Flowers and Foliage, Oh My

So much is going on. I've been reworking a lot of the blah spots in the garden this year. It's enjoyable but, being a visual person I have difficulty envisioning full-grown plants when they're still dormant. For instance, the Joe Pye and Canna lilies are still eensy, weensy things but in a few months, they'll tower. So how do I place them? Due to my ambivalence (aka "cramscaping"), I suspect there will be some summer amending. Hopefully there will be a few rainy days to undertake the project. Or maybe everything will be perfect. Ha! 

A few years ago my neighbor rooted this gorgeous pink Clematis for me. We don't know its identity. Is it 'Pink Champagne' or 'Asao' or...? Any ideas?

Clematis .... ?

Pulsatilla vulgaris 'Red Bells'

Phlox stolonifera 'Sherwood Purple'

 The second rose to bloom in my garden is this one:

Rosa mutabilis

And the second blossom, almost ready to pop.
Note the plethora of aphids too.

Lewisia cotyledon in bloom

Lewisia up close...

Gypsophila cerastioides 'Pixie Splash'

Heuchera 'Georgia Peach' (I think) in front of Weigela florida 'My Monet'

And my favorite Weigela, almost in bloom...

Weigela florida 'Variegata'

Tinkerbell Lilac (Syringa meyeri x microphylla 'Bailbelle')

Variegated Comfrey (Symphytum x uplanicum 'Axminster Gold')
among the throng

Impatiens omeana always look so good before the weevils start chewing on them.

Impatiens omeana

Silver Vein Creeper is really filling in this trellis, despite how shady this area is now, thanks to a burgeoning Japanese Maple.

Silver Vein Creeper (Parthenocissus henryana)

This Silene has reseeded all over my garden now. I like it, to a point.

Silene dioica seedling

Allium schubertii almost ready to pop!

While shopping with my friend Vicky recently, I found this simple birdhouse. I'm hoping maybe a bird family will take up residence. 

Finally, it used to be we rarely saw butterflies in our garden. However, in the last few years we're seeing more and more. Yesterday my daughter and I spotted a pair of Red Admiral butterflies twitterpating and nectar-sucking. Such a regal thing!

Red Admiral butterfly resting on the warm fence boards.

Are you amending areas of your garden?

Seeing any butterflies or other interesting visitors?

And The Winner Is...

Every spring I sit back and watch to see which rose bush will be the first to put forth a blossom. This year, the winner is Rosa mutabilis.

Rosa mutabilis, the first rose blossom in my 2015 garden! 

Weigela florida 'Variegata' is about to bloom! One of my favorite shrubs. 

A new Phlox. I've already misplaced the tag, dang it.
Oh, found it. Phlox subulata x stolonifera 'Paparazzi Lindsay' 

My pink lilac... Syringa meyeri x microphylla 'Tinkerbell' 

Delopserma cooperi 'Jewel of Desert Ruby' 

Geranium phaeum 'Samobar' 

Stipa barbata with a volunteer viola

Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow' is blooming

Kalmiopsis leachiana is really putting on a show this year. 

Pulsatilla vulgaris 'Red Bells' is happy. 

Heuchera 'Midnight Rose' is one of the best Heucheras in my garden.
Unlike so many that I've lost over the years, this one seems to be impervious to root weevils (knock on wood). 

Love the Solomon's Seal's crispy, clean foliage.  

A first bloom on Saxifraga x geum 'Dentata' 

Hakonechloa with a few volunteers--Hypericum, Viola and Impatiens. 

I'm very pleased with how my brick terrace experiment is working out. It's much more interesting than a boring old lawn.  

I love how all the different sedums are mingling with the creeping thyme.
I didn't have the heart to pull out the volunteer English daisy. 

The golden 'Angelina' is extremely happy. 

Well that's about it for this week. Actually I've got about fifty more photos I could show you but I'll save those for next week. Happy spring, everybody! 

The World Laughs In Flowers

MINE IS A SUMMER garden. I made that decision several years ago when it became an undisputed fact that I couldn't grow everything under the sun. Sometimes I still forget this, especially when I'm at a plant sale, but I digress. With this rude reality, I decided to focus on plants that have their peak in summer when the weather is more agreeable to actually working in the garden without being pummeled with hail. 

So basically, what I'm saying here is that my garden isn't exactly in stellar photo-taking mode right now. However, my photographer-daughter and I recently went around town and captured these goodies. 

This Ribes sanguinium begged for a little lovin.' 

Pretty pink posies! 

At a nearby park, a blooming Wisteria was hanging over the fence. 

The scent was luscious!

The Dogwoods are barking up a storm right now. 

The Kwansan Cherries are amazing! 

A gazillion little puff-puffs. 

Lovely Lilacs 

A two-toned Rhododendron

A captivating setting...

At the park, we discovered a little family. Aren't they adorable? 

As always,