It's Blooming!

I must be doing something right because my pitcher plant, (Sarracenia sp.) has three blooms this year! Aren't they pretty? 

Below is the plant last year, snuggled between rocks in the shallowest portion of my outer pond. Despite being somewhat crowded by other plants, it seemed to be happy.

 

 

 Don't you love it when our plants do what they're supposed to do?

My patio pond is doing well too. I found the floating, round-leaved Frogbit plant (Limnobium laeviatum) at the nursery. It was three little leaves in April. Now it's three hundred little leaves. Check it out. 

Inner (patio) pond

With such rapid growth, I'm not surprised that Frogbit is invasive in some places. What did surprise me is that it is hardy down to Zone 4. I thought it was a summer annual (tropical perennial) and would die at first frost. But apparently not. It's sure cute floating on the water's surface. 

Back on the soil, my sister and I were both smitten with this Helianthemum we saw at Joy Creek Nursery last weekend. I think I had it years ago but you know how it goes. What's old is new again.

Helianthemum nummularium 'Annabel'

Jasminum stephanense "Hardy Pink Jasmine"

 I am so smitten with Hart's Tongue Fern. My oldest one is really getting big.

Hart's Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium)

Last fall, after many years of lusting the puffy pinky blossoms of this pretty thistle (Cirsium rivulare 'Altopurpurea'), I purchased a plant from Far Reaches Nursery. It sat in its pot on my patio all winter. 

Internet Photo

Below is my plant--just behind the red-flowering Phygelius--shooting up a flowering stock! I hope the butterflies enjoy it too.

Cirsium rivulare 'Altropurpurea'

There are very few Dianthus plants I don't like. This is one of several blooming its head off right now in my garden.

Dianthus

The Mock Orange, (Philadelphus) are SO fragrant!

Philadelphus 'Belle Etoile'

I'm finally okay with this border. It's taken a long time to get it looking good.

Ditto for this mini-woodland spot.

That's all for now.

Thank you for visiting!

Garden Treasures

The weather is all over the place. Yesterday it was 80 degrees and sunny. Today was 60 degrees and rainy. But fickle weather is the definition of spring. The plants seem to take it in stride.

I'm noticing a few flowers on my Jasminium beesianum.

Jasminium beesianum 

My two Weigelas are so full of blooms you can barely see the foliage!

Weigela florida 'Varigata' 

I found this Lychnis when I was nursery hopping with my sister. I love it.

Lychnis flos-cuculi 

Aquilegia something-or-other. 

Aquilegia 'Nora Barlow' 

There are several ruby-red blossoms on my Grevillea.

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Grivillea rosemarinfolia blossom

The entire plant 

If you're looking for reliable fragrance in your garden, look no further than Nemesia. I don't purchase very many annuals but this one is worth it. It blooms all summer.

Nemesia 

One of the very first plants that went into my garden back in 1997 was this rose. I'm not much of a yellow fan but Rosa 'King Tut' is such a sweet thing, I allow it to stay. 

Rosa 'King Tut'

 And even though yellow is not on my radar, succulents are so I bought this Delosperma.

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Delosperma nubigenum 

In the garden, this Lychnis is really spreading out. It blooms faithfully every spring, then keeps its green understory the rest of the year. 

Lychnis viscaria 

From the opposite angle.

Phlox pilosa or Gail's "Practically Perfect Pink Phlox." It smells like deliciously sweet cloves.  

Phlox pilosa 

And for foliage, oh my I could post a hundred photos! But I'll keep it brief. 

Acer palmatum 'Ben Hime' 

Acer palmatum 'Seiryu' 

Nassella tenuissim

Oxalis crassipes 

Finally, there are baby mushrooms sharing the stage with the colorful foliage of Fuchsia 'Island Sunset' 

Fuchsia 'Island Sunset' and frog umbrellas. 

Fun in the Sun

When you see the term "fun in the sun" you probably think of white-sand beaches and pool parties. But gardeners know that playing in the garden can be equally or in some cases (me!) much more enjoyable than lounging on the beach. 

It looks like summer has arrived early here in the Pacific Northwest. We've had sunny weather with highs in the 70s and even 80s. Typically we don't see more than a scattering of nice days until the middle of July when the rain turns off and the temperatures turn up. But nobody is complaining! After several dreary, wet springs, this year is a welcome change.  

Here is a fragrant blossom on my poor, neglected Rosa rugosa bush.

My little pink-flowered 'Jeanne LaJoie' is just starting to bloom. 

Wow, my camera really brought out the ruby highlights of Rosa glauca.
I've got it planted with Aster lateriflorus ‘Lady in Black’and Bronze Fennel. 

I just love these Verbascums. 

Not the best picture, this is Jasminium beesianum just starting to bloom. 

I just love Dianthus! These guys have been in my garden forever
and they never fail to dazzle me when they bloom. 

Calamintha grandiflora is also starting to bloom.
I have two healthy plants but I think I need more
so I'm going to see if I can root some cuttings.

Cistus 'Gold Prize' ... I think. The label on this plant said simply, 'Golden Cistus'
and I can't remember where I purchased it last year.
After searching the Internet, I'm going to conclude that it's 'Gold Prize' although some of the online images
depict a green leaf with yellow margins. 

I love the rosy buds and I should have a flower tomorrow!
And yes, that is a Bishop's weed photo bomb. :) 

Anemonella thalictroides is still just a bitty thing so I'm keeping it in a container
which I can now see needs a freshening up of  the moss topdressing.
Funny the things you see with the camera's lens. 

The last of my Dutch Iris...planted years ago. 

My Hydrangea serrata 'Omacha Nishiki' is such a beauty.
And look at all those flower buds. 

This was a small plant last year when I purchased it so I kept it in a pot.
I think it's about ready to go into the garden.
But where? 

I know many gardeners despise Euphorbia cyparissias ‘Fens Ruby’ due to it's traveling prowess. But I really like the tiny, fragrant blossoms.

My Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) is just beginning to bloom.
I love these because they look pretty in bouquets for my desk at work. 

I planted seed a year ago and the plants sailed right through our wicked winter. 

In a shady spot, my Hart's Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) juts skyward
as if to say, move aside, peeps, I'm coming up for air. 

I love this plant. 

The goodies in my vintage wheel barrow are coming to life. 

Here is the entire rusty, vintage vignette. The aforementioned wheel barrow is
to the left, behind the sewing machine. You can only see the yellow Sedum 'Angelina.' 

This Hypericum (Hypericum androsaemum) is ruby-leaved progeny from
the more lightly variegated H. a. 'Glacier.' Go figure.
It's kind of weird how these plants get to frolicking. 

This is a newbie this year. Geranium 'Victor Reiter.' The leaves, which are the
best part of the plant, are actually a bit darker than they appear here. 

Yesterday, at the Corvallis Habitat for Humanity ReStore, I found this plant.
Can you guess what it is?
Eryngium yuccafolium. $2.00. STEAL!
I asked my peeps on Facebook if I should go back for the two remaining pots
and got a resounding YES!
Commonly called Rattlesnake Master, it is a host for Swallowtail
butterfly larvae. More info can be found here.

My in-ground planting of Black Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigra’) looked terrible.
So I dug it up and planted it in two containers with
Sedum 'Angelina' for contrast. We'll see how it fares here. 

And finally: A Confession

I really try hard to not fall prey to current trends. I like to think of myself
as a free-thinking rogue, not easily swayed by the titillation of mass media.
When it became apparent that Digiplexis would be the IT plant of the year,
I found it easy to eschew, given its high price and marginal hardiness. 

But then I saw this at Home Depot. With multiple side-shoots
and deep green foliage, it was the picture of health and vigor. 

Um, yeah. $7.00? .... I think I can do that.
After all it's a PINK flower ! I'll plant it in a spot where I can protect it easily
should we get a repeat of last winter's arctic unpleasantness. 

So there you go. I'm officially part of the IT crowd now.  Yay me.
Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame' 

Thanks for visiting!