Saturday, July 23, 2011

Garden time

I think it is the height of the garden season here. I just love it when the flowers are all in bloom and the colors are so intense and the foliage so wild and lush. This is the front garden where there was only dry, parched grass a couple of years ago. Ray has worked his magic.

I can't resist taking photos when the garden is in bloom. I have finally figured out pretty well how to get the kind of flower photos I like—where the flower is in focus and the background is out of focus.

I love the energetic, wildness of Shasta daisies. The thing is they don't smell very good, so aren't great as cut flowers, even though I sometimes cut a bouquet just because they are so pretty. But the smell is—well, disgusting.

The crocosmia are all over the city and the red color and tall, graceful stems are spectacular. They are natives of South Aftrica and I only became aware of them about eight or so years ago. Have they always been around and I never noticed, or are they kind of new to this country? Well, whatever, I think they are incredibly beautiful. The hummingbirds adore them, too.

The lilies are always wondrous. These are one of the shorter variety with the beautiful, long graceful foliage. The taller varieties, bigger, more fragrant, with the smaller leaves will be blooming soon.



Last summer we hung this hay rack on the front of the house and I planted it with geraniums and some lobelia. It was a little sad. This year I planted impatiens and creeping jenny and it is beautiful.

We have finally gotten all the permits for the studio construction and are making plans with a builder. I am not believing this will finally happen. 

7 comments:

  1. It sure pays to have a personal gardener. Lovely.

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  2. Yay Woo hoo and hip hip hooray on the building permits!

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  3. Terry, I love your flower pictures! I had crocosmia in my last garden (or better said: the garden at my last house) and that was 14 years ago, so they have been here in the states for quite a while. I loved their bright color, and after seeing yours, I may just plant some in my 'new' flower garden! Love your hay rack with the impatiens and creepy jenny!

    xo

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  4. Hooray for the permits (you are now permitted to hope.) And the photos are great. I too have been admiring the crocosmia, which seem to be extra spectacular this year. Each year has its own spectacle, it seems

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  5. Your garden looks beautiful. The great part of summer is all the beautiful flowers and also fresh vegetables and fruit. I love it even though we have had very warm temperatures. My compliments to the gardner.

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  6. I am so jealous of this lush, colorful garden. The deer ate my daylilies and other things, and a drought with 108 degree heat has burned everything else to death. All the more wonderful to see your pictures!

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  7. Thanks for sharing your lovely garden with us, Terry. I hadn't heard of crocosmia before we moved to Portland, so I'm no help. I love it, too; it's especially tall this year, too.
    And yay Yay YAY! on the permits!!!

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