August Parade of Pictures

Thanks so much for all of the friendly blogoversary wishes, all of your visits & comments are very much appreciated!

The summer has absolutely flown by, and September is just around the corner. Once again I've gotten behind with posting, so here is a parade of pictures with just names for identification purposes. Enjoy!

A surprise daylily.

Sunrise Sunset Rose

Morden Sunrise Rose


Cranesbill Rozanne

Progression of the new beds. :)

Miss Lucy Oriental Lily

'Kyushu' Hydrangea

Dianthus King of Blacks (or should it be Reds? ;) )

New Guinea Impatiens

Heliopsis helianthoides 'Summer Sun'

Bright Eyes Phlox (with variegated obedient plant & frog for company)

Diervilla sessilifolia Cool Splash

Palace Purple Heuchera

H.F.Young Clematis (only bloom :( )

Dwarf Balloon Flower & C. Carpatica, blues at the base of the clematis.

Silver Brocade Artemesia

Blue Fox Willow

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer, and enjoying some time In The Garden.

I've got the Meconopsis Blues.

Sigh. I have tried and not succeeded (sounds better than failed, right?). I was so hoping to have the coveted Himalayan Blue Poppy in my garden! Hundreds of seeds with various types of stratification, 0% germination. So, I ordered 2 Meconopsis x sheldonii plants. They arrived in May and I planted them right away. The spot is sheltered, protected from hot afternoon sun and the soil was carefully prepared and they are checked daily. From the looks of things, there won't be any stalks of enchanting blue flowers this year. Occasionally the plant sends up a new leaf, but that's about it.



Since I keep looking out and wishing there was something blue & tall to look at I recently planted some Magic Fountain Delphinium nearby. I've had to stake them since the heavy rain just knocked them over. I also planted some of my reliable peachleaf bellflowers for more blue next year.


Here is the Dianthus 'King of Blacks'. I first saw these last year in the perennial bed at the garden centre. The just barely opened buds were jet black, as the flowers opened and matured they turned a dark red colour. My plant seems to have skipped the black stage. Maybe it's just the first bloom and the others will be darker. I really hope so!


At least Unique is cooperating, since her bed mates aren't! Looking lovelier every day. No hues of pink yet, but I keep checking...

Our single Dwarf Sunflower has opened. So happy & charming! I will collect the seeds and plant again next summer.

Here is the latest bed, with Little Lamb Hydrangeas, phlox, poppies, purple coneflowers, dwarf irises and a spot for the pink peony I'm going to move this fall.

Have a look at this Obedient Plant. I generally have trouble growing them, but this monster is well over 4 ft tall (they are usually 18-24 inches). Notice the little pink arrow towards the bottom left? It is pointing at another obedient plant of the same variety, purchased at the same time 3 or 4 years ago. Both were relocated to this spot last summer to get a little more sun. Pretty odd, isn't it?

Oh, and I completely forgot about my 1 year blogaversary on August 5th, time really does fly! A big thank you to those who stop by to visit, I truly appreciate it and have had so much fun seeing your beautiful gardens.

Yes, it's a Poppy!

The verdict is in! My mystery plant is definitely a poppy, and a pretty one at that!


Unique Hydrangea is looking lovely..



I'm really happy with the Daylily 'Canadian Border Patrol', I was hoping the Tango Weigela would look good with the maroon throat, and by golly, it does!



Thunbergia vine is not growing as vigorously as last year, but is still very pleasant.



Blue Carpatica is finally blooming, I find they are slower to get going than the white.



And my latest Rudbeckia addition: Autumn Colours. I had no idea there were so many colour options!

We planted a single dwarf sunflower seed into a peat pot some time ago, and then planted it outside. It looks like it's getting ready to bloom. :)

Nearby, Daylily Bonanza is showing off.


I planted these 2 weigelas last year, they were big and vigourous and colourful. The first, Midnight Wine, was a dark purple ball, it suffered complete dieback last winter (despite mulching), it is regrowing, but the colour is more green than purple so far.


My Monet suffered similar problems, but has recovered a little better.

Once again I will plant a Purple Coneflower and *hope* that it returns this year, so far, I haven't had any luck with them coming back.

And here we have a Little Lamb Hydrangea waiting for planting....

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.