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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Monday, June 26, 2017

In A Vase On Monday

Yesterday was the warmest we've had this summer.  with temperatures in the mid 90's.  For us, this is very hot as our summer temperatures here on the Puget Sound usually stay in the seventies.  I reveled in both the heat and having an entire day to do nothing but work in the garden.  What a perfect day to play in the water - cleaning the pond, hosing the muck out of the pond filter, doing a little pressure washing.   During the night, the marine layer, nature's air conditioner, blew in and it's now a cool 58 degrees. Since I'm spending more time outside than in recently, today's flowers get to stay out there too.
Sinocalycanthus chinensis is a Chinese cousin of our native Calycanthus floridus or Sweetshrub. Love these flowers which actually have more of a delicate pink cast to them with the yellow in the center being a bit more of a butter yellow.

The Chinese Sweetshrub flowers were joined by a fallen begonia too pretty to just throw into the flower bed (my brand of lazy composting) just yet.


The three are floating in a birdbath and being admired by Mr. Frog. 
 Many thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting IAVOM. 

21 comments:

  1. Perfect flowers in a perfect vase. I did not realize there was a Chinese sweet shrub relative. I will have to check it out.

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  2. I don't know thia Sinocalycanthus chinensis at all Peter - but it looks perfectly at home in the birdbath, just liek a watet=r lily of course. Thanks for sharing

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    1. Just learned that it's now called Calycanthus chinensis again.

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  3. You're so lucky having warm days in June, Peter. I'm still waiting for summer because the temps are of the spring here, not hot summer. My begonias are in buds, as roses as well. Poor plants- they don't know what a season we are.
    Happy June!

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    1. Sorry you're still having cooler than normal weather!

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  4. Perfect arrangement for a hot day! So glad it's cooled down. Enormous relief over here... ☺️

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    1. While I loved a couple of days of high heat, it would get old if it lasted longer. Very nice cool down today!

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  5. Mr. Frog isn't the only admirer: I love this natural looking basin and floats too.
    While you were out working in the garden in the heat, I was indoors, half fainted in front of the fan.

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    1. Something about playing in the water and getting wet kept me cool. I got the basin years ago at Jungle Fever Exotics and it sat around in different spots on the ground in several years, never looking quite right anywhere. Finally, putting it on an upside down pot did the trick.

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  6. 90 degrees + and you're out in the heat. You're amazing, Peter. Right now, we're sitting at 52 degrees this morning, summer has seemingly left the building for now, but if I know WI, it will be back with a vengeance. Mr. Frog has a gorgeous view, he looks so happy.

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    1. Humidity was low so the heat wasn't bad & it cools off nicely at night.

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  7. I love your decorating your bird bath with floating flowers, Peter. Like a spa for birdies!

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    1. The tuberous begonias fall off the plant while they're still looking too good to throw away so during the summer, there's usually one or two floating in there.

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  8. How pretty, I hadn't thought of decorating my bird bath but I will now!

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    1. Stole, um, I mean borrowed the idea from a friend.

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  9. That's a lovely ornament for a very cool bird bath. You treat the local birds very well.

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  10. We did not work outside yesterday. Too hot. Good for you.

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  11. Sinocalycanthus chinensis...that's a new one to me. As you know it was even warmer in Portland...reminds me of SF Fling temps. Thank god for Patricia!

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    1. Hooray that you have a fellow gardener who will keep your babies alive!

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    2. This just in from Mr. Hinkley: It's now Calycanthus chinensis again and it's one of the two parents of Calycanthus x raulstonii 'Hartlege Wine.' The other parent is our native Calycanthus floridus.

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  12. Very pretty and so relaxing to look at.

    Have a great week ~ FlowerLady

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.