Summer in April

I started this post a few weeks ago but was circumvented by some sort of virus or a bad case of hay fever. Whatever it was and is, it has (and is) kicking my butt and rendering me a lazy blogger, among other things. So the first photos are from that earlier attempt.

Clematis alpina 'Constance'

Clematis macropetala 'Markham's Pink'

A blurry bumblebee!

Ligularia 'Garden Confetti'

Ornamental Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum var. tanguiticum)

I was heartened to finally see the resident swallows return to their summer home. I was worried by their late arrival.

One of the swallows

The chickadees are also fun to watch.

Chickadee bath time

Several months ago, on her way to Portland,  Willow Murawski stopped by and gave me this really cool vintage sewing machine to display in my garden. Right now its sitting beneath the lacy white flowers of the Spirea. Thank you Willow!

Circa 1923 Singer Red Eye Treadle sewing machine

Okay, now on to today's post:

It's been unseasonably warm the past week or two. It has helped wake up the garden. 

Last spring I found a variegated Glechoma and fell in love with it. Usually the leaves are a gray-green with white edges. Not this baby! Check out the spotted green and white variegation! Eventually the entire plant went rogue and I was a happy camper.  Just now I did a search and discovered that my plant tag was incorrect in stating that it was Glechoma hederacea 'Variegata'. It's actually G. h. 'Dappled Light'.

Glechoma hederacea 'Dappled Light' last year

 

I was very careful to keep it safe from winter's cold and this spring, it's rewarding me with these elegant little flowers. Yes. It's the small things.

 

The sweet little flowers of Glechoma hederacea 'Dappled Light'

The Penstemon rupicola is in full bloom. I love it so much.

Pink flowered Penstemon rupicola with Helianthemum nummularium 'Ben Ledi'

 Isn't it gorgeous? And to think that it's native to the Cascade Mountains.

Penstemon rupicola

Penstemon rupicola

My good friend Gail Barnard shared a piece of this hardy Geranium earlier this spring. It has grown and now it's blooming. I didn't really want it for the flowers. It's the variegated foliage that makes me happy.

Geranium phaeum 'Margaret Wilson'

Geranium phaeum 'Margaret Wilson'

Clematis 'Asao' is always the first large flowered hybrid to bloom in my garden. Of course, it's pink!

Clematis 'Asao'

Speaking of pink, another native, Pink Pussy Toes is in full bloom right now. Such a little charmer.

Pink Pussy Toes (Antennaria dioica)

Pink Pussy Toes (Antennaria dioica)

Last year I decided I had to have an Enkianthus. This is the first time it's bloomed for me. I'm not disappointed. 

Enkianthus campanulatus 'Showy Lanters'

And now for some wide shots:

Silene robotti

River rock that I'll place in the garden after I get the plants situated and the mulch down and yada, yada.

A new area ready to be planted.

 

Too much fence showing here again. Must remedy this.

There you have it. So much to do and loving it.

How about you?

Sloppy, Soggy, Soupy and Saturated, Part II

Rain. It's just more and more rain. I am reusing a title I first used last March. The deliberate alliteration seems even more apropos this year. 

Before I show a few photos, I have a have to tell you what happened yesterday. 

I was puttering on the patio, when I heard something on the roof. My first thought was cat, but we don't have any outdoor cats anymore. My second thought was squirrel of which there are many. So I tiptoed over to the edge of the patio for a glimpse. As I looked up, I saw--a heron! And when he saw me, he couldn't have flapped his wings any faster. I'm not sure who was more shocked. I certainly didn't expect to see something that ginormous and I don't think he expected to see me interrupt his pond surveillance. Whew!

Plants are really taking their time breaking dormancy but slowly I'm seeing signs of life. The Star Magnolia is awake and blooming. 

Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star'

Looking up during a brief period of blue sky.

Little Violas reseed everywhere. This pale-flowered one is blooming below my dwarf palm.

I bought this little dwarf Salix (willow) it an informal plant sale two years ago. I love how fuzzy the leaves are when it leafs out.

Salix nakamurana var. yezoalpina

And check out the fuzzy catkins too.

Salix nakamurana var. yezoalpina

The purple and yellow Polygala is now blooming beside its partner in crime, the yellow one.

Polygala chamaebuxus 'Kaminski'

Polygala chamaebuxus 'Kaminski'

I'm really happy to see this 'Morello Cherry' Lupine come back. Last year I passed up the cheaper four-inch pots for this thickly rooted one gallon. What a difference! Look how happy it is. And yes, I've been diligent with the slug bait.

Lupinus x 'Morello Cherry'

Speaking of slugs and slug bait, um yes. 'Britt-Marie Crawford' Ligularia is also being watched closely. 

Ligularia dentata 'Britt-Marie Crawford'

This sweet little Korean Violet was a hitchhiker on my Ledbouria cooperi which pretty much died after the unkind winter of 2013-14. Like the aforementioned Viola, it too reseeds all over the place. But I don't mind. Those tiny, variegated leaves are really cute.

Viola koreana 

Last summer, I got this cute Lychnis offered by Far Reaches Farm. I was able to propagate it. One plant is in the ground, this one stayed in my little greenhouse where it grew and is blooming! 

Lychnis flos-cuculi 'Petite Jenny'

Chionodoxa 

This cute variegated Sedum is also looking good despite the rain.

Sedum ‘Winky’ 

Finally, we noticed a visitor sleeping on the heat mat in the little greenhouse. I'm sure he found some aphids to eat while he was there.