A Bunny, 2 Cherries, a recipe, & a question...

A little visitor hopped into the yard the other morning, isn't he adorable?



I picked up a few more annuals for pots, this beauty is the Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy'.

And this is the Zinnia 'Profusion Cherry', it doesn't really show here, but there is quite a range of shades in just one plant.

We did the first little harvest for a salad, I decided to use a very simple dressing of apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt & pepper. It was delicious.

And now I have a question for my gardening friends. I spread a few Shirley Poppy seeds along here, and mostly weeds have come up. There are quite a few that look like this, the flower head is remarkably poppy like. I haven't pulled them (yet) since I'm waiting to see what they do. What do you think it is?

This is another deep shade peony, that has never bloomed before (planted by previous homeowner). It produced one bloom this year, and it's a stunning pink with a lighter, frilly centre. Clearly, it must be relocated so I will expand the above patch to a large semi circle and add a Little Lamb Hydrangea, some red tulips and a few others. Any idea what kind this is?


Heliopsis is getting going, I really enjoy these bright, reliable blooms.



I know I've posted about these Peachleaf Bellflowers a time or 2 (or 10!) before, but I'm smitten. These are in the Blue Garden. Unfortunately, the occupants of the garden can't get their bloom times coordinated for a big show, they are going through once at a time. The clematis adjacent is growing well, but not showing any signs of bloom, which concerns me more than a little.

Coreopsis 'zagreb' has just opened, they are bright and lovely and look good with the Rudbeckia. The Crimson King Norway Maple insists on sending up a basal shoot. I keep cutting it off, but it keeps coming back, and looks kind of nice with the yellow.


Hosta Francee is looking shy in the shade...


Hosta 'Whirlwind' was completely obscured so was recently relocated, hopefully to a less 'sluggy' area. Notice the reverse variegation?



Here Hemorocalis 'Mary Reed' is trying to beautify the gas meter,


Alongside the very (too?) similar Raspberry Pixie.


Moving to the front, these two bright lights really lighten up the shady bed.



I didn't think I'd like the flower spikes of Lamb's Ear, but now I do.

I'm relieved that Hydrangea 'Unique' is setting flowers! :) Kyushu doesn't get as much sun, so is a little behind...

I added a few Sea Thrift plants along the border of the new driveway bed.

And my rescued Shastas (small division from last fall) are blooming.

My last shrub purchase was this Cool Splash Honeysuckle (Diervilla sessilifolia), I really like variegation, and the smaller size (3ft) makes it easy to place. I have moved the Blue Muffin Arrowwood to a shady spot, it's description has been revised since being released, and it is not the dwarf it was said to be. Also, it doesn't self pollinate well (ie AT ALL) and so if you want the lovely blue berries another Viburnum is required, and many are over 7 ft.

3 Pots of Vegetables

Here is my teeny tiny vegetable (& fruit) garden. The set of three pots became home to a few heads of Romaine Lettuce, some Cherry Tomatoes and 3 Strawberry plants. I have been taking off lettuce leaves for sandwiches and it is delicious. I will make a salad one day, but need to find the recipe for the perfect dressing first - nothing else will do!

July Blooms In The Garden

July 16th already, where does the time go? New blooms are opening around the garden, I thought I'd take you on a walking tour today. I usually post pics in geographic location, it seems to make the most sense to me.


Along the side bed Campanula glomerata is blooming, it is a different sort of bellflower, but I like the way it looks. I will try and tuck some blue ones in as well.




A little further down the Fleabane Daisy has opened. I have tried to find more of these but haven't been able to yet this year.

And here's a gratuitous dog picture for Deborah. I call it 'Daisy and the Daisies'.


And along the back of the garden, here is a single bloom from a young white peony. I had planted this one and the pink one (previously posted) last summer. Unfortunately I lost the tags so I can't identify them. I'm so thrilled about getting the planting depth right, I'm sure in a few years these will go from single blooms to a more impressive display.



Here are some Cosmos in the tulip bed (flanked by the 2 peonies), the purpleleaf sandcherry is recovering in the background.











And here is another gift plant, the Rudbeckia 'Indian Summer'. It was nodding a little in the heat, and from being newly planted. I think it looks very sunflower-ish in this pose.







At the other end of the yard in the shady bed, a spirea has stopped in to visit with Sedum autumn joy.





Some of the spirea flowers have started to open. I'm a little concerned about how far along these fall bloomers are this year, since my summer ones are just coming into full swing.

And a gratuitious Gargoyle shot for Joy. Alastair has found a secluded spot under the Flowering Plum, he can watch over the yard in privacy, without frightening young & old alike! He has an excellent view of my Kyushu Hydrangea and appreciates the occasional visit.

Moving to the front, here are some petunias in the shade. I was just reading in Jim Hole's Notebook that they can't be grown in shady containers....

And a little Tiger Eye Gold Rudbeckia in the shady bed below.

Heading down the front walkway, there are fairy thimble bellflowers in blue...


..and white.

Then down along the driveway Morden Sunrise Rose is blooming nicely. Now that I have 2 rose bushes I can totally understand what all the fuss is about.

I hope you enjoyed the tour, I seem to follow the same order every day for the morning walkabout and bloom count. ~Rebecca

No Rhyme or Reason.

There is no rhyme or reason to my garden. I am always impressed by beds that appear carefully structured and planned, and while I understand many of the concepts I am still very much a buy a plant, bring it home & dig a hole kind of gardener.

I like my combinations, even if the pairings occur by sheer luck!

The Painted Daisy 'Juwa' looks great with the white Campanula Carpatica and the Blue Campanula persicifolia, a little red white & blue for my American friends.


This is somewhat of a goof. I had wanted 3ft shastas to go with the 3ft heliopsis, but I got the much shorter Snowcap. I don't remember if this was a tag error or a 'me' error, but this is what we have now. I am really enjoying the Stachys byzantina, and need to remember to add a few more this year.
Here is the beautiful blue peachleaf bellflower again, this time with perennial sage,
...and again with Carpatica. This from the 'set the camera on the ground and hope for the best' method that I use periodically.

The Frog King has found a spot where he can survey the Kingdom.

Have a look at this odd little hosta. It is a dwarf blue, but has virtually nothing for a base, but is sending up a flower stalk. There is no sign of slug activity in the immediate area, I'm not sure what it's doing, but flowers are always nice!

Here in the shade is a trio, old fashioned bleeding heart is done blooming, the Ivory Halo Dogwood just grows and looks great with flashy foliage and the New York fall aster is growing well in the foreground, hopefully it will bloom in August.

And todays parting shot, I'm not sure if the pot is too big, or the plant is too small, but since it is on a windy ledge I needed something heavy enough to not blow away (which has happened before - poor patio tomatoes). Maybe it will expand and appear better proportioned soon?

So fess up...do you ever garden without a plan?

Gardeners are lovely people!

This will be a long and rambling post, since I need to catch up with a weeks worth of pictures, I should really split them, but since they are all loaded and ready I will leave them together. So much for my rule of 10 pics (max) per post.


The Iris Caesar's Brother is planted not too far from the black Superstition. I think he was a little jealous of all the attention and sent up a flower stalk late in the week. I'm pretty sure I could hear the song 'Anything you can do, I can do better' in the backgroung. But he may be fighting a losing battle...


Gratuitous Superstition picture...

I am enjoying my Cosmos mix immensely. BUT, even though I randomly scattered the 12 plants, they are completely segregated by colour. How does that happen???


Further along, a mystery peony (can't believe I didn't keep the tag or remember the name!) is bowing down to say hello.

Jack Frost has forgiven me for buying him, bringing him home, letting him get snowed on, then baking him & burning his leaves by placing him in a 'protected' area on the other side of the sunroom glass. He has even grown a few blue flowers for me, the hearts are quite taken with him. He also has some silver artemesia for company nearby.

My hostas are growing remarkably well this year, usually they are eaten by slugs. I think my signs may be working.

Pink Beauty Potentilla is covered in blooms! I hope this one overwinters better than the last.

The perennial sage has started to bloom this week, it has grown like crazy since I planted it last year.

I added quite a few blue peachleaf bellflowers last year, and they are starting to bloom. Another wonderful addition from the Campanula family.

And another blue bellflower, the little Campanula 'Get Mee', I like the way it looks with this little sign.

I'm so pleased with my 'Blizzard' Mockorange. I bought it last year, and it bloomed well, but I have found that flowering shrubs can take a few years before they bloom again. The initial flush is from being hopped up on fertilizer at the garden centre. It has produced a beautiful display and the sweet scent is intoxicating.

My 50 cent painted daisy has started to bloom. The fern like foliage is a nice change and the colour is striking.

Daylily Canadian Border Patrol is sending up it's first blooms, they are beautiful with their dark centres, and frilly edges. I planted 3 around my Tango Weigela, you can see a lambs ear and fall aster in the background. Do you see the little leaves on the bottom left of the picture? It is one of 2 Meconopsis plants I ordered earlier in the year. I am keeping my fingers crossed for some blue poppies one day....

More first of the year, Thubergia is really starting to grow and has opened a few pumpkin flowers. Can't wait til the poles are covered!

Remember my full shade peony? It's handful of blooms has just started to open. This little plant truly amazes me!

I have not had a Viburnum before, and added this Blue Muffin Arrowwood. It has a bad reputation for being a poor producer of the blue berries that it is grown for. We'll see how it does after the blooms are done. So far, I think it is a lovely little shrub.

My odds container continues to grow well. The Tiger Eye Gold Rudbeckia has now joined the others in bloom.

Sunrise Sunset rose is growing on me, as the flowers mature they fade a little and sunglasses are no longer needed for viewing.

You're may be wondering where my 'Gardeners are Lovely People' title came from? It came to mind the other night when I was out for a walk and stopped to admire a gorgeous stand of peonies. The homeowner was outside and I commented on how impressive they are. She asked if I wanted some and immediately snipped some off and handed them to me. It's amazing how a relatively simple gesture from a stranger can really make your day.

Then this morning, I stepped outside and saw this large pot on my step. A friend had offered me some yellow irises recently and they magically appeared! I will have to expand beds to fill them in, but am very excited about them.

There are few other new plants in holding, I found the Shasta 'Becky' (of course I couldn't resist) and was given Rudbeckia 'Indian Summer' and Veronica 'Royal Candles' by a friend (helps to have connections lol).

That's it for now! I'll try to post more often so things don't get so far out of hand. If you've made it this far CONGRATULATIONS! You deserve a prize - how about a yellow iris?