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?
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| 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.
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| Lavatera assurgentiflora |
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| Clerodendrum bungei just started blooming. |
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| 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.
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| Geranium nodosum 'Clos du Courdray' |
I'm growing most of my new hardy Geraniums in pots so I can really enjoy the flowers.
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| Geranium himalayense 'Plenum' |
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| 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!
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| Fuchsia 'Nettala' |
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| Fuchsia 'Nettala' |
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| Lily from a bagged of mixed bulbs from Costco |
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| 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.
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| Catananche caerulea 'Alba' |
Also from
Annie's... this Heracleum is just starting to bloom.
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| Heracleum sphondylium 'Pink Cloud' |
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| 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.
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| Codonopsis convolvulacea subsp. grey-wilsonii |
And my other Codonopsis from
Dancing Oaks:
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| Codonopsis pilosula |
This Rhodochiton is a tender but wintered over from last year in a protected pot.
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| Rhodochiton atrosanguineum |
And the Anemonopsis is blooming too. I love how plants just have there own unique blooming time table.
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| Anemonopsis macrophylla |
I bought this Scabiosa at BiMart (variety store) last year. I really hoped it would winter over and it did.
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| Scabiosa 'Gelato Blueberry' |
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| 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:
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| A baby robin waiting for dinner |
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| 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.
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| 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.)
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| 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.
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| Photo of baby deer through a very dirty window. |
Thank you for visiting.
