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

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Some things that made me happy!

Well, first of all I just got a big surprise when getting ready to write this post.  Blogger sure changed things!  Hopefully I'll be able to get it all figured out without deleting anything.
We had several very nice days in a row.  Temperatures in the 70's and mostly sunny skies, that really made me happy.  Yesterday while reading Grace's blog and looking at her new blooms I spied something pink out the front window.  Of course being excited to see what it was I walked across hot crushed gravel in my bare feet with my camera.  I guess I'm just toughening them up for summer?  Anyway, the pink was not only one rose bloom, but many!  How did I not notice them the day before?
Here are a few of the new blooms I found while tip toeing across the gravel:

 Can you see all the spots of pink?  There are lots of buds to open still too.

 A close up of 'Gertrude Jekyll'.  If I remember right she was the first to bloom last year too.

 Rose 'Kimberlina' is right next to Gertrude.  I highly recommend this rose.  It has a very light scent, but gets loaded with flowers all summer and is very disease resistant.

 Persian Cornflower

 Another Lupine started from seed last year.  Last evening I found the Littlest Gardener rummaging through the book shelf in her room searching for a book.  She told me they read a book in preschool that day and she thought we had it.  "It's about the Lupine Lady" she said.  I had no idea what she was talking about, but sure enough we found it on her bookshelf.  My Mom had given it to her and I guess we forgot about it.  The book is called Miss Rumphius.  I'm just sorry I hadn't read it sooner, what a wonderful book with a great message.  Here's a link to it.  Even though it's a children's  book I think adults would appreciate the message and artwork in it.

 Red Valerian - the only one to survive the winter.

 A new Clematis blooming on the picket fence.  I will find the tag and post a better picture of it soon.  It's very unusual - dark red with purple bars.

This might have been the most exciting thing of all.  I found blooms on two of my eggplant plants.  I've never gotten an eggplant because they usually don't flower until too late in the summer.  Fingers crossed we'll actually get some this summer.  Edited to add this is 'Millionaire Hybrid' an extra early hybrid.

Yesterday while the sun was out I decided to dig up the entry bed, and got about half way finished.  It's a tricky bed since it's got mostly shade except for one section that gets full sun.  Finding just the right combination of plants has been hard.  I'll share pictures as it progresses.
Today we are back to cloudy and cool, the good side was some housework was accomplished!
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44 comments:

  1. All of your photos show wonderful flowers. The red clematis is a wonderful sight. I remember running into that book at the bookstore and I too sat down and read it there. Great post.

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  2. Just beautiful flowers. So cute about the book!

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  3. Look how wonderful your garden is filling out and blooming...my goodness we are in a heat wave and dry spell soon to end this weekend....what gorgeous blooms...I am finally growing eggplants too but no flowers yet...I will definitely take a look at the book ...I have heard of it but I don't think I have read it before...

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  4. Hi Catherine, I love your flowers and hope you have success with the eggplant. The front area you are working on....is that where you lost the tree before? I'm anxious to see your new plan. I know it will be gorgeous. Give my best to the girls. That book sounds cute.

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  5. Gorgeous pictures!! I am very excited about your eggplant blooms, I absolutely adore eggplant, I should probably try growing it one year...

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  6. Wow Catherine ~ I'd be happy too with all those wonderful bloomers doing their thing in my gardens.

    It's amazing what a little time will do. I love your picket fencing and arbor in the background and they definitely add that wonderful cottage ingredient to your already lovely gardens.

    Enjoy all that beauty that is surrounding you, and have a wonderful summer with your girls and DH.

    FlowerLady

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  7. Congrats on 'Gertrude Jekyll'! I totally love that purple Lupine...what glorious color!

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  8. I wonder what the Blogger changes are....will have to investigate. Your garden is just popping!! Love your new Clematis, let us know its name when you find the tag.

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  9. That's exciting to see blossoms on your eggplants! Did you try an early variety or something this year?

    I checked out the book using the link provided but now have to find a copy!

    Happy Gardening!

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  10. Catherine,
    We have blooms on our eggplants too. Never grew they before. At this time of year here, when the sun is out its too hot to garden. Going to be 96 degrees in the coming days...

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  11. Hi Catherine, everything is looking beautiful! So enjoyed the virtual visit. Also, hope I get used to the new blogger stuff too, I'm on vacation and my hubby has told me not to even think about it until we get home so I am yet to see the changes, he didn't say anything about not visiting blotanical though...lol! =) Cheers Julia

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  12. I think Blogger changes are not allowing all comments. I have been having a tough time leaving comments.

    Your blooms and photos are really nice, The roses especially, but I have to admit, I too would be excited about the eggplant even more. I now have blossoms on my ordinary tomatoes, but am giddy over that. When only out front the foxglove are in bloom and the lowly tomatoes have me happy.

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  13. great pictures, I especially liked the lupine

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  14. Lovely flowers Catherine. Sometimes those plants that sneak in their blooms make us the happiest.

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  15. Oh yes, Miss Rumphius, I remember her well. I think I've got the book in storage. I could never get rid of those sweet classics.

    Your Lupine looks great. All of mine died last winter so I bought a 'Morello Cherry' from Annie's Annuals. Hopefully it will bloom later this summer. Have you heard of it? My sister in Baker City, Oregon has it and says it blooms all summer.

    My "Gertie" is blooming too. Don't you just adore the scent and that lovely pink color?

    Love the Persian Coneflower. Mine are all in bud still. What an awesome photo you have of it.

    I sure like that front yard photo. I can see why you needed to jump up and see what the pink was. Everything looks so lush.

    Thank you for the nice mention and link. Always a pleasure "visiting" with you.

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  16. I just went to the shed to find out what Eggplant I started. It's 'Millionaire Hybrid' an extra early variety. I could not find the Clematis tag, so I'll keep looking for that.

    Mildred - Yes, it is the bed where the tree died. I think I've given up on trees there and am focusing on shrubs and perennials now.

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  17. Do you find your Valerian troublesome? I love it, but it's become a weed. I'll try to post a photo of its rampage - but the blogging urge isn't strong just now.
    Love your clematis in your various posts. Are you troubled with clematis wilt? I am struggling with it in container clematis - perhaps they just want to be free!
    Miss Rumphius I hadn't heard about until I encountered a mention on a Canadian friend's blog.

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  18. There are a lot of beautiful flowers in those pictures Catherine! Temperatures in the 70's sound nice we've past the 80's and it way to hot for the early season / gittan

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  19. What beautiful blooms - the unusual clematis is amazing! And the rose so lovely. I'm looking for a new rambling rose at the moment - I keep looking out for a golden orange one with a glorious scent! Any suggestions? I don't know much about roses at all.

    The book looks really interesting - I wonder if I'll be able to get hold of it in the UK.

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  20. Love the front garden Catherine! Your plants and blooms look so happy and healthy. Nice color on that clematis...I love reading about the children too.

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  21. Such a pretty picture of Gertrude - I'm thinking of ordering a couple of 'Harlow Carr' austin roses next spring, they're supposed to be very floriferous even though the flowers are smaller - similar in color to your Gertrude, I think. It still feels like a Seattle spring around here, too - lost of rain and clouds and temps in the 60's.

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  22. Catherine, your garden is so full and lush. Love the purple lupine! Congrats on the eggplant.

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  23. What a pretty coneflower Catherine. I have never heard of that one. I love the bloom on your new clematis. What a pretty dark red. Since you have been tiptoeing I gather it is warming up. LOL!

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  24. Loved seeing the pic of the lupine. I started some from seed this year and seeing yours tells me what I have to look forward to! Enjoyed all of your photos!

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  25. The lovely photos of your gorgeous garden make me very happy also.

    Eggplants, are the most gorgeous plants, and blooms, love them.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

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  26. Your garden has changed so much in recent weeks since spring decided to stay. I love the Persian Cornflower, a gorgeous bloom! Good luck with your eggplants, I hope this year they set fruit for you!

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  27. Wow what a beautiful rose. Your front gardens are taking off and are so full now. Persian Cornflower is awesome. Hope you're having a good day.

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  28. Catherine, I've had that experience lately, too, of suddenly seeing pink blooms in the garden (in my case, much smaller geranium flowers) where there weren't any just a few hours earlier. I love your lupine. To my frustration, I've never been able to get lupine to take hold in my garden -- but I love to drive out the Maine coast in June and look at Miss Rumphius's lupines :-). -Jean

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  29. Catherine, Yesterday and today have been unbelievably hot and humid. Most unusual for the shore of Lake Michigan. Since it is way to hot to work in the Gardens at Waters East, it is a good time to catch up on your Blog and other Blogs I am following. I liked the photos of your pond. I have a number of friends who have ponds but they seem to take a lot of work. I guess with the Big Pond out the door here at the lake I should not try competing! I have a small one on the Asian Patio but I make it easy to maintain because I put in a little bleach every few days to keep the algae down. Of course that means no fish. Jack

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  30. I have the white centhranthus and it is in my alley garden where it is very hot. It does great but this year I had to put in a little circular wire cage to keep it from falling all over. So far it is working and you can't even see it.

    I am growing two smaller eggplants called Fairyland and Hansel, we'll see how they do.

    Eileen

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  31. Beautiful flowers! I have rose envy (I can't grow anything that isn't zone 3 hardy). Your lupin is incredible. I also love the depth of color in your clematis. Thanks for the beautiful tour.

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  32. So much to see things are beautiful in your yard.

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  33. I love how easy it is to grow roses in your area. Yours are looking lovely. I used to live in Tacoma and miss the roses I grew there. The midwest is not a great place to grow roses!

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  34. Beautiful! Love the Lupine and how exciting it came up from seed. I love children's books. Some of the greatest messages put so simply in them. I will have to go look at that one- have not heard of that one.

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  35. Catherine,
    this is my first time here on your blog and I can tell, you got a beautiful garden with beautiful flowers.
    But what makes me really getting jealous while reading your post is your remark about you had several nice day in a row with temperatures in the 70's. Would you mind me coming by and cool down from the hot temperatures down here in SE Texas?
    The daily upper 90's that feel like 105 and more really is getting exhausting.
    Happy Gardening and Best Regards
    Paula Jo

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  36. Wow, Catherine, how much your beds have changed, everything looks so full and lush. Your garden seems to be already into summer mood! I can share your excitement about the first roses blooming. The close-up of Gertrude Jekyll looks fantastic! I am also very impressed with the dark red clematis photo and I am excited to see the flower fully open.
    Christina

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  37. It looks wonderful Catherine. I love that Gertrude Jekyll and the lupine reminds me of my mum's garden in England.

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  38. Oh, my. Your garden sure is pretty in that first photo. I'm wondering why I didn't have a sunny day like that at my house.

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  39. The garden looks great, so full and lush. I have roses just coming into bloom and am so excited. It has been awhile since I grew roses. But looking at all the roses in blogland and I was hooked again. Take care and have a great weekend!

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  40. A beautiful tour! We took a little walk around our garden this evening and several of the roses bloomed just today!! It is so exciting isn't it!?!

    http://milepost8.blogspot.com/

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  41. Your garden is looking amazing! I cannot believe the difference in your newly designed front garden's development in just a few short months! One would never guess that it is all so new. It looks so full, lush and established already! You have worked your own miracle, Catherine! :)

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  42. Visiting from Pondside and your pond is beautiful! Going to go explore some more posts :)

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  43. Catherine, I love your flowers - so pretty - especially the Persian cornflower and lupine. I really like your first photo of the yard and the picket fence. You have amazing gardens!
    Blessings, Beth

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  44. Catherine, I always find it nice to see some of the same flowers in your garden that I have in mine. Particularly the Persian Coneflower you posted today. Both the bloom and the leaf texture for me adds to the overall feel of the garden variety. As for pink, this is the first year I am specifically adding pink. I added a pink bubble gum petunia Supertunia Vista. Really "loud" pink. Looks great. Enjoy. Jack

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