The Last Day of Augst

August may be winding down but I'm not giving up on summer. No way.

Here are some random photos of a garden still going strong.

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Kopper King'

Here is the backside of that bed.

The white flowers on the left are Gardenia 'Frostproof'. The shrub, planted in 2013 is almost four feet tall.

I think this might be Fuchsia 'Flash'

Clematis versicolor

Such cute little bi-colored bells

A darling Clematis hybrid from my friend Deborah in Ohio.

One of our three strawberry troughs. There is not much activity in June but the summer berries are prolific!

This is a day-neutral variety called 'Aroma'. They're fantastic.

The 'Fall Gold' raspberries are equally delicious.

'Tritonia disticha subsp. 'Rubrolucens' ... bulbs from Debs across the pond. Aren't they pretty?

A short story:

At least ten years ago a wind storm took out my single-trunk Crape Myrtle "tree". I was heartbroken but purchased another one, planted it in an adjacent bed and forgot about my earlier casualty. Two years ago, I was surprised to see a single stem of familiar looking foliage jutting upward through the thicket of perennials, in the exact spot where the earlier crape myrtle had died. Below is a photo of it today. Apparently there was enough root left to nourish a new plant. And is it every happy! Lesson: Don't be too quick to assume a plant is dead.

Crape Myrtle in full bloom

A few woodland gems

One of my rock garden areas where Silene shafta is a happy camper.

The foliage on 'Orion' hardy Geranium is really cool but the plant gets HUGE. I may need to relocate this guy.

 

'Santa Cruz' Fuchsia with 'Glowing Embers' Hydrangea

A bit of organized chaos

My weird obsession with rocks. All of these were found with holes in them.

Who doesn't love a little pot of Hens & Chicks?

Or a BIG pot of Hens & Chicks?

Talinum (or Phemeranthus) calycinus is such a great plant but completely disappears in winter. Hence the pot.

Persicaria 'Fat Domino' with its vibrant red spikes. 

'Fat Domino' with 'Shenandoah' Switch Grass (Panicum) in front.

A happy clump of Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum)

Dahlia 'Rip City' on the right. I've had this one for several years.

These are new Dahlias this year. In front, D. 'Spider Woman' and behind, 'Contraste'.

Dahlia 'Sorbet' is another plant resurrection. Purchased in 2016, it was a no-show last year.

Long-lived Dahlia 'Park Princess'

This is an old photo of Dahlia 'Bonne Esprance' The plant is so big this year and a blooming machine.

New this year, this irresistible Scabiosa Gelato™  Blueberry. I'll let you know if it survives the winter.

Finally, below you can see both Crape Myrtle trees. The flower color is nearly identical in both. The one on the left is the resurrected one, still a bit floppy from top-heavy flowers. It will require some judicious pruning. The newer one is peaking out from behind the Banana. Here, it looks as though they're right on top of each other but there is actually a large area between them. 

 I could go on and on but I'll stop for now. I need to go outside.

I Had Raspberries For Dinner

YEP, IT'S TRUE. WITH CLEAR, blue sky to entice me and my workday behind me, I ventured into the garden and had my raspberry fill. Of course the evening was all the more pleasant thanks to a happy and adamant robin gracing the garden with birdsong.  

'Autumn Gold' produces fruit all summer and well into fall. 

And 'Autumn Bliss' is an equally prolific producer. 

The weather people have declared this June as the third wettest on record here in western Oregon. While the rain has been good for the garden, I can't help feel pangs of sadness over the horrific fires raging in Colorado. I sure wish I could magically send them our rains.  

Fireweed 

A few years ago, I dug up a single stem of a Fireweed plant among a modest clump on a roadside. I stuck it in a pot and forgot about it. Last year, I got a single flower panicle which solved the question I had about what mystery plant was growing in that pot. This year, there are two panicles so far and several more to come. I know this is a weed and all but I really love these flowers.  

Alstroemeria 

More June bloomers...

Bletilla striata or Hardy Orchid

A serendipitous combination: 'Belle Etoile' Philadelphis (Mock Orange)
 and Nepeta subsessilis  

Veronica longifolia 'Evelyn' or was it 'Sonja'? leans into the pathway.
Behind it is Phygelius 'Cherry Ripe.' They seem to be competing with each other
to see who can trip a passerby first. 

My Honeysuckle Lonicera japonica 'Purpurea' is blooming. It smells heavenly.

One of my deciduous ferns. Although it's a little late emerging, I love the color of the new foliage.

One of the corners where I keep a bunch of plants. 

Clemmy 'Julia Correvon' in full regalia. 

The Berberis foliage is a dead match for the splotchy chevron in the Persicaria 'Painter's Palette.' 

My Darmeria peltata is huge thanks to all the rain. The Callas are starting to bloom. 

And finally, the photo below is a drive-by. I had to capture these Eremurus or Foxtail Lilies growing at one of the entrances to the university campus. The school's colors are orange and black. I don't have any Eremurus in my garden which makes these all the more special.  

As always,