A Tour Of A Friends Gardens

Last week my neighbor asked if I would like to go with her to visit her friends
gardens and of course I jumped at the idea before she could change her mind. I
suspected if she was going to visit someones gardens they were probably going to
be spectacular! And I was right!

Just click on each picture for a larger view.

What a variety of trees, grasses, shrubs, colors and textures. The perfect
mix.

Look at this mix of colors.

They must have the oldest and biggest Weeping Cedar I've ever seen. It was massive.

Coming around to the side starts a showing of decidious Azaleas and some rhodies with a
few others mixed in. What a show they must put on earlier in the year when they
are all blooming. She said they are also beautiful when they change colors in
the fall.

Heading farther back for a better view of the Gazebo.

Can you see the vines on each corner of the Gazebo? They are climbing hydrangeas
and they really add to the look of it.

The pond is spectacular - it just keeps going and going. Part is a little creek
that heads up to another pond section.

It must be so much fun to choose everything to plant around it. Not to mention
the kick you'd

get putting flowers and fish in the pond.

Heuchera Plum Pudding was putting on a show with a brilliant pink back. Not to
mention it looks like she just got done blooming her heart out with all of those
stems I see.

Sorry it's a bit fuzzy but this is a varigated Ajuga that I found very
pretty.

A beautiful little pink Japanese Maple.

The Hosta blooms are really knocking themselves out. You know how normally they
hardly show? Well take a look at the size of these.

Here's another pretty one.

A lovely blue Hydrangea

I just fell in love with this path by passing everything and heading toward a
big double arbour.

Loaded with different Clematis, Monarda, Hollyhocks, Roses . . .

This Hollyhock is such a dark rich color.

Some yard art

And then there was this rose that just blew me away with all of the different
color varietions.

I couldn't quit snapping pictures of the different combinations.

From bright orange to delicate pink.

Another view of the pond.

A gorgeous Water Lily.

Some Astilbe and another Japanese Maple

Something every Grandma needs.

She said the hummingbirds are crazy about this water fall that hangs on the
wall.

I couldn't resist experimenting with this macro of a Coneflower.

Or this one . . .

A beautiful bunch of daisies.

One last look back as we leave.

She also has rose gardens that I can only imagine are beautiful but with the
horrible weather we've had this summer she said they weren't looking very good.
Same with the sweet peas I was dying to smell. O'well maybe next time.

More Bloomin' Flowers

have so many flowers blooming right now I decided I'd best do it in 2 posts. I
can't believe I'm posting 2 days in a row! I explained a while back how I've
been so busy working outside I haven't had time to blog or hardly visit anyone.
I really miss it! How am I going to continue to learn if I can't run around
visiting your posts? I've also had some Doctors appointments in the city (1 1/2
hours drive) and decided while I'm there I should do some shopping to find
something to wear for the class reunion I have coming up. Ug - a shopper I
aint!

I'm not even doing Fertilizer Friday today because it wouldn't be fair to join in and then not go visit the whole list. Now that it's
too hot for me to go outside I've got to do some work in the house before Bob
trades me in on a new model. One that does something besides work out in the
flowers all day long (weather permitting).

Purple Spiderwort

Pinkish purple SpiderwortVeronica Giles Van Hees

Salvia May Night

White Campanula, that I got from Doris' place and is it ever tall.

Purple Campanula

Campanula Blue Waterfall

Campanula Cherry Bells

This is the Yarrow that Sweet Bay sent me and it's just a beautiful bright pinkish
purple color. It's already making new plants so I'll be able to put it
everywhere to enjoy next year. I know Sweet Bay is taking a much needed break
from blogging right now but I still wanted to put a link to her blog. But when I
did for some reason I lost this whole post and had to start over again. Not
going there again . . .

Barberry Rosy Glow

Dianthus

Clematis Jackmanii

Lychnis Rose Campion

I got 2 primitive benches from Doris so I decided to set one out in the
'monster' garden with some of my more primitive containers on and around it. I
think it looks kind of cute. Now to find a home for the other one. They are
surrounded by Liatris, Siberian Irises and Soapwort which tries to take over the
whole bed and that's how it got the name 'monster' garden.

Addicted To Buying Flowers Or Just Filling In The Spaces

I hit a couple more nurseries the other day and I still haven't planted all of
the flowers I bought a while back. The owner of one of my favorite nurseries had
said last year she'd try to find some pink Campanulas but when I was there a
week ago she didn't have any luck. But whenI went back what did I find?
Campanula Cherry Bells. It's a start.
Here was another purple one I didn't have. It wasn't labeled but looks similar
to Campanula Pulla from what I could see in a search.
Here's one I'm not familiar with but looked interesting and the right color. Astrantia
Masterwort Abbey Road
After leaving one nursery I was driving into town and passed another one I had seen
but never been to. The reason I hadn't is because it's in her home and not open
all year. She has many plants that are rare and oddites. This Columbine was
growing everywhere on the place but she didn't have any potted up so she dug one
up for me. It's as tall as my big purple one so they'll look beautiful together.
She said it's an old fashioned one. I love that bright pink.

Another Heuchera, Midnight Rose with pink splotches in the foliage.

And look at this tiny little Hosta. It's smaller than the small one I got the other
day. The leaves are about 4 inches and it's called Blue Mouse.

I've seen this Iris before and just love the light green varigated foliage. Iris
Pallida Albo Variegata.

Another Lungwort, Mrs. Moon.

Lamium Maculatum Chequers.

Veronica Spicata Spiked Speedwell RedFox

Back at the oddity nursery she talked me into a Jack In The Pulpit.

Now I picked up some annuals since I haven't even started on my planters yet. This
one is new and apparently from Australia. So far cute as can be called Ptilotus
Joey Pink Mulla Mulla. It sort of looks like Celosia maybe bigger.

And this . . . oh my goodness . . . the most beautiful Cosmos I've ever seen. It's
open in the middle of each petal. Hmmm how unusual. Oh it's Pied Piper
Red.

Heliotrope, 2 different Sweet Potato Vines, Fuchsia, Diascia and one other I can't find the
name of.

And last some purple and pink Petunias.

Well that's it until I hit the nurseries again. Sheesh I have to get what I
already have in the ground before I go. Think of all the great spaces these are
going to fill.