Friday, July 3, 2015

Things That Make Me Happy

small sunny garden
As I was looking up into the garden this morning, the little vignette above caught my eye.  Bright crimson blooms of Salvia greggii "Flame" were framing the primrose-apricot blooms of rose "Wollerton Old Hall".  It made me happy just looking at it.  Vignettes have been rare as nothing is at full size in the garden yet - even these plants have a good deal of growing to do.  But it inspired me to take another look round the garden and share a few of the scenes that make me happy just now.
garden vignette
Obviously, Wollerton Old Hall is one, blooming freely again.
rose, Wollerton Old Hall, David Austin roses
The Rose Border shows signs of becoming a hedge (which is, after all, the goal).  Here, St. Swithin (right) and Crown Princess Margareta are beginning to grow together.
And there were beautiful blooms on Crown Princess Margareta this morning.  They're a little closer to their normal apricot hue now.  Temperatures have dropped a bit over the past few days.
rose "Crown Princess Margareta", David Austin rose, amy myers photography, English rose
Another vignette is that of Lagerstroemia "Rhapsody in Pink" (for photos of the flowers, see my last post) against the growing rosemary hedge.  I may have to lean down and squint a little, but it is really growing into a young hedge now.
Lagerstroemia, "Rhapsody in Pink", rosemary, Tuscan Blue
Next is an odd view, that of Berlandiera lyrata beneath the acacia tree.  The berlandiera is actually still blooming; but the flowers close early against intense sun, which means that on this east-facing slope I rarely see them open these days.  This morning was a bit overcast, and you can see a few half-open flowers if you look closely.  The acacia has provided extra protection, for which the little perennial has been grateful, I think.  They make a nice twosome though the berlandiera is quite low-growing for this position at the base of the tree.
Berlandiera, acacia salicina
And a couple of glimpses of flowers...

My one surviving Four o'Clock (Mirabilis jalapa) is blooming well though the plant remains tiny and very sunbleached.  I do hope it gets through the summer all right!
Mirabilis jalapa, Four o'Clocks
New blooms on Lavandula "Goodwin's Creek Grey" are making me smile.
Lavender, Lavandula, "Goodwin's Creek Grey"
And one more vignette: Russelia equisetiformis with rose "Wollerton Old Hall".
Russelia equisetiformis, rose
It's very rewarding to see the plants spreading out and filling in a little so I thought I would share a few of these little scenes with you.

Crown Princess Margareta again...
rose "Crown Princess Margareta", David Austin roses, amy myers photography
Weather Diary: Cloudy with light rain; Forecast High: 101 F (38 C)/Low: 86 F (30 C)

6 comments:

  1. It's great to see more of how the plants relate to each other in your garden. They are doing so well, considering the conditions!

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    1. I'm happy they've grown enough to relate a little bit, Jessica! The vignette with the Salvia and rose is more or less unplanned, I must admit, since the Salvia went there as an emergency transfer from further down the slope ;-) I'm hoping it can stay there as I do like the combination!

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  2. The combinations are looking great - I'm in your spot as well in terms of getting the garden going. At the moment, empty space between plantings is the order of the day, so when things start to come together it's a great feeling!

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  3. You have a lot to smile about, especially in a garden so new, Amy. I love that 'Wollerton Old Hall' - if I decide to invest in any more roses or to replace some of those I inherited, I'm definitely going to consult you for advice.

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    1. I'll be happy to help all I can, Kris - that's a big compliment :) Wollerton Old Hall has been tremendous here; it does seem to combine nicely with anything that's planted nearby!

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