Drive-By Shootings of the Camera Kind

A FEW WEEKS AGO, I HAPPENED upon this lovely front yard garden. There was no one around so I didn't get permission to take photos but that has never stopped me and it didn't this time. I've never seen such beautiful clumps of Red Flax.

Red Flax Linum grandiflorum var. rubrum

I wish the owner would have been there so I could ask how she got these
beauties to grow so well. I've never had much luck. 

This looks like German Catchfly or Viscaria oculata also a gorgeous clump.

Other goodies in the garden...

all in this busy, vibrant front garden. 

Beside it, was this tree, a Dogwood of some kind, with ladybug-like fruits...  

on foliage already celebrating autumn. 

Here is another front garden that caught my eye. 

How is this for a gorgeous stand of weeping Love-Lies-Bleeding?

It was also growing along the fence. 

And here we have a "weeping" stand of Joe Pye, after the rain. 

Finally, I had to take a photo of this hell strip planted with orange Zinnias.
I'm thinking this might be in celebration of Oregon State University, just a few blocks away.
OSU's colors are orange and black. 

 *     *     * 

I got a lot done in the garden this weekend. After all the rain we've had, the soil is easy to work so weeds are getting the heave ho. I hope you all have a wonderful week. 

So Much To Do

I'm taking a break from the garden to eat dinner, watch the news and post my latest garden photos. But, on second thought, I'm going to mute the news. No explanation needed, right? Tomorrow my garden buddies are coming over so I'm trying to get things looking good but despite my all-day efforts, perfection is futile. There's always more to do than there is time or energy to do it. 

I zoomed-in for this photo of Clemmy 'Ville de Lyon' blooming up high on the arbor. 

My hens and chicks are apparently happy that it's spring.

My garden buddy Carol gave me this small 'Tri-Color' Beech.
Despite missing a third color, I love the bright pink edging. Silene 'Roly's Favorite' is equally smitten. 

Last year I almost lost my Ninebark 'Coppertina' because it was planted in a
really hot, dry location. I moved it early this spring.
It looks happy now but time will tell. 

My yellow/chartreuse and maroon foliage border is looking great this year. 

Looking down on Joe, 'Little Joy' Joe Pye, that is. I love the maroon centers. 

I love the mottled new foliage on 'Rose Glow' Berberis. 

My daughter Beth's lettuce. I can't recall the name of it. 

Sambucus 'Black Negligee' and Rosa 'Knock Out' are an oversize duo
thanks to my reluctant pruning earlier this spring. Oops. 

My new tree fern has a new frond untwirling!

I always love how the Mexican Feather Grass captures the light. 

I thought I'd share a photo of my weed. Just kidding. It's not marijuana.
It's a small Helleborus foetidus I got for a buck at a sale a few weeks ago. 

Well, as much as I'd like to take a shower and go to bed, there's still daylight and more work to do in the garden. So... 

Sunburn Itch

I BLEW IT LAST SATURDAY. Working in the garden, with a tank top that scooped a little too low in the back, I burned myself. My shoulders and arms are fine because they've been exposed enough but my back. OUCH. Actually it didn't really hurt until yesterday and it's more like an intermittent stinging sensation than a pervasive burning feel. Weird. You'd think by now I would have learned but NO! 

So I have a few photos to share. Lots of bloomers. As much as I hate the thought of summer winding down, the garden in August is going strong. 

Buddleia  

I've been picking Butterfly Bush blossoms because in a vase, with honeysuckle, the two scents combine into one amazing delight. 

Clematis viorna 

One of my WINS from Dancing Oaks a few years ago, Clemmy viorna puts forth these waxy bells in late July and August. The vine is hardly vigorous so I've got the few stems climbing a single rebar.

Clerodendrum bungei 

Clerodendrum bungei is starting to bloom too. This is a thirsty plant and with the imminent heat wave this week, it might falter but for now, it's looking mighty fine. 

Annual Baby's Breath, Gypsophila elegans

This particular Baby's Breath reseeds nicely. If I reuse any of the previous year's potting soil, (I admit, I do this) there will inevitably be seedlings emerging. I either move them or let them stay depending on what's growing with them.

Eupatorium cannabinum ‘Flore Plenum’ 

It seems to me the botanical name for Joe Pye has changed, right? I'm behind the times, obviously. Anyway, the above species grows similar to the more common Eupatoriums but the flower clusters are slightly papery and compact. They dry well too.
 

Eupatorium dubium ‘Baby Joe’ 

Little Joe ain't so little this year. I'm wondering if someone didn't test this guy sufficiently before marketing it. Oh well. I still love him. 

Gaura lindheimeri ‘Siskiyou Pink’ 

All of my Gauras look fabulous this year. I think it might be the additional rain we received in June. It certainly wasn't anything I did, unless they perform better with neglect. 

Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus syriacus 

Yes, the pink theme continues. Here is my little Rose of Sharon. Love those blossoms.

Verbena hastata 

This Verbena is a curiosity. I thought it would be fun to use a few stems in a bouquet. When I brought them indoors to arrange, immediately all of the petals began wiggling like there were tiny bugs burrowing into them and tossing out the petals. Before long, there was a sink full of petals and bare stems. It was very strange. I think I'll just keep this flower outdoors, thank you very much. 

Phlox paniculata 'Starfire' 

The Phlox, again thanks to June's rains are stupendous this year. I wish I had an acre of them.

Salvia microphylla ‘La Trinidad Pink’ 

The above Salvia is my favorite for obvious reasons. I believe this plant is on its third summer, meaning it's hardy here in my Zone 8 garden. 

Verbena bonariensis 

Who, these days, isn't familiar with Verbena bonariensis? I have a love/hate with this plant. It reseeds with abandon and often gets in the way of other plants, leaning and making a pest of itself. But what can I say, it's too cool not to have in a garden.  

Tetrapanax papyfifera ‘Steroidal Giant’ 

And finally on the foliage side of things, just a photo of my Tetrapanax. Actually this photo was taken last year. This year the plant is much taller.  

So sorry I've been away from all of your blogs. I am working on getting caught up.

The Middle of August

I guess it's time for another post. Sheesh. It's been almost a week. The time just flies by anymore, doesn't it? We've continued to have superb summer weather here in western Oregon. I think it's hit 90 degrees twice all summer, here in my neck of the woods; even cooler up north in Portland and in Washington. You got to love that.

I took a few photos yesterday and this morning that I thought I'd boast about for a minute, if you'll indulge me.

 My Clemmy 'Polish Spirit' is more purple than is depicted in this rather blue rendition. Funny, two years ago, I dug this plant up and moved it to the other side of the garden but apparently there was just enough root left behind and now this one is just as big as the moved one. Anyway, it has tangling itself around my deck railing and into containers and a nearby rosebush and Rose of Sharon and... you get the idea.

Happy Hollyhocks.

Now I've seen some of your butterfly photographs so I know my photo is far from being award-worthy but I thought I'd post it anyway. You see it's a miracle I got it at all, considering my impatience coupled with the fact that there are so few butterflies in my neck of the woods to begin with. Well, when I saw this guy and just happened to have my camera, I homed in on it and voila. It's a miracle especially since the little guy kept flapping his wings like he was on a serious sap-gathering mission, which I'm sure he was and wasn't at all interested in modeling or becoming famous.

It's time for one of my favorite plants to strut his stuff. Say hello to Joe...Pye that is.

I'm laughing because this is supposed to be the cultivar, 'LITTLE Joe' but, somebody forgot to tell him.

This is Verbena hastata a less-popular cousin of the famed Verbena bonariensis or "Verbena-on-a-stick."

Mid-August is also time for the Sedums to start blushing.  I've got bunches of them but I don't know all of their names because I mix them up and move them and forget who I put where.

My Phlox paniculata are happy. This one is 'Starfire.' I like it juxtaposed with the spiky Persicaria 'Firetail' and foliage from Thalictrum delaveyi.

And speaking of which, this is my Thalictrum d. in flower. Such a sweet little thang... 

And speaking of sweet little thangs, here is my youngest daughter's kitten who came to visit us last weekend. Don't you just love kittens?

By the way, if you're interested you can see a short, YouTube promo video for the book, The Moment I Knew, of which I am proud to say I'm a part of, due out on August 26th. (See sidebar for more information.)