"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Monday, June 29, 2009

Something old, something new.

We're back from my daughter's soccer tournament.  We had a great time and she played really well.  Unfortunately the team didn't make it to the playoffs, but they still had fun.  The tournament was in Bellingham which is about an hour and a half drive north of Seattle, just before the Canadian border.  I wish I had taken more pictures.  It's absolutely gorgeous there, and anyone visiting the Seattle area should make the trip up there to visit.  I passed so many beautiful gardens and nurseries while we were there, but we didn't have time to stop for pictures or shopping.  I read about a place called Tennant Lake Fragrance Garden which is wheelchair accessible and plant labels are in braille.  Everything is planted for texture and fragrance.  I definitely plan to return to visit it sometime.

Here are some sites I found when we returned home.  First the "old" plants, most of these have been in the garden for quite a few years.

Echinacea 'Magnus' is close to blooming.  This one has reseeded around and blooms it's head off until fall.

Hydrangea 'Nikko Blue' is just about in full bloom.  I'll show the whole shrub and area it's in soon.  It's turning into the bird hangout of the front yard.

Hydrgangea 'Preziosa' has such prettily marked flowers.

Monarda 'Jacob Cline' is at least 4 feet tall already and just starting to bloom.  This variety is mildew resistant.  I've already seen mildew starting on some of the other Monardas that haven't even bloomed yet.  I've read several places lately to use milk to get rid of mildew.  Just spray it on apparently.  I'd love to hear if this has worked.

Daphne 'Summer Ice' in it's second bloom already.  The whole side of the backyard smells good from it.

And now a few new plants from the great 2 for 1 sale I found last week.

Agastache 'Golden Jubilee' is one I've had before but it didn't survive the winter.  It's so pretty I had to try it again.

Astillbe 'Maggie Daley' is a very interesting mix of purple and red.  I planned to put it with some red flowering Coral Bells, but it looked terrible.  It found a nice spot in another space instead.

Masterwort (Astrantia) 'Sunningdale Variegated' is really unique.  It's supposed to bloom into the fall.

The other old is me.  It's my birthday today and I told my daughters all I want to do is "play" outside in the garden with them today.  
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30 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday, Catherine!!!

    And what a beautiful day to celebrate it. Especially after being away it is nice to cancel the "shoulds" and just be outside reveling in the garden's glory.

    At first glace the Echinacea bud looked like a Protea and then an artichoke. The up close photo does a great job of depicting its different textures. And look at those poppy seed heads in the background. What a lush border.

    I've also got 'Preziosa.' It's a newbie purchased last summer--non-blooming. I'm looking forward to the purported color gradations.

    I've been using Safer's fungicide on my monardas. Just a squirt now and then seems to do the trick. Raspberry Wine and Marshall's Delight are supposed to be mildew resistant but...

    Summer Ice is magnificent. Mine is coming along but looks nothing like yours.

    You really do have an eye for color and design Catherine. Gorgeous!

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  2. Hey, hope you have a super happy birthday in the garden with your girls! That sounds like the best way I can imagine to spend it. That fragrance garden sounds magnificent - hm, perhaps a future SAGBUTT outing? We missed you on Saturday but sounds like you were cheering on the soccer team, glad they had a good time. Your flowers continue to amaze, that astilbe is a color I've never seen on that plant. A summer daphne? Never knew. I haven't seen my bee balms at all this year, I wonder if they are there in the tangle and just not tall enough to notice yet? I've read that about milk too, wonder if it works? Also maybe baking soda?? I'd love to find out the answer, as I avoid non-natural chemicals too.

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  3. Gives me great joy to visit.. so calming and lovely. Thank you

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  4. Welcome back! That Tennant garden sounds most special. Your garden is awesome! So many plants in bloom and all perfect in their settings. Please tell me your secret!

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  5. First and foremost..Happy Birthday to YOU!! May you be able to play all day. Your flowers are beautiful Catherine, I too, like Grace, was admiring all of the plants in the background!

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  6. Happy birthday, Catherine! I have so been enjoying coming back and visiting your blog. Your beautiful flowers are really getting me excited for my future garden...(We may have a wonderful opportunity to move to a cooler climate in the fall and I'm crossing my fingers that it all works out!!) I absolutely love Hydrangeas but as you can imagine from my "104 in the Shade" post, they don't grow well here! Thanks for sharing the beauty of your yard!

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  7. Happy Birthday Catherine.
    Your flowers are fantastic. How do you do it?
    Not much blooming in my gardens. I'm trying to fix that. It's so hot now a person can't be outside much after 10 a.m.
    My DH was out there one time & he told me how pretty it was. I know of a person in Bellingham or she was there.

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  8. Well you sure do have some great birthday presents in your garden! I hope you have a wonderful birthday! The flowers are putting on a show for you!

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  9. Wishing you a very happy birthday Catherine - may all your gardening wishes come true!!!

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  10. Happy Birthday (again) Catherine. Just looking at that many flowers blooming in my yard would be a great birthday present for me. I love that Astilbe too I'll have to look for it - later, I have enough to catch up on planting now.
    I hope everything has been great so far and it continues on through the rest of the day.
    Your gardens are an inspiration!
    Hey thanks for the link!

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  11. Happy Birthday!!! Great pics! absolutely beautiful!

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  12. These photos are amazing what camera do you use there is such detail both in close ups and further away shots.

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  13. Wonderful pictures as usual !

    We're always anxious to see the garden when we return home after a few days away.
    My Monarda just started to bloom but they're pink.
    Can't wait for our Agastache to bloom ...hope they return next year also.
    Anytime I hear a plants name that ends in "wort" ...I think of shade.
    Don't suppose they handle shade?

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  14. Happy Birthday

    So Monarda 'Jacob Cline' is mildew resistant. Thanks for the info. If I can find it over here I'll plant it.

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  15. Happy birthday!! Hope all your wishes come true!
    Thanks for including the link to the fragrance garden in B-ham. We get up there pretty often, so I'll have to investigate it on a future visit.
    I like the new look (new for me, I haven't been online much lately) of your blog. Beautiful pictures.

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  16. Oh I hope you've had a wonderful birthday today Catherine. Playing outside sounds great.

    All your flowers are so lovely. The blue of that hydrangea is jumping off my screen.

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  17. happy birthday!!!! I just love the hydrangea photos!!! your pics are always so beautiful!

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  18. Thank you all for the birthday wishes :) We've been having lots of fun. My sister brought over the best homemade cupcakes.

    Grace - Thanks for letting me know about those mildew resistant Monardas!
    The rest of the Monardas are much further behind 'Jacob Cline'.

    Joanne - I've been using the Canon Powershot SX10 IS. I've been practicing a lot with different settings.

    Patsi - This Masterwort says part shade and that's where I've planted it. This is the first time I've tried it so I'll keep you posted it how it does. I just loved the flowers.

    If anyone visits the Fragrance garden I'd love to hear about it.

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  19. Happy Birthday to you! I can't think of a better place to celebrate it than in a garden where life is at its strongest and most beautiful and vibrant.

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  20. Happy Birthday! Playing in the garden is the best way to celebrate a birthday.

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  21. Happiest birthday wishes to you Catherine.
    As always, I enjoyed seeing your blooms but the new ones really captivated me. The 'Golden Jubilee' Agastache is great. I'd like to try that too but I guess if it didn't overwinter for you, it wouldn't for me. Also, I LOVE that 'Sunningdale Variegated' Astrantia. It's a knockout. Now I want to go greenhouse hopping again to see if I can find it. Glad you had a good weekend and found some new places to explore.

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  22. Happy Birthday! I enjoyed your blooms. My Jacob Cline seems OK, but hasn't grown a lot. I hope it blooms this year. I planted some Magnus coneflowers last year, and they have started blooming. I like them all!

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  23. Looks like happy birthday is in order! I hope you had a wonderful celebration! Your garden is beautiful and you have so many wonders to enjoy. I loved the photography, too!

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  24. Happy Belated, Catherine! I've missed your day by an hour and a half...lol.
    I grow 4 of the eight flowers you shared on this post. I bet if we went shopping together, we'd buy the exact plants!
    Hope you had a wonderful celebration with your family :)
    Lynn

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  25. Happy Birthday! Your trip to Canada sounded so nice. It would have killed me not to be able to stop at all the garden centers.

    That Daphne is so big. I can't grow it here--too hot.

    I am suppose to get Bilbo but he hasn't arrived yet. I can't wait.

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  26. Happy Birthday, Catherine.

    You found some real pretties at the 2 for 1 sale. Enjoy your day.

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  27. Happy Birthday Catherine! The blooms are spectacular!

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  28. Happy Birthday!!

    I have tried the milk trick - it works on light mildew, but it didn't work on heavier mildew. I didn't try upping the does on heavier mildew though.

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  29. Happy Birthday. Beautiful flowers and photos. That's a great gift to stay outside.

    SG

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