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.

I Didn't Shiver Today!

For the first time in a week, I didn't shiver when I went outside today. I got some photos during one of those shiver sessions: 

There was snow!

Not the kind of deep snow that fell up north but enough to remind us that it's still winter.

My courtyard fountain is apparently the coldest of all my water features. Here it is right before things started to warm up.

 

Weather wuss that I am, that is all the photos I took of the snow.

I don't think the low temperature dropped below 28 degrees so my plants did just fine, even the tenders I keep on my covered patio. I put a blanket over some of them, and also my Melianthus. It is still a bit bent out of shape but alive. 

Melianthus major

On the aforementioned covered patio, Fuchsia 'Tricolor' is blooming. This is a baffling plant. It didn't bloom at all during the summer months and just a few in the fall. I don't mind though. Winter bloomers are very special.

 

Fuchsia 'Tricolor'

I'm always surprised how early the Grass Widow (Olsynium douglasii) sends up its tiny blades.

Grass Widow (Olsynium douglasii)

There are plants that would be blooming now if it hadn't been for that cold snap. For instance my new Prunus mume 'Kobai' (not pictured). And of course Daphne odora. 

Daphne odora

And this Rosemary in my front yard. See all those buds? And the sweet little friend? I noticed not one but two bright red lady beetles sleeping on those fragrant stems.  

Rosemarianus officinalis and friend

 And we can't forget our little Dougie-the-birdseed-stealer. (Douglas Squirrel)

This duo are regular visitors to my front yard. They've come to expect the apples we toss to them. On this visit I had my camera handy. (All of those brown balls are from my Sweet Gum trees.)

That about does it for this go around. Spring is not far off now and I'm SO ready! 

Thanks for visiting.