July Is Here!

The heat-wave-that-refuses-to-leave has taken my weather-wimpery to a whole new level. Garden chores are left undone while I spend early mornings and evenings dragging the hose around, saturating poor, thirsty plants. The rest of the day is spent in other places, usually indoors with a room AC unit that is so loud it could drown out a Boeing flyover. But I can't complain. Well, let's face it. I can, and I do because I'm a weather wuss. 

Despite the meteorological mayhem, the garden is doing surprisingly well. Granted I've resisted the impulse to dig up and move plants and I've even gone so far as to lay an old bed sheet over a few plants that I fear will get sunburned. My efforts have paid off. Nature is so forgiving. 

I'm not a huge fan of Daylilies (Hemerocallis ssp and cvs.) but I've always sort of wanted a white one. Last fall when I saw H x 'Early Snow' on clearance for a buck I grabbed it. Finally, it just started blooming. Ain't it perty?

Hemerocallis x 'Early Snow' 

I have a few pink daylilies too. This one really trips my trigger:

Hemerocallis 'Coming Up Roses' (I think)

While my pink 'Tri-Color' Alstroemerias are a bevy of blossoms, this one is much more demure.

Alstroemeria psittacina 'Variegata'

I've always had a soft spot for the genus Centaurea so, last winter, when I was flower-starved, I bought seeds for Centaurea rothrockii. It just started blooming. Check out the size of these babies! And the bees love them.

Centaurea rothrockii

Another newbie last year is Talinum calycinum, also called Rock Pink or Flame Flower. The tiny, one-inch blossoms only appear in the afternoon. And they drop their little seeds! I've already got a few baby plants popping up. 

Talinum calycinum

Another product of my flower-starved winter has also just started blooming. Check out this miniature Morning Glory, called "Rose Feathers." (Ipomoea quamoclit.)  I bought the seeds through Baker Creek. It's just starting to bloom. 

Ipomoea quamoclit

Here's what the foliage looks like--all soft and ferny.

Ipomoea quamoclit

Don't you love growing new plants?

Here's another newbie for me. I don't typically grow yellow flowers but when I saw this last fall at a plant sale, I succumbed. 

Kniphofia 'Pineapple Popsicle' 

Check out my Gardenia 'Frostproof.' Just in the last few days the fragrant flowers began to appear. I love it. 

Gardenia 'Frostproof'

Ditto for the Dahlias. Actually only this one so far but the others are making good progress.

Dahlia blossom... I don't know the name

Look at how happy the Portulaca plants are.

In other news, during a recent trip to the store, I (naturally) had to detour to the plant department. Check out this morbid plant abuse! Mulitple pots of Digplexis 'Illumination Flame' being tortured with 100 degree heat and little water. What are the store owners thinking?

Plant Abuse

Speaking of morbid, I instinctively reached for my camera when I saw this Trachycarpus casualty. What do you think, Mindy? Would your hubby cut this one down? LOL

And now, a few critters:

This snake thinks he's hiding but, come on dude.

At twilight, a Hummingbird rests just a few inches away from me. 

 Finally, a better photo of the aforementioned sweet little Song Sparrow who likes to sing to us.

I love this little guy!

I hope your garden and its inhabitants are making you happy.

Pink Flowers and A Murder

I ONLY KNOW OF one gardener (a non-blogger) who has an affinity (okay obsession) for pink flowers like I do. Well, actually two because my friend Mindy Northrop, who is a blogger is also a fan. But she is far less compulsive, a more universal, equal-opportunity gardener. See for yourself on her awesome blog. She lives in Portland, near my old haunt in fact. She's enormously talented. 

Anyway, as I scrolled through the photos I chose for this post, I realized once again how crazy I am for pink shades. Have a look see... 

I love the little "wishie" in the middle of these Coreopsis.
I'm pretty sure it planted itself there to celebrate the forthcoming Perseid meteor shower this weekend, 

For all Succulent-lovers in the audience, I present this unnamed Kalanchoe.
$4 at Rite-Aid. The pot is from a recent trip to Goodwill. Sweet combo!
Notice the pink edges. 

My Grevillea rosmarinifolia is putting forth an un-seasonal bloom.
It's in my front yard. I hope the dear are color blind. 

I love hardy fuchsias! Partnered with this pot of Dianthus and a carpet of Pulmonaria,
what's not to love? 

It's a Dahlia, dahling. A little stuffy, yes... but lovable too. 

Dahlia partnered with Kale 'Lacinata' and the white rose I can't identify
because I'm not anywhere near my plant tags. 

I love how Hydrangea serrata 'Preziosa' after prancing all over the spectrum,
eventually morphs into my favorite shade.  

Earlier in the season, I bought two species Impatiens (I. rothii, I think). The one above was losing leaves
so I stopped watering it. Voila, look at it now! 

Here is the other Impatiens. I am going attempt to winter it over.
Wish me luck. 

A few weeks ago, while in Salem for the Art Festival with gal pals
Connie and Annie, I found another nice Clemmy: Clematis integrifolia. 

This tri-colored Oxalis is another early-season purchase from Fry Road.
It was a wee plug and now look at it. Just so you know, I snip off the
garish yellow flowers. It's good therapy.

This is my 'Frost Proof' hardy Gardenia. A week before this photo was taken it had 13 blooms!
On warm evenings, the fragrance is heavenly.

'Cityline Paris' Hydrangea looks better than ever this year. Next month,
when the water bill comes, we'll be eating crumbs. 

This is a scented Geranium. The purported fragrance is "hazelnut."
While I'm not sure about that, I am in love with the pink flowers. 

One of my Ornamental Oreganos if nearing its bee-loving end.
Check out the intricate design of the bracts. 

After the rare sighting of a Malope seed packet last spring, this is the result.
It's an annual that I will allow to go to seed.  

'Little Joe' 'taint so little. But he sure is handsome. 

Now that we've wrapped up or pink flora photos, I'd like to present a few non-pink fauna ones.

Rarely am I able to capture wildlife with my camera and while this photo is far from
perfect, it gives you all an idea of what's been slithering through my garden beds. 

This last photo is violent. Please be warned! 

The reason I KILL crab spiders! They eat my beloved honey and bumblebees!

Evil, murderous creatures. Poor honeybee was minding his own business and wham!
Why, oh why must it be so? Totally pisses me off! 

Okay. Thanks for letting me vent.