Don't Look

You know you're a gardener when your outdoors is cleaner than your indoors. Confession: I've spent so much time gardening lately that my house looks like crap. I keep telling myself, "Don't look" at all of the indoor to-dos. They will get done. They always do. Right now I've got gardening to do. 

Well, and blogging. It's been forever since I've posted photos. I've got a bunch of them so I'll keep my comments brief. If you have a question or comment, feel free to chime in.

Penstemon rupicola with Helianthemum 'Ben Ledi'

P. rupicola close up.

Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum'

Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum'

This one, lone Gardenia blossom overwintered and bloomed. Ah, the fragrance. I took this photo about a week ago but now the flower has faded. In a few months, the entire bush will be abloom. What a nice little spring surprise.

Gardenia jasminoides 'Frostproof'

Enkianthus campanulatus 'Showy Lanterns'

I'm going to move this poor Peony. It just isn't happy in this spot.

Paeonia tenuifolia

Quaking Grass is an annual grass reseeds. The roots are shallow so the plants are easy to pull and transplant into a pot (or feed to my cats). I will dry most of the seed heads though.

Quaking Grass (Briza maxima)

Calycanthus x raulstonii 'Hartlage Wine'

This Night Phlox is incredibly fragrant. I have it in a pot right at nose level.

Night Phlox (Zaluzianskya ovata)

Speaking of fragrance, this bush Lonicera is incredibly fragrant. I almost got rid of it a few years ago when it was in a bad spot. I'm so glad I didn't.

Lonicera syringantha

Jim was new last year. Despite reports of being an "easy to grow" plant, he pouted. This year he's happy. And so am I. 

Chiastrophyllum oppositifolium 'Jim's Pride'

My sister gave me a piece of this gorgeous hardy Geranium. My photo doesn't do it justice.

Geranium nodosum 'Whiteleaf'

In all my gardening years, I've never grown Jack-in-the-pulpit or Arisaema. This spring I decided to try a species. (There are several and the showier they are, the pricier they are.) I bought three bulbs of A. triphyllum from Prairie Moon Nursery. They arrived a few weeks ago and check them out. One is already blooming.

Arisaema triphyllum

 The Clematis are blooming. Well some of them are:

Clematis montana 'Broughton Star'

Clematis 'Polish Spirit' with Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin' and Lonicera 'Gold Flame'

Clematis 'Polish Spirit with Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin' and Lonicera 'Gold Flame'

I didn't move 'Proteus' like I told myself I should. Darn it. Wouldn't this be fabulous mingling with 'Polish Spirit' and 'Glasnevin'?  

Clematis 'Proteus'

Clematis 'Proteus'

More Clems:

Clematis 'Nubia'

Clematis 'Viva Polonia'

Clematis 'Viva Polonia' backside

Rhodohypoxis baurii 'Red Star' with Blue Star Creeper

 

 

Weigela florida 'Variegata' in full, fragrant bloom

I saw this cool plant at Dancing Oaks last fall. I had to have it. 

Fringed Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia fimbriata)

 New plant for me... I love it!

Spiraea densiflora

There are a ton more plant photos but I'll save them for next time. Here area some wide shots:

Woodland border

Montia parviflora var. flagellaris and Oxalis crassipes 'Rosea'

Woodland border

Rheum palmatum var. tanguiticum

Shady path to the north part of the garden

Euphorbia stygiana

The blossoms on Euphorbia stygiana are incredibly fragrant! Think sweet honey... yum!

Euphorbia stygiana

 

 

Lychnis viscaria in full bloom

One of the nice things about spring flowers are the spring visitors. 

Painted Lady butterfly nectaring on Lychnis

 After two-plus weeks of sunshine, I'm glad we're finaly getting a bit of rain today. Maybe I'll even tackle the housework. Cheers!

So Much to Love

We're long overdue for a blog post. The garden is looking superb and I'm spending as much time as I can out there.

Recently, I stopped by the K-Mart in Corvallis to look for something and got stopped by the plants at the front door. When I "heard" this Cuphea calling my name I said, "Oh honey, you're coming home with me!" In fact, two of them were vying! So, yep. I let them both jump into my cart. The flowers are tiny but prolific. Such a cutie pie, it will make a good "spiller". Have you all seen this plant? (It looks similar to Scaevola but it's not. The flowers are much smaller. Info here.)

Cuphea ramosissima 'Cuphoric Pink'

Speaking of Cuphea. I had to have this one too. I grew it last year and was so pleased with it.  

Cuphea llavea 'Vienco Burgundy'

Last spring I purchased Cistus 'Victor Reiter' from Annie's. Her photos of the pink flowers made me swoon. Finally, one year later, mine has blooms. I'm not disappointed.

Cistus 'Victor Reiter'

And finally, flowers on Geranium renardii. I love the leaves, of course, and have had a flower-less plant for several years. The flowers are charming.

Geranium renardii

The blossoms on Rosa 'Rhapsody in Blue' are extremely fragrant. I love this rose. Thank you Carol.

Rosa 'Rhapsody in Rose'

Montia is just full of flowers.Thank you Nancy.

Montia parviflora var. flagellaris

Miniature rose 'Jeanne LaJoie' is blooming right on cue with variegated honeysuckle.

Rosa 'Jeanne LaJoie' with variegated honeysuckle (Lonicera perclymenum 'Harlequin')

 This Linaria is finally--after three years--a strong, happy plant. Thank you Diana.

Linaria triominthophora

I succumbed to this purchase a few weeks ago: Papaver orientale 'Harlem'. My thinking is that I have trouble with the fickleness of the annual 'Lauren's Grape' Poppy so this one will serve as a reliable replacement. 

 

 

Papaver orientale 'Harlem'

Another impulse purchase is this red-leaved Begonia. Ooh la, la! The tag just said, "Rex." Online I found it named, Rex Begonia Constellation Series Taurus. (There were several different ones in the series.) Whatever the name, it's pretty. Or gaudy. What do you think?

Rex Begonia Constellation Series Taurus

 May is the month for Dianthus! I love them all so much.

Dianthus

 The mild winter means strong,  floriferous California Poppies. The pink ones are my favorite.

Pink California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

The Astrantia are also looking fab!

Astrantia major 'Abbey Road' (I think.)

Rosa 'William Baffin' is perfect right now.

Rosa 'William Baffin'

 Even this bumblebee thinks so:

Rosa 'William Baffin' with bumblebee

I'm still deciding where to plant this fabulous little red-leaved Rhododendron. Don't you love it?

Rhododendron 'Everred'

Last fall I hauled home this large, hollow log. After getting my son to cut it into threes, it has made a home in my one of my woodland beds.

Log love.

And now for some garden shots:

We had a garden visitor for two days last week. Total cuteness. Sadly, he moved on.

We have a lot of tadpoles in the pond. Here is one their older cousins.

 And finally, a plant I am unsuccessful at growing but my neighbor does so well. The view could be a lot worse, yes?

My neighbor's Delphinium

 Happy Gardening!