The Hemerocallis ebbing. Agapanthus and Trachelium caeruleum have taken their place as attention grabbers, while the next flush of roses commence. Wide shots for this post (mostly) and a couple of recent purchases.
Rose 'Yves Piaget', Agapanthus 'Twister'/'Indigo Frost', and Salvia 'Mystic Spires Blue'
Some photos taken under soothing June-Gloom, some in the blare of California summer.
That Trachelium growing behind and through 'Belinda's Dream' rose went from near-invisible to impact in what seemed like just a week:
Two barely visible arrows (sorry) at the top of the wall indicate a 'Metrosideros' Springfire, soon to be tall enough to screen out the neighbor's roof:
I had a thought that a simple arch something like this:
Leucadendron 'Blush' is blushing on the other side of the empty fountain:
Little 'Clematis 'Arabella' by the pond:
Enjoying it:
Carpenteria had some flower buds not destroyed by neglect, and they are opening:
So lovely. Please live, lovely shrub!
On the way out front, this area needs some re-thinking, though the plants are healthy enough for now:
Out front, this side of the Oak tree...
Splash of white from Gaura and the ivory edging on Agave 'Ray of Light':
Blue and chartreuse from 'Icee Blue' Podocarpus and the new growth on a 'Springfire' Metrosideros':
And lastly, two recent purchases. In the upper part of the back gully, Hardenbergia violacea 'White Out' to climb (hopefully) the house side of the wobbly arch.
A fancy Echinacea planted a month or so ago. First flower soon. I've tried a few Echinacea that all quickly died. This one looks healthy so far. A worker at Roger's said she had success by planting the very smallest ones she could find. This one wasn't that small, but it was a lot smaller than it is now, and looks more vigorous than my previous attempts. This was for butterflies. The garden could use more butterfly plants:
Not bad for June. How's your garden's June been going?
"Not bad" is too timid an expression to describe your June garden, HB. It looks jubilant! I'm now wondering why I don't have any Trachelium growing in my garden - I could use a good jolt of purple color like that. My own garden peaked closer to the middle of the month and some plants (like Achillea 'Moonshine') are already throwing in the towel, while others (like the dahlias) haven't stepped into gear yet.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of you for Trachelium--a garden club friend who is a very skilled floral arranger says it's one of her favorites for bouquets. I'll have to try it myself.
DeleteJuly and August probably not so good here--I neglected to start Cosmos and Zinnia seeds, even though I bought some--more stuff I Just-Didn't-Get-To. Far too many of those, sigh! Maybe it's not too late with the Cs & Zs--worth a try.
Looking great! You are full of some beautiful June blooms. A nice reminder to move my sprinkler spot, the Trachelium is getting too much water and is floppy city. Yours are looking stupendous and tall. The new sitting spot beneath the Oak sounds wonderful, especially with that view of your garden.
ReplyDeleteThe Trachelium isn't flopping because of the rose. Mine flop all over, watered or not, so I plant them or leave the seedlings where they can lean on something. I don't like Flop.
DeleteI love the dry planting including agaves under the oak, with everything happy with the level of irrigation required, especially the oak! I tried echinacea in Oregon, not an easy effort so abandoned it -- slugs were very keen on early. growth. "Not bad for June" is such a SoCal sentiment I'm very familiar with, because we know the long summer is ahead, whereas June is just when things really get going in in the coastal Oregon garden. Dahlias left in ground are 6' and in bud, agapanthus in bud, the summer perennials jumping into action, cosmos from seed in bud etc. You've found some great plants that look like they'll handle summer, the cuphea, trachelium. Hope that carpenteria soldiers on!
ReplyDeleteI read if a native Oak grows up with irrigation, it can handle irrigation--though there's very little in that area, but Agaves look better with some.
DeleteNo major slug issues here thanks to the lizards, those wonderful creatures. There are slugs but they get gobbled.
Summer sounds fabulous in coastal Oregon. I've messed up not getting Cosmos and Zinnias sown early--they, most expecially the Cosmos, made summer so much better here. Perhaps the Dahlias will somewhat make up for them this time.
Hellebores and Hydrangeas: a good combination. I agree with Kris: It looks jubilant and spectacular! The pathway in photo four is simply lovely, and inviting. All your plants and photos of them look fabulous, but I fell in love right away with that first photo: It should be framed. ♡
ReplyDelete'Yves Piaget' is a great rose! I'm so happy I was able to get a healthy plant of it.
DeleteSo much to see! I really admire your ability to mix it up with your plants, each complementing the other in a jumble of color, and texture, and proportion. The area in front of the oak is a very nice example. The pathway, not quite shipshape and Bristol fashion makes me very happy too — I like the plants tumbling over the edges and sharing the walkway. A meandering path is so much more interesting than a straight-arrow path. The Carpenteria is as lovely as its namesake (or is it the other way around?). No matter, it's beautiful and I hope it thrives. I like the idea of the arched arbor. It would harmonize well with the circular fountain and the spherical doo-dad atop the cylinder in the middle, and be all the lovlier graced with yellow roses. 'Course, it would be a darned sight harder to build than a rectangle, but you'd only have to do it once. The Hardenbergia violacea is going to be beautiful too -- so, so pretty. I won't lie, I had to look that one up. I wouldn't even have recognized it by any of its common names. Totally new one on me. About failures: It took me a few years to get the knack of growing African violets; now they grow like weeds. And geraniums. Still don't know what I'm doing right with the geraniums, but they are thriving and I am happy. Best not to ask too many questions. The clematis gets better every year — someone told me to make sure it never dries out. Now I'm working on the burro's tails and Christmas cactus. The tails are starting to come in lush and green instead of yellow and white and stringy like opposum tails; and the Christmas cactus — poor thing— has been the color of red wine the last few years (still bloomed though, go figure). But bright green bracts are coming through all that wine red, so I think I'm finally getting the hang of it. I'll take my small victories. BTW , Floats My Boat got copied, enlarged, printed, and now is on the very top of my typing stand. It's the first thing I see in the morning and an instant vacation from my keyboard. June has been lovely. Hang on for July!
ReplyDeleteSince you mention it, I've also just got the hang of hanging burro tail sedum--started watering them nearly every day (they are in pumice, basically) and wow--we are all far happier!
DeleteHardenbergia isn't all that common here--wanted a vine I thought might be somewhat controllable somewhat the grapes are scaring me.
Congrats on a happier Christmas Cactus, and envy for your figuring out African Violets. I tried a couple because my Mom always had them--they just hung on for her--mine didn't even do that.
So happy you liked that FMB scene!! Thank you! Best wishes for a not-terrible July. 90's forecast next week here. :(
There are some really gorgeous colour combinations going in the garden. I especially love the photo of the native oaks with the blue agave and yellow groundcover beneath. A striking combination. Can't get over the size of the Vermillionaire cuphea. I use these in my containers as the hummingbirds adore them but they don't get anywhere near as lush and gorgeous as yours. Enjoy the lushness of the garden as July brings on heat and dry.
ReplyDelete'Vermillionaire' will easily get 6'x6' here if you let it. I chop them back several times a year to keep them a reasonable size and to keep them from getting woody. Garden will look tired soon. I will remember the lushness and dream of it returning this fall.
DeleteYou have choice views and vignettes in this post: looking up the back gully, both sides of the Oak...
ReplyDeleteA huge YES to the large round arch! It would be amazing.
Chavli