Monday, August 24, 2015

Deep within the shade garden...


I nearly missed this bloom ,  Anemonopsis macrophylla, sitting deep in the shade garden .  I had to crawl under to get a look. It would be much happier in a cooler climate .  I keep it well watered and surrounded by cool foliage. It seems to take all spring and summer for it to bloom. They don't last long in this heat ! 
And while I was scrambling along I found this little clump of  Colchiums.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Wednesday vignette...

A container brimming full of variegated  honeysuckle.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

The garden waits for no one ….

After moving the metal fence this spring , I'd didtn't  get round to planting anything in this space . Quite a large area , since I removed the sprawling Forsythia  and a few others.

So the garden took care of itself.                                                                                                                                                           I believe everything I'd ever grown from seed has converged on this spot : Verbasicum , Nicotiana , Ammi, Dill,Borage, foxgloves and an acorn squash , conveniently in front of the gate . I couldn't have done better myself.




Saturday, August 15, 2015

Blooms in August….

Here is a look from with in my new planting area , it's filled in nicely. Not only that, but looking on the ground I can see many , many new seedlings appearing , that means another round of Cerinthe major.
The bloomers are: Kniphofia percy's pride,Sedum 'Autumn joy',Gaura l. belleza white, Sangusorba .alba, Coreopsis big bang full moon, Rudbeckia 'cherry brandy',Phlox 'nicky' Golden oregano,Thymus'silver posie,Achillea , feverfew and  the very rampant Queen ann's lace.

I took this looking out my sunroom window this morning. Bronze fennel, Helenium , various Agastache and Phlox

This little charmer I found nestled within the micro climate of the shade garden.
Join Carol for many more August blooms  here  

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Grandpa Ott...

Yes, he's back with a vengeance. I thought I had pulled most of  last years plants  before they set seed, apparently not.
This one I love , trailing through a huge Baptisia .

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

A little planting...

I've been searching for the best place to plant my recently purchased ( From Roger Goosler at Joy Creek nursery)  . Placing it here and their, till I decided it should go in front of the house, in a small area where I had cleared out a dead Euphorbia. 


It's companions are: A variegated Weigela that I layered a few years ago. A straggly Eucomis Sparklying brandy, An even stragglier Panicum 'Cheyenne sky'...

and this Yucca 'blue boy' , a healthy one.

Then I decided to pull out the verigateded sedum , that was no longer variegated. I did pinch out all the variegated bits and replant them.  And a few of my endless supply  of Euphorbia flame leaf.
I seem to have taken several steps backwards ! 

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Re-graveling the gravel ...

One of those jobs that needed doing, but have put off till now. But then I couldn't be hauling gravel in 90+ temps.
I only got a 1/4 yard of pea gravel , which was just enough to give everything a nice thick layer.
I really wanted to re contour all the paths. And that I did, pulling out as I went along. The paths now are much wider , it was mostly sedum that went, it does take over .

I've been organizing the Carex , by color. 

The Irises …moved again , they get so messy , I don't know where is the best place for them  .

I haven't started going over this area yet, the bergenias  at the top will be moving , they got scorched  this summer. The Lamium , I attack aggressively several times all year long .




Under all this Saccharum  foliage , I found half a dozen Verbena seedling..nice.

Mickey crunch, crunching along.

Monday, August 3, 2015

Dogs of summer...

This time of year it's not always easy to find certain critters.

So many places to duck and dive.