Ooh, la, la! 

Under the Magnolia ... on the right are variegated Japanese iris (Iris ensata 'Variegata')

The cool-blue flowers on the Brunnera are cute but the warm-hued leaves are better.

Brunnera macrophylla 'Hadspen Cream'

This silly Phlox never disappoints me.

Phlox stolonifera 'Sherwood Purple'

I know. Why do I grow Vinca minor? Well, the flowers are pretty, you have to admit. Especially when all of the dead leaves from last year are removed from the pot it hangs in. Oops.

Vinca minor 'Atropurpurea'

Darmera peltata in flower

After years of disappointment with the new "improved" penstemons, last year I went for the tried and true species. Granted they don't bloom very long but they sailed through our cold, wet winter without missing a beat. Evergreen foliage and gorgeous spring flowers! Sorry, not the best photo.

Penstemon rupicola or P. newberryi

Who doesn't love a creeping sedum?

Sedum spilling over its bounds

Speaking of sedums, I found this little gem recently at the local Wilco Farms Store. It had a Little Prince of Oregon Nursery tag and has apparently been out for several years. But it's new to me. In my research, I found that there is some question as to its winter hardiness so this winter I'll probably protect the pot on my patio, just in case. Don't you love those tiny, variegated leaves?

Sedums

Sedum 'Little Missy'

And more photos of sedums... I took these at a nearby nursery. Don't you just want these?

We had the cutest chipmunks all winter but apparently they didn't want to stick around for mating season. I think they're living in my friend Carol's garden which is good because they'll be safe there. Maybe they were pushed out by these cute Douglas squirrels. They're about half the size of a gray squirrel and every bit as feisty. 

The frogs are up to their cacophonous shenanigans. There are tadpoles in the pond. Here's a little guy I spotted sunning himself.   

And finally, a silly goldfinch trying to take a bath in the bubbler. Not the best photos but still, too cute! 

 I hope your spring is full of persistent joys.

It Spawned a Sport!

Those of you who are familiar with plant-speak know that a "sport" is the part of a plant that does something different from the rest of the plant. Sports aren't all that common but do occur randomly when a plant feels like being weird. Thus is the case with my 'Sayonara' Dahlia. Check it out.

The flower on the left is a sport.

I've had this particular Dahlia for two summers now. All of the buds have opened to the velvety, crimson-red flower on the right above. And then... 

This!

I don't like it nearly as well but I think it's cute and unique so it can stay. I'll let you know if there are any more sports.

Speaking of Dahlias, September is Dahlia time! Here are a few of mine.

One of these days I'm going to research why the rulers of the Dahlia kingdom chose to call this hunky gorgeous flower 'Junkyard Dog'. 

Junkyard Dog

The plant is probably six feet tall and loaded all summer with bee-filled, six-inch blossoms. I don't understand why it's so happy when all my other Dahlias are mediocre at best.

The Dahlia below waited over a year before deciding to bloom. Of course I can't remember its name. I did a quick Google search and it might be 'Rothsay Reveller'. 

Dahlia 'Rothsay Reveller' maybe...

I just bought the Dahlia below at the Big Box. Of course the tag was useless. So, another NOID. But it's a pretty NOID and I'm hoping it's hardy.

NOID ~~ No ID Dahlia

Another (impulsive) purchase is this lovely pink Dahlia (below) with another useless tag. I don't have either of these Dahlias planted yet but they'll get placed in the perennial border for a bit of contrast from all the other stuff. 

Dahlia NOID

Dahlia 'Mz Bee Haven'

In other news, I'm really loving my paniculata Hydrangeas right now. The first one below is 'Limelight.' I used to have one years ago but because I was so terrible with my watering, it bit the dust. I'm better about it now and it shows. I purchased it last fall and although it's only about four feet tall, its flowers are so cool.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'

And here is H. p. 'Pinky Winky' still all white which is fine with me.

H. p. 'Pinky Winky'

I cut this plant all the way to the ground in late winter and it shot up to five feet with these amazing flower panicles. 

A wide shot of the area

Another late-summer bloomer are the herbaceous Hibiscus!

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Torchy'

This spring, I purchased this Chilopsis linearis 'Lucretia Hamilton' from High Country Gardens. It was a tiny thing and I had my doubts about its survival. But with ample TLC it has doubled in size and is now actually putting out a few blooms! Aren't they pretty? Of course now to get it through the winter...

Chilopsis linearis 'Lucretia Hamilton'

And then there's the similarly formed flowers of Rehmannia elata.

Rehmannia elata

Finally, my 'Avant Garde' Clematis is blooming. It was worth the wait!

Clematis 'Avant Garde'

And the below Clematis from Deborah Hardwick (a master Clemat-ician) is blooming. What an honor it is to have two of her beautiful creations. 

Clematis  'Burford Bell' x crispa

A second blooming on...

Clematis 'Inspiration'

A second blooming on this milkweed...

Asclepias speciosa

I posted in spring about this seedling Love-Lies-Bleeding. It is over five feet tall now!

Love-Lies-Bleeding

My Hesperaloe decided to bloom finally...

Hesperaloe parviflora

Red-flowered Four O'Clocks

Sedums!

Ninebark and Variegated Porcelain Vine

Farfugium japonicum 'Crispatum'

Falopia japonica variegata

More Sedums!

And finally, we have a few adorable critters running around. Here's the daddy or the mama--I'm not sure which--filling its cheeks with cracked corn we left out for it. 

Look at those fat cheeks!