David Austin roses grow incredibly well in the Pacific Northwest. My mother has a garden full of them. I’m growing my first in Virginia, ‘Gertrude Jekyll’, but I don’t think it will ever reach this level of splendor!
My Mother’s Garden
Artificial Turf is Perfect for an Urbanscape
Artificial Turf Stripes
Colorful and Comfortable
Bold Planters add Greenery
We were in the Shaw neighborhood a couple days ago where I saw this wonderful streetscape. The new artificial turf products are fantastic! I love the green stripes. I’d enjoy seeing this on my daily walk or from my apartment window. We’re starting to see some progressive clients using this turf in their residential projects now. Don’t knock it until you’ve seen it and touched it! (I personally still have about 300 square feet of lawn that I love to mow.)
Cityline Hydrangeas
You may have noticed some intensely pink hydrangeas at your garden center. They’re probably part of the ‘Cityline’ collection from Proven Winners. I’m testing out this one (‘Paris’) in a pot this year. So far, the shrub is still tiny but it has plenty of blooms. This group just started opening a couple days ago. I think I’ll use it for a new bouquet!
Cutting Gardens
One of my goals for our new sunny front is to create a cutting garden. I’ve added the usual suspects like Coneflowers and Black-Eyed Susan, but I’m trying to bring in more subtle choices like Black & Blue Salvia, Veronica, and colorful herbs. These ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea actually grow along the back fence in a shady area I don’t see every day, so they’re perfect for bringing indoors.
Cicada Moment
I took advantage of the cool weekend weather to do some weeding and clean-up. Of course, I had to share the garden with these creatures, who apparently have hatched off-cycle due to the hot weather we’ve had. This is the first time I’ve seen live cicadas as opposed to their empty shells scattered around. They’d be almost cute if it weren’t for those red eyes!
American Wisteria is the Best Choice
We planted this Wisteria frutescens at the corner of my neighbor’s porch about 5 years ago. It is such a gorgeous and reliable bloomer. If the idea of Wisteria makes you nervous, just be sure to select the American variety. It doesn’t get nearly as big as the Asian varieties and won’t end up pulling down your structures over time.
New Yellow Rhodies in My Garden
I’m so excited that these new yellow rhododendrons are opening up in my garden. They’re supposed to be a “compact” variety, which I hope means I won’t need to prune them back much. I don’t normally plant rhodies or azaleas in small gardens because I don’t really like their form over time, but the pale yellow of these felt like daffodils so I thought I’d give them a try. So far, so good, but if they get big and leggy, they’re moving to the back garden!
I Love Rain?
Rain, rain, you’re messing up the work site in my front lawn! But we need you, the plants are happy, and it’s a great time to get beautiful photos. This one is from my neighbor’s front yard, which is always pretty as a picture.
Double Daffs
I started ordering from Colorblends about 10 years ago, and their bulbs never disappoint. This double daff just turned up in my garden as part of a mix I ordered, and I can’t identify it. Whatever it is, I want more next year!
I Heart Plastic Adirondack Chairs
You know all those charming photos of colorful outdoor furniture you see in garden magazines? The French bistro chairs or the hand-crafted, marine-grade-painted wood benches from New England? Well, these aren’t them. These are the molded plastic Adirondack chairs you see in the grocery and hardware stores, and you know what? I love them! They are ridiculously comfortable, made in the U.S.A., and the epitome of “cheap and cheerful.” Don’t knock ’em till you’ve tried ’em. And now I must create a new Tag for “plastic furniture.”