Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Garden Tour!

I went out at 6 this morning to take pictures before the sun came up. I always like the colors best at dawn and just before dusk....

My gardening style is of the cottage variety...things get flopped over and grow on top of each other. It's not random but it is pretty free-form...a lot like my quilts!!!!

So let's take a stroll...

Lavender and "Super Wave" petunias, about to dive over the wall..

Hydrangea, stock, miniature roses, chives, digitalis, Russian sage, tea rose, nicotiana, marigold, day lily..

The brassica corner! Broccoli and kale here, with New Zealand spinach below the kale. I read that brassica flowers attract beneficial insects to the garden, so I have let some of the broccoli go (those yellow flowers on the left). I must say, I have had zero aphids or white flies this year.

This is probably the glam shot of the whole series. You can see how the California poppies have taken over almost the whole path here. (They haven't opened up yet because it is early in the morning.) It is hard to see, but I have celery, dill, and coriander growing amidst the calendula, roses, borage, and lavender. Again, the herb flowers are bringing the good guys to the garden.

See those snapdragons on the left? Not blooming yet. I started those from seed last MARCH, and have been waiting and waiting and WAITING for them to get going already. The variety is "Heavenly White" (from Thompson and Morgan Seeds); they are supposed to smell great. I want them in the center of my Spring CQ, along with the other white flowers I have, some of which have also not bloomed yet, especially the phlox and michaelmas daisies. White cosmos, roses, and nicotiana will also go in the quilt's center.

My trusty bench, under the purple buddlea bush, which I have to keep whacking back.

I love these santolina "shrubs" (when I bought them years ago they were in 4 inch pots). They look like yellow polka dots to me. Nice how they are growing through the deer fence.

This is the border right in front of my house. (That's the garage in the background.)In the lower left is a wonderful hyssop plant..I have it right by the entryway because its pink flowers attract dive-bombing hummingbirds. Look, there's one now, in the upper right corner of the picture!

One time I was up in my garden watering, and a hummingbird was literally diving in and out of the petals of a red rose, like a porpoise in the waves of petals. I was transfixed, watching, and slowly walked closer and closer until I was right next to the rose bush. He was having the best time!
That little bird--and they are real athletes, by the way, with immensely strong muscled necks--finally popped up out of the rose, hovered looking at me, then flew over and landed right on my thumb.
He was just saying hi.
I almost died with delight.

Come back, little guy!

25 comments :

Marty52 said...

Thanks so much for the tour of your cottage garden... it looks just about perfect to me. Your story about the hummingbird is so cool!!!!! He came to say hai! :0) Did you hold your breath? I would have!

méri said...

Delicious your garden! and the hummingbird story!

Anonymous said...

heaven ... especially the hummingbird story

Anonymous said...

I want to live in this garden, have a garden like it, and have hummingbirds call me by name!

What a lovely and thoughtful gift for your admirers!

Cathy said...

I love love love your garden! Thanks for the wonderful tour and hummingbird story. A feast for our eyes and our hearts! Hugs, Cathy

Susan Elliott said...

I think that hummingbird showed up because he wants to be in your quilt!!

Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane said...

Your garden is beautiful! I can see why the hummingbird was happy to visit!

Threadspider said...

Your very own garden of Eden. It's all looking so delightful and at its perfect best. I have loved my walk around it, smelling the perfume and listening to the beating of tiny wings. Thank you.

Paddy's Daughter said...

Gorgeous garden Allie, no wonder the quilt looks so good. Lovely too to be reminded of what gardens look like in full flush when I'm in the depth of winter! Sue

Cheryl said...

Your garden is wonderful. I like the English style of gardening too, but we get too hot here in summer to get good results with some of the perennials that enjoy a more moderate climate. I always wanted to live in Washington so I could grow hostas as big as some states!

Amy Kerr-Menz said...

Your garden is wonderful!

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and leaving such a lovely comment. And thanks for the welcome!

I took the font suggestions on board and have increased the text size by 2 points. Hope this helps :)

Barbara C said...

Your garden is so lovely! It's amazing that so much is in bloom given the late heavy rains you had this year. I love you hummingbird story. What a magical moment.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Your garden is absolutely gorgeous!! It's my kind of garden because I love cottage style & it looks very much like ours.
I miss our hummingbirds...this year we only saw one once and there hasn't been any since, despite having all the flowers and two feeders.

Maureen said...

Lovely garden, certainly see where you get your inspiration from for your quilts

Anonymous said...

How lovely. What a wonderful way to start my day--thanks! I also like the misty mornings. I would love to have a garden like yours.

verobirdie said...

No wonder the hummingbird came to say hi. You have such a lovely garden, he must think he is in heaven! Thanks for sharing your flowers with us.

Debra Dixon said...

Inspiration at every glance--what a treasure!

elsie123 said...

What a great garden! So much color, movement, and peace. No wonder the hummingbirds like it!

Brigitte said...

Your garden is so beautiful! And your works too! I´m impressed.

JoWynn Johns said...

Thanks so much for the early morning tour of your garden. A work of art, and love.

It is a thrill to have a hummingbird up-close and personal, isn't it. I found that the hummingbirds would feed from my hand when I held a little feeder of sugar water. Their diving can be a bit scary, they're so fast!

Love Bears All Things said...

Thanks for sharing your beautiful garden. It is just the kind I cherish. I know just what you mean about the Hummers. I feel a special blessing anytime I have the opportunity to see one. It is like a gift from God.
Mama Bear

Deb Hardman said...

What a delightful garden, a veritable Moose Buffet if it were in my neighborhood! So pretty! It looks like one of your quilts!

I had a hummingbird buzz me one time when I had a red T-shirt on. I guess he thought I was a big flower, & since I only heard his hum, & saw him out of the corner of my eye, I thought I was being attacked by a big bee! It was Warren who told me it was a humming bird.

Willa said...

Always a good visit Allie.. My yard is very plain but the landscaper from the office is going to get me started with some plants. Then I will hit the discount stores. Love the garden tour and like everyone else the hummingbird story.

Jodi Nelson said...

Beautiful, Beautiful garden! LOVE every inch of it. And the hummingbird story. So awesome! We have had many hummingbirds this year. Love watching them. Love that I found your blog. Looking forward to visiting often.

Christine said...

I just love your garden, thanks for sharing it in photos with me. I'm too lazy to get up at 6 a.m. I'm afraid, so I'm enjoying seeing your garden instead, LOL. No wonder your quilting is so vibrant, so much inspiration there. Loved the image of the quiet little hummingbird visiting you, we don't have hummingbirds around the city here in Sydney Australia.But we do have very noisy coloured birds called rainbow lorrikeets who visit to lick nectar from flowering native plants, and they too enjoy being hand fed with honey and water soaked bread. It's not recommended for them though, it weakens the eggs apparently. Thanks for sharing,
Hooroo,
Christine
http://missmuffettwo.blogspot.com/