Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Gardening Thoughts

Design - "4th of July" (Flip Its)
Designer - Lizzie Kate
Fabric - 32 count Summer Khaki linen
Fibers - GAST 2 strands over 2 threads
Started - 27 July 2012
Completed - 30 July 2012

It's time for the Tuesday Garden Party at an Oregon Cottage.
In late July / early August my garden is full of 'hot' colors.
Let's look at some of my favorite plants.
  
This is a large Salvia 'La Trinidad Pink'. We cut back the plant hard this spring to bring it back under control.  It has totally recovered from our mauling. It requires room to grow, but rewards with nonstop blooms from mid-May until frost once established.  

I have four different colors of this variety of Calibrachoa, and again I've been rewarded with non-stop blooms.  This is Calibrachoa MiniFamous Double Amethyst. 

Honestly, I don't care if this plant ever blooms.  I am so in love with the large, long spotted leaves of the Begonia maculata 'Polka Dot'.  I bought it at Xera Plants and the tag says "The ultimate plant to decorate a martini lounge or outdoor container...Small shell pink flowers are no match for the wonderful foliage, backed by red with red canes...Cheers!"   

I have about a dozen or so Coleus.  They come into their own by this time of year. 

I'm getting lots of pow and pop from my collection of Non-stop Begonias.  I have pink, yellow, orange, red, and white.

My Fuchsia 'Other Fellow' is a shocker - pure white outer petals contrast with Barbie-doll pink inner petals.  It must have close to 100 blooms.

The first of my Oriental Lilies is blooming.  I'd love to tell you the name, but I didn't save the information. 

When you buy a Breadseed Poppy it's always a bit of a gamble.  What color / hue will the blossom be?  I'm most pleased with this - a mix of deep and lighter purples. 

Everyone enjoys company while gardening.  This morning I had help from a young female Black-headed Grosbeak.  She seemed taken with my pink garden gloves.  

That's my Garden Tour for today.  Hope you found a plant or two that you now Must Have!

10 comments:

Vickie said...

LOVE the last picture the most!

Barb said...

Cute piece. Your flowers are beautiful!

Susan said...

Love the polka dot plant - and especially love your garden helper!

Carisa said...

Your flowers are beautiful! What a brave bird.

Mrs. Petrie @ casapetrie.com

geeky Heather said...

Gorgeous array of flowers. I've never before seen a plant marketed specifically to decorate a martini lounge, LOL!!!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful flowers. Amazing connection with nature, from the photo, they seem to trust you and that is a wonderful blessing. I adore the Liberty bell on your finished piece too. It's such a sweet touch. Good job all round.

Debra at HOMESPUN: http://www.thehomespun.com said...

I have never seen a poppy like that...love it! :)

I love your cross stitch pieces too :)

ANNE said...

Beautiful flowers, I love the begonias and I've never seen a fuschia with white petals before!

xox

Barb said...

Your patriotic stitch is cute. I love the liberty bell. The flowers are beautiful.

Tracey said...

I always love the pictures you share! I TOO am taken with your gardening gloves... I have the exact same pink pair :-)