Danger Garden sometimes writes "Learn From My Mistakes" posts. This would fit in that category. Usually my smoke bush (Cotinus) and have bautiful deep purple foliage to make Clematis 'Nelly Moser' look even more beautiful. I got busy this year and didn't prune so the Cotinus is blooming with in a clashing gold color. The Smoke will be purple once the blooms fade so I could avert my eyes when passing, and wait or cut the smoke bush blooms. Being lazy, I'll just wait but next year...
Sinocalycanthus chinensis, the cousin or our Calycanthus floridus (Carolina allspice, Sweet Shrub) has much larger flowers.
The spherical buds are pretty swell too.
I decided to plug the hole in the sphere made by Jim King and copy my Pals Judi and Alison by filling it with water and throwing some glass spheres in. (If you live in the PNW, you probably have a collection of these kicking around.)
There are lots of allium in my garden but Allium schubertii is my favorite. Ignore the weeds. They look great dried and can be used as a Christmas tree topper a la Heather or used as a headdress. (See below.)
They can be spray painted to match any attire!
Polyantha Shrub Rose 'Margie' is a hybrid of Cecile Brunner. Originally propagated by the original owner of Swanson's Nursery, Ted Swanson who named it for his daughter. If possible, the fragrance is even stronger than Cecile Brunner, it's a shrub instead of a voracious climber that will take over the world, and it's a repeat bloomer. This came from a recent visit to Swanson's Nursery (post coming soon) and the car smelled heavenly the whole trip home. I'm not a rose fanatic but I love rose fragrance that wafts!
Deutzia is getting huge and will be pruned way back later!
'Westerland' a climber, is one that Ciscoe really likes. It's growing on me.
Ballerinas dancing in the shade.
A bromeliad found on sale at a big box store.
Furcraea from Rare Plant Research (Watch for post later.) is a lovely thing!
The Danger Gardenette is starting to take shape but there are quite a few more plants in the greenhouse waiting to be squeezed in. Cecile Brunner climbing rose has grown over the top making a delightful canopy but these guys would prefer more sun so the rose will be cut way back. Always best to do that after there are lots of plants beneath to be damaged in the process.
Thanks for strolling with me. Happy weekend!
That Deutzia -- wow! Have you posted about that before?
ReplyDeleteI always do my tree pruning once there's stuff that can be damaged/trampled underneath too. It's the sign of an undaunted, optimistic spirit. :)
Maybe I've posted it on some bloom day but don't remember. It's a beautiful and very vigorous bush which is now towering over my head. I think it's Deutzia x hybrida 'Strawberry Fields' which is supposed to be 6' x 4' but since it doesn't have four feet to spread, it's using the airspace above.
DeleteI did enjoy this little stroll through your gardens with you, I even enjoyed listening to your dry wit along the way! The Furcraea is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteIt's always a pleasure to have you along my friend!
Delete'Nelly Moser' would be a good replacement option for my dead clematis.
ReplyDeleteLike Alan, I'm also taken by the Deutzia: the blooms are striking in this picture.
I've grown Allium schubertii. I find all my alliums practice a disappearing act, getting smaller and smaller till they are gone. How do you get a reliable repeat performance out of these guys?
Some of my Allium do the same disappearing act but others are tenacious as can be and live through all kinds of abuse. I don't understand it.
DeleteI love the echeveria tucked into your RPR clay pot...it looks smashing! I also (surprisingly, being anti-garden art) adore the sphere with the glass baubles inside. Have a fab weekend! (won't be long now until you're enjoying summer break right?)
ReplyDeleteThe lavender echeveria also came from RPR - Glad you like them together. I'm surprised but happy that you like the glass-bauble-filled sphere knowing how you feel about garden art aka junque. Three more weeks and I'll get to spend entire days working in the garden. It should be in okay shape by the end of August when it all falls apart again as school starts.
DeleteBeautiful blooms. I especially like the alliums and their original uses!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa!
DeleteAn egg big enough to have a small filter and some fish in it would be good. Now that's an idea...
ReplyDeleteIt's a stellar idea! I contemplated putting tiny goldfish in one but I'd worry about the darned raccoons.
DeleteHard to beat a little stroll around your garden on a Friday.
ReplyDeleteYou're more than welcome to come and do it in person any day of the week!
DeleteLove the Ballerinas.
ReplyDeleteLove the Gardenette. I am inspired to start a display rather than random pots sprinkled around like confetti. Inspired, I said. It's hot out there.
They are sweet. I love the Gardenette in the summer but spring and fall aren't my favorite times as nearly all of those plants are part of the great migration. For you summer means staying inside and for us summer means the most pleasant time to be outside.
DeleteLots of beautiful thing happening in your garden right now. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI just saw a Deutzia in a friend's garden and put it on my wish list. I think it might have been the same one, she called it Magician.
Magician and Strawberry Fields are the same plant. Isn't it weird and confusing when plants have two or more names? Either way, it's a lovely thing when it's blooming! Happy gardening!
DeleteWhat a lovely look at the garden - I'm impressed with the Deutzia...so beautiful. I have a tiny little Deutzia 'Magicien' which looks quite similar, so I'm glad it looks so good after heavy pruning! The Furcraea looks utterly amazing!!!!
ReplyDeleteMagician and Strawberry Fields are both names for the same plant. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Although this has no scent, it's a lovely thing to see in bloom! Furcraea gigantea 'Variegata' is a beautiful agave relative only hardy to about -1c,
DeleteI don't know which I enjoy most, photos of your garden, or your sense of humor about it. It's good not to take ourselves too seriously.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the tour of my mistakes, I mean garden.
DeleteBeautiful shots, delightful tour!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda!
DeleteThat was a lovely stroll around your garden, I really enjoyed it! I must try Allium Shubertii,the seed heads would be fantastic painted for Christmas. Your Calicanthus is so beautiful, what a wonderful flower.Your fuchsias look just like a row of ballerinas, so long as they don't exit left suddenly!
ReplyDeleteDeutzia might be my favorite spring blooming shrub. Oh, and that furcraea! Can't wait for the post! Yes, Cecil Brunner tried to own me some years ago. Margie sounds so much better behaved.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy a stroll round your garden, I love the way you casually drop in some jaw- dropping beauty and then move on. Sinocalycanthus is stunning. I grew it once in a garden with acid soil. It wouldn' t do here. And a variegated Fucraea- wow!
ReplyDeleteYou cut the smoke off your smoke bush? Why do you do that?
More, I want to see more. I wish I could see it all in real- life.
Thank you for the beautiful stroll. Let's do this often.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is looking wonderful. That Deutzia took my breath away. (Why must I always covet plants that don't have a prayer of growing here?) Your Fuchsia ballerinas are pretty special too.
ReplyDeleteAlways a pleasure stopping by to see what's hot and what's not and now...what's dangerous in your garden. I have an intense desire to find a rose and smell it after looking at your photos :)
ReplyDeleteAllium schubertii is my favorite! I love those big firework explosions.
ReplyDelete