In Pursuit of Spring

Hi Guys, I don't know about you but I'm feeling very deprived of green and pretty things right now. I decided to dig through my photos for a little color to liven up these dark January days. 

Oxalis crassipes ‘Rosea’ 

Rosa 'John Cabot' 

Verbena rigida and Papaver 'Lauren's Grape' 

Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' 

Aquilegia vulgaris 'Woodside Strain' 

A whole mess of green things! 

 I hope you enjoyed this little prelude to spring and forgive me for my impatience.

June--What's Not To Love?

I THINK THE SONG is wrong. Right now is the most wonderful time of the year, don't you think? Everything is either in bloom or looking lush and healthy in leaf-form. There is something new to observe and enjoy with every stroll through the garden. Life is good!  

'Lonicera x heckrottii ‘Gold Flame’ is in full bloom and climbing up the pear tree!

The Acanthus is under a Japanese maple--too shady for it to bloom but that's okay. 

Aquilega (Columbine) 'Woodside Strain' is in bloom but the flowers aren't particularly breathtaking.
It's all about the foliage. 

The leaves on the Cercis (Red Bud) tree are ooh, la, la, don't you think? 

Brunnera 'Jack Frost' is getting bigger. 

Don't you love how pretty Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' is? 

This is the third summer for my variegated comfrey
Symphytum x uplandicum 'Arminster Gold.' I'm loving it. 

Persicaria 'Red Dragon' got tall, then fell over when it rained. Now it's sort of happily mingling. 

I've been growing this Oxalis for several years. Recently I bought a few more
when I saw them for sale at the grocery store, of all places. 

My Tetrapanax is happy!

My Astrantia major 'Ruby Wedding' is celebrating the spring nuptials. Here is one stem...

And here is a bunch of stems! I'm thinking of you, Scott! 

Cistus 'Snowfire' is going to get a serious pruning after it finishes blooming. 

I know Jupiter's Beard is "common" but I love it. 

Please forgive me for being so aloof. I've been crazy busy but things should be slowing down now. I hope to visit you all soon. I hope you're enjoying your gardens! 

June's Joys

It's a gorgeous, party-cloudy June day. The temp reads 60 degrees F at this 11th hour of the morning. 

Here are a few of the highlights making me happy this fine morning. 

A pink-flowering strawberry

Clematis 'Little Duckling' 

Anisodontea, a tender from the Hibiscus family. It's PINK. 

Clematis 'Liberation' surrounded by Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin' 

Variegated Comfrey blossom. 

Rosa 'Double Knock Out' blossoms with Clematis 'Josephine'

Zip the cat snoozing among the goodies. 

Dark pink California poppies

Clematis 'Earnest Markham' 

Sambucus nigra 'Southerland Gold' is on the left. 'Knock Out' on the right. 

Rosa 'Sophie's Rose' with Lonicera nitida 'Lemon Beauty' 

Clematis 'Josephine' clamoring up the arbor

Volunteer Achillea and Santa Barbara Daisy

I'm kind of liking this little section of the garden right now. Can you tell? 

Campanula portenschilagiana volunteer.