Rainy garden.

I was finally able to get out and walk around the garden yesterday while the rain stopped falling for awhile, it's been pouring since then though.  Things are looking really good and I'm so glad that there is still so much happening since I didn't really enjoy the garden as much as usual this summer.  There is quite a bit of color and I'm really anxious to start doing some fall planting.

The hummingbird resting on the Dogwood tree had been enjoying the Monarda 'Jacob Cline'.  I've said it before, but really if you want hummingbirds to visit, plant 'Jacob Cline'.  Even as the flowers are drying up they still cause the hummingbirds to fight over them.  The Littlest Gardener, the neighbor cat and I stood within 5 feet of this one while she was sipping the nectar, not bothered in the slightest by us standing and talking.

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is turning red now.  I plan to buy more of this (even though I know it's very easy to divide), and add it to a few spots that could use a little color now.

The front view of the house is one place I plan to add some, right behind the Lamb's Ear.

Verbena bonariensis is really popular with the hummingbirds too now.  They rest on the long stems and reach their beaks towards the flowers.  Each year I love this flower more, it's coming up everywhere.

The newest David Austin rose in our garden is 'Lady Emma Hamilton', she's finally blooming and is covered in beautiful buds.  It smells as good as it looks too!  Right after this picture was taken I cut the two open flowers to bring inside to enjoy.

One of Lady Emma's buds resting in some Cosmos foliage.  The Cosmos have suddenly decided to sprout, wonder if they'll make it to blooming?

I collected seeds from Veronica 'Lilac Fantasy' last fall and they are already blooming.  They are a bit darker than the original plant.  Tina are yours blooming?  I promised seeds to some other bloggers, but the first ones molded, I'm hoping to get more seeds soon so I can share them.

The pink Flower Carpet rose is making it's way across the walkway.  It's too pretty to cut right now and luckily it hardly has any thorns.  There's a lot blooming along this walkway.  The sick Japanese Maple leaves have all turned brown and are really hanging on for dear life.

I found a "new" old watering can this weekend at an antique store in an extremely cute town called Port Gamble.  I was having battery issues so didn't end up with many pictures.  Port Gamble is a historical old mill town on the Kitsap Pennisula founded in 1853.  Most of the old homes and buildings are surrounded by old white picket fences and beautiful gardens.  We rode the Kingston Ferry across the Puget Sound to get there.  Definitely a fun day trip.

As you can see by the last picture I'm beginning to accumulate plants for containers and the rest of the garden.  Today I plan to visit one of my favorite nurseries for their 2 for 1 perennial sale if it ever stops raining.  Then the next sunny day I'll have lots of fun getting  all my newest additions planted.

Remembering the sun in Mission San Juan Capistrano.

I so wanted to take pictures of the garden this weekend, but the constant rain has made it impossible today.  I guess I'll save that for another day.  Instead I decided to share some pictures from a beautiful place we visited on our recent trip to Southern California.  Just north of where we stayed is one of the Catholic Missions called Mission San Juan Capistrano.  I remembered going there when I was really young with my family and thought it would be an interesting place to show my family.  
In California there are 21 Spanish missionaries.  San Juan Capistrano was established in 1776.  Not only was the mission full of history, but it was also full of beautiful gardens.  I don't remember the gardens from when I was a child visiting.  Knowing how I was, it was probably the gift shop that interested me the most back then. 
Included in the entrance fee is a headset that gives a guided tour to the mission.

 It was a beautiful day when we visited, so sunny and warm.  These planters of various Cacti lined the outside of the Mission.  Many of them were blooming or had buds.

 While we were paying I noticed a sign that called attention to the plantings for birds and butterflies.  As we walked into the mission this is what we were greeted with.  I can't even begin to guess how many varieties of butterflies were flying everywhere.  The only time I've ever seen that many has been inside butterfly houses in exhibits at the zoo.

 There was a beautiful large raised lily pond.  I wish I had taken a picture of the whole thing.  It was full of lily blooms.

 It was also full of very friendly large Koi.  They would come splashing up to any visitor that came close to the side.

 I think if I ever move to a warmer zone I would use the plantings here as inspiration.  Pictures can't capture the beauty of it.

 The buildings are full of history.  I love the beautiful Spanish architecture.

 On the other side of the Mission was this lush area which had many trees for shade.  Another raised pond is behind the people.

 One of the cactus gardens.

 The second lily pond.  I had to keep stopping so I could take in the beauty of this place.  Of course my kids by now were asking about where the gift shop was.

 Beautiful Water lilies which I'm guessing are a tropical variety that wouldn't grow for me.  There was also a vegetable and herb garden and an amazing grape arbor.  They are all used for educational purposes.

 This altar was brought from Spain 300 years ago.  The Serra chapel (named for Father Juniperro Serra who established the Mission) is still used.

These are the ruins from the Great Stone Church that was badly damaged during an earthquake while mass was taking place in 1812.  It is a historical landmark and one of the oldest building on the West Coast.

I did see that there are garden tours that take place here, which one day I would love to be able to go on.   For more information on the history of San Juan Capistrano go here. 

Just looking back at these pictures reminds me of how good the sun felt that day.  I think it will be a long while before we see that type of weather again. 

A walk down the path.

The path garden has had a very good summer and is probably looking the best it ever has this year.  Because there are several large trees here the ground tends to dry out quickly during the summer.  Trying to give the plants here enough supplemental water during a dry summer is pretty much impossible.  So, with the cool weather and wet spring we had everything is looking much fresher than it normally does at the beginning of September.

A look down the path shows there are still several things blooming.  The only downside to this time of year are the pine needles that have started dropping and will soon be tangled in everything.

This is the first year I ever remember the Oakleaf Hydrangea 'Snow Queen' flowers turning pink.  Most years by now they are very dry and turning brown.

The big Ponderosa Pine that will be keeping me busy for many months to come.  With every rain and or wind that comes through I will be raking and sweeping needles and pine cones.  I know that people in other places use pine needles to mulch, but after all the untangling and raking to clean them up I just want them out of my yard, so into the yard waste or compost bins they go.

I'm glad I made the effort to plant so many evergreen shrubs here that keep it interesting all year.  The shrubs along the the deck are Sarcococca which bloom with the sweetest smelling flowers late winter.

Hydrangea 'Ayesha' blooms are drying.  I'm so glad this one got a chance to bloom this year.

Even the Solomon's Seal is still green.  This time last year it was long dormant by now.

Heading back down the path you can see that the Hydrangea 'Pia' in the container loved all the rain we had.

How did I not notice these flowers earlier?  Finally the Clematis 'Comtesse de Bouchard' is blooming!  I've been looking and looking and never even saw a bud up until the day before.

And just because the lighting on the pond was so pretty I thought I'd finish the end of the walk here.

It sounds like we may get a couple of more days in the mid 70's after lots of rain.  That means I should be breaking out the rake soon to start on the pine needles.  Luckily raking them is one of Sweet Pea's favorite jobs, in fact she tells me to go back inside when she's raking.  It's funny that she loves to do that type of work outside when her room is so messy that a rake is needed to clear the mess.