Holy Freaking Cow!

I'M NOT SURE WHAT happened to spring but summer has arrived with a bang. It's evening on a Sunday and normally I'd be outside but with the temperature reaching a whopping 86 degrees today, I'm still waiting for the cool down. This is extremely atypical for the Pacific Northwest. Usually it's rain with an occasional teaser day thrown in. However, I remember a similar year back in 1983. Temps were in the 90s. My friend Kris was in the hospital giving birth and the AC wasn't working. Ugh. 

I've been really busy with final preparations for my book. And when I can I'm playing in the garden. Here's what's going on: 

One of my daughters insisted I buy this Oriental Poppy. She knows how
I feel about the pink-ness of it. 

The tulips, like the gardener don't really care for this heat.
They're both beginning to unravel. 

Here they are reaching towards the sun, despite the heat. 

Jacob's Ladder flowers are so sweet. 

Lewisia will get divided after it finishes blooming. Poor thing. 

My over-wintered Bacopa is in bloom. 

A new, hot-pink flowering Ice Plant. 

Columbine 'Clementine' has really cool flowers. I'm going to let it go to seed
because more is better. 

Speaking of going to seed, I've got 'Roly's Favorite' Silene happily
blooming all over my garden now. 

Another Silene that doesn't reseed. 

One of my favorite shrubs: Weigela florida 'Variegata' is starting to bloom

Spiraea 'Pink Ice' is in bloom

Spiraea 'Magic Carpet' is almost there. 

Weigela and Rosa mutabalis blooming happily

I have high hopes for this newly purchased Morina longifolia.
If you have experience with this plant, please share. 

See Joy, it's alive! I moved my Tiger Eyes Sumac and worried that it didn't come back.
Joy was very encouraging. Thanks girlfriend. 

My single Rodgersia leaf is alive and happy. 

Euphorbia 'Great Dixter' has a twin!

Epilobium or Fireweed. Okay so they're not exactly twins but dang close.

Euphorbia on the left Epilobium on the right. 

 And now some photos of the garden for your view pleasure, or not:

This is what it looks like under my pear tree. 

On the south end of the garden. 

Another section on the south end of the garden

I dug out a lot of Sedums from this bed. They were smothering the Dianthus.
It was a rescue operation and good therapy. 

I'm hoping my Heseperaloe (front, clay pot) will bloom this year. 

Amid the junque there are plants. 

The little running Euphorbia cyparissias ‘Fens Ruby’ is in bloom all over the place,
evidenced by the swathes of chartreuse dotting the borders.  It smells heavenly. 

I know everyone hates Bishop's Weed but the trick is to dig it in February as it's emerging.
It's how I keep mine in check. But then I'm weird. 

A few posts ago I said I wasn't going to buy any more junque.
But when I saw this leaky vintage watering can for $3.99, my resolve dissolved. 

Until Rosa William Baffin curtains the window, Charity Case and Lois Price will
continue to observe the garden unhindered.  

I have to amend this post. Tonight, as daylight was just about gone, I saw a
Sphinx moth! I love these guys. He was making his way around these fragrant
honeysuckle blossoms. How cool is that? 

Growing Pains

I HAVE A HUGE CONFESSION to make. Parts of my garden look like the Amazon Jungle. Seriously. With the mild temperatures and abundant rainfall, the plants are in GROW mode. It's not insurmountable but it ain't good. I mean, it's good that they're healthy and all but, well, they need some assistance from the gardener at large. Problem is, you see, I'm working full time now and often by the time I get home in the evening I'm too worn out for any serious undertakings. I know eventually, like say, Saturday, I'll get to it and feel all the better for it. And, I'll have some really cool "After" photos to show off. 

Today's post features the "Before" photos. To buffer the shock, I've interspersed them with a few nicer shots. 

These are the flowers on Oxalis lasiandra I purchased at Dancing Oaks. 

I'm not sure what variety of Hens & Chicks this is but I really like the pink flowers. 

Here it is again. I don't believe I've ever had a Semp sporting such pretty flowers. 

Rosa 'Rhapsody in Blue' is actually purple but with a scent like this who cares? 

 Okay, ready? Here goes...

Here is the first photo of my chaos. See what I mean? No definition. Everything is crowded. 

Rosa 'Sophia' is trying her hardest to be pretty but that stupid Feverfew is in the way. Out it goes. 

This photo proves that I'm making progress. My Sambucus 'Black Lace' is in for a serious pruning
when it's finished blooming. 

Did you know there is a pathway here? 

The pathway is here too but it's not too easily navigable these days.
The rose on the right is 'Knock Out.' The pink flowers on the left are from Cistus purpurea. 

Geranium 'Jolly Bee' and a pink No-Namer are looking fine but Stipa gigantea to their right might need a hair cut soon. 

Here's another view of that same hidden pathway. The pink rose on the right is 'Gertrude Jekyll. '

A few days ago, I spruced up this area but was too late to get a good "After" photo.
Mowing and edging the lawn makes such a huge difference. 

This Purple-leaved Cotinus (Smoke Bush) is weak-stemmed. It won't stay vertical.
I kind of like it partnered with the contrasting Pulmonaria though so I'm leaving it. 

My Clemmy 'Ville de Lyon' looks fabuloso. 

The Pink-flowered California Poppies successfully wintered-over and are all abloom. 

I really like this little area under the arbor. 

This photo really demonstrates how chaotic things have become. Scary, isn't it? 

I remember Christopher Lloyd advising to cut the Santa Barbara Daisy plants "hard back" in spring.
Oops. This is what happens when you don't. 

Pathway? What pathway? I'm not sure if my cat is happy in the jungle or not. 

Rosa 'Knock Out' with Sambucus 'Black Lace.' (The camera is crooked. My bad.) 

Solanum crispum  'Glasnevin' looks really great now too, thanks to the mild winter. 

And I'll leave you with Rosa 'Scentimental.' 

There. 

I feel better having confessed my gardener's lament. 

Next time I'll post the "After" photos. 

I'm sure all of you are doing a much better job of keeping up with things. 

As always,