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Friday, May 13, 2011

A Garden Ramble

  
My Night Owl climbing rose has started to bloom. It's a vigorous, disease resistant climber that charms me every May with gorgeous flowers. It blooms repeatedly throughout the summer but isn't very fragrant unless you stick your nose right into a bloom. It does well with our high heat and humidity.


Orangish-red and yellow geums grow at its base and clash shamelessly, but I don't mind. They both thrive where they are and the surprising color combination always makes me smile. It's a bit like life - unexpected and odd, but beautiful.

 The stems carry mulitple buds which are incredible in bloom. This is a really easy rose to grow.
  
 My Westerland rose is about to bloom! This rose spent last summer fending off the amorous advances of an 'Etoille Violette' clematis determined to love Mr. Westerland anaconda-style. It managed to escape through the fence to the sunny clematis-free open plains of my neighbors yard. I moved it to a sunny, vine-free spot on a fence bordering another neighbor and it's sporting multiple buds. The flowers are a rich apricot color although the buds are safety orange. Weird!


This pink clematis grows along side the Sceptre d'Isle rose pictured at the top. The shrub to the side is a Rose of Sharon, which the clematis has woven itself through. 

Pink mystery clematis

 A little wren has moved into my red birdhouse!! It only took six years of total vacancy for the birds to realize it was there... This makes up for the fact that some jerk dumped the chickadee nest out of a birdhouse placed close to a fence, killing the eggs. Karma!!

 'Baltyk' clematis grow up a trellis in my front yard. Helleri hollies grow in the front. They're a bit boring, but they're evergreen and super tough, so I let them stay.

Holy Toledo, that's a huge geranium!!!

17 comments:

  1. The clematis is breathtaking. Cant seem to grow the japanese hollies here, usually stick to boxwood. How is the potted rose doing?

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  2. I like the way the pink clematis is growing through the Rose of Sharon.. and your night owl rose looks very healthy, a great plus!

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  3. Beautiful roses and clematis. I love your Night Owl - so healthy and those clusters are huge! Do you spray?

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  4. Greggo - The potted rose is doing very well. Hurray!!! I gave it a lot of water and it seems to be chugging along just fine. Lesson learned on my end!! The hollies are compliments of our builder. They're the only shrubs I didn't replace. I just can't argue with a great plant that takes dry shade. :o)

    Deb - The roses in my garden should do well in yours, too. I went through a lot before I found some that coud deal with our humidity. Oy! What an expensive experiment!!

    Masha - I never spray. I just keep them well watered and fed and try to find varieties that are disease resistant. Night Owl is a real keeper!!

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  5. I really like your commentary, especially about the orange and red. I just planted 'Westerland' last year and planted the exact same clematis next to it. In my case the clematis died. I guess they are not a match made in heaven.

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  6. I like the Westerland rose...glad it likes its new spot in your garden. And, wow that Clematis is very impressive. Love the intense color! I have that same geranium (not near as big) but didn't know what it was. Thanks for the id. Do you know the botanical name of this one?

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  7. I'm totally lusting after that Baltyk Clematis! There is a variety or two that can handle our extreme weather conditions but I haven't found a spot yet in my garden that can provide the conditions it needs. After seeing your photos, I'll keep trying!

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  8. I love your Night Owl rose - and clashing colours make me smile too! Geums seem to be very fashionable at the moment - deservedly so, with their long flowering period and range of colours. I've just collected a couple and grew more from seed, and am hoping for some smiley colour clashes of my own as a result. Wonderful about the wren.

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  9. Karin - The Latin on the geranium is geranium microrrhizum. It's leaves smell funny to me but I love how enthusiastic it is and can count on it to bloom early every spring.

    Carolyn - My 'Etoille Violet' clematis is doing well despite the break up. This spring when it first started growing, it's stems grew straight up and it looked like I had a giant Chia Pet stuck to my fence. Like a big dingdong I forgot to take a picture. It's assumed a more submissive pose but I'm convinced it's all a ruse. :o)

    Cat - Keep trying with the clematis! If you can give them morning sun and afternoon shade, they should do well. They like extra water. Just think of all the photo ops they'll provide!! Maybe you could grow one in a big pot.

    Janet - Geums rock!! I'm a bit suspicious of gardens that are too matchy-matchy. I prefer controlled chaos! :o)

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  10. Your clematis are beautiful. I miss having them in my garden. I only have the autumn variety left as I gave all I had away. Time to repopulate the vertical space.

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  11. GWGT - Why did you give yours away?? You might like 'Roguchi' clematis. It has beautiful blue bell shaped flowers.

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  12. Hi TC, I enjoyed the story of the rose and clematis. I'm sure both will reward you tons. It might not have been a person who dumped out the chickadee nest. Sometimes predators do that-even other birds or a snake or rat. One never knows but it is sad. That is one big geranium. I love those!

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  13. Your Clematis are beautiful! I love your taste in roses.

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  14. Jennifer@threedogsinagarden
    I think I have one of those "Holy Toledo" geraniums. It has small pink blooms, spreads slowly and also self-seeds Holy Toledo babies!
    Your roses are lovely. It is odd isn't it, when a rose can have one color bud and different color flower. I actually like it when the color of closed buds add an extra splash of color to a rose bush in bloom. I am glad to hear that a wren has taken up residence in one of your birdhouses. I look forward to possible baby pictures.

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  15. Your roses/flowers are gorgeous. I especially love the Night Owl. I hope you have a great week.

    Sandy

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  16. If I could have your roses and clematis in Mygardenhaven, I would be so contented. I bet you are a contented gardener!
    Rosie

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  17. someone dumped your birdhouse with nest inside?!?! What in the world were they thinking? that's just awful. so glad the wren is safe and sound away from lurking strangers.

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