A Special Visitor

Can you believe it's the middle of August already? I'm not ready for summer to end. Fortunately the garden is keeping me entertained. 

I was happy that my camera was handy when I spotted this little visitor.

This website says he's a "Male Green Metalic Sweat Bee"

It was cute watching him hunker down looking for pollen inside this fuzzy, huge
Centaurea rothrockii

Chinese Foxglove (Rehmannia elata) is still blooming.

Passiflora 'Lady Margaret' has two blooms!

My Sweet Peas are still putting out a few blooms. I was surprised to see this bi-colored one.

My Dahlias are looking fine. Except the ones that aren't. Which I won't photograph because it would be pointless. 

Dahlia 'Juanita'

Dahlia 'Junkyard Dog'

A single, tiny Jewels of Opar flower. (Talinum paniculatum)

I'm hoping it will reseed.

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Disco Bell White'

Phygelius x rectus 'Pheeges Passionate Pink'

Rosa 'Rhapsody in Blue'

Here is a few wide shots of the north end of my garden.

I hope you are enjoying your garden too.

A Sigh of Relief!

Finally, the temperatures have cooled down to a comfortable level. Last week, we had three days with highs at 106, 102 and 100 and several "cool-down" days in the high 90s. I think my cute and clever tagline, "Oregon--The New Texas" was starting to catch on.

Fortunately the heat was dry and only now, with temps in the 80s are we seeing a rise in the humidity and despite all the drama, the garden has remained fairly content. 

I succumbed to plant-lust and purchased a Passionflower. This one is Zone 9 but I'm going to cover it and pray we have a mild winter. Here is the first bloom.  

Passiflora 'Lady Margaret'

The bees are going to town on the Clethra.

Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice'

More flowers:

Red Four O'Clock (Mirabilis jalapa 'Red')

Pink Monkeyflower (Mimulus lewisii x cardinalis)

Hibiscus moscheutos

Clerodendron bungei

Clerodendrun bungei

Clerodendrun bungei

Rehmannia elata

I wish you could see these Fuchsia blossoms in person. They're really tiny--fat and tiny and cute.

Fuchsia 'Delta's Angelique'

Fuchsia 'Delta's Angelique'

Dianthus caryophyllus 'Chomley Farran'

Candylily (Pardancanda 'Sangria') 

I am without names for a bunch of new Dahlias, dang it. But I'm grateful they're blooming.

Dahlia NOID

Dahlia NOID

Dahlia NOID

Phlox paniculata 'Becky Towe' 

 My sister and I spotted this Silene at one of those "Dare-I-Go-There?" nurseries last year. Look how happy it is!

Silene schafta

Silene schafta with Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue'

This Clemmy is new this year. I am so pleased that it's taking off.

Clematis x triternata 'Rubromarginata'

And this Clemmy just keeps pumping out more blooms!

Clematis integrifolia 'Andante'

This Amaranthus is getting long.

Amaranthus 'Dreadlocks'

Leptodermis is blooming again. 

Leptodermis oblonga

Remind me to never buy Elephant Ear bulbs/tubers at Costco. I planted these last spring and finally the first leaf has budded out. Sheesh!

Elephant Ear (Colocasia sp.)

 Ditto for the second one in the box.

Colocasia sp.

And now a few garden shots. The quality is not very good, my apologies. 

Yes, it's a jungle out there. How's your garden growing?