Definition of a Plethora

So if life is what happens when you're busy making other plans, then posts are what happen when photos pile up. I'd meant to sort through and post all these photos quite a while ago (I mean peonies are long gone and the delphiniums and larkspurs are getting ready to re-bloom). But then other things kept coming along, including a major new project (Blood Lines) and the Tabula Rasa series of posts. But I finally got them up (and more or less in chronological order, to boot), so get comfortable and (hopefully) enjoy the plethora of garden photos ahead... Starting with my Explorer series climbing rose (wish I could remember its name!) 

 

Then on to the peonies, beautiful while they lasted. 

 

I think this one is called "Sorbet." It seems to be the only peony we have of this variety, and for two years now it's only produced one flower per year. But so pretty! 

 

Back to the Explorer rose for a bit :) 

 

"Sealand Gem" clematis on the verge of opening... 

...fully open...

...and tucked in among the roses. 

 

The last blooms of my Apothecary rose. 

 

"Midnight Showers" clematis and "Black Knight" delphinium. 

 

And with the mysterious red rose that snuck along when we moved. 

 

Morning glory just before opening. 

 

Spent morning glory flowers. 

 

One of three hydrangeas (including a "Limelight" with creamy/green flowers that I keep forgetting to get a picture of). I was acidifying the soil to try to get blue blooms on this one, but I don't think I acidified it enough. Still, I got some lavender tinge in there! Will try again next year. 

 

Hosta flowers. Sadly, they're just about done now. 

 

"Viking" rose--still blooming. 

 

I inherited this clematis from my mom. I think it's a "Jackmanii." It's the latest-blooming of the three but prolific. 

 

Another gift from mom. I think it's "The Fairy" rose (profuse mini blooms on a large plant), but it (sadly) has no scent. Still a great rose to grow, though--very hardy and healthy. 

Interwoven with a sprig of English lavender. 

 

It's the lavender that ate Toronto! Not sure what's up with my two English lavender plants this year (could be all the manure and compost), but next spring they're getting a serious pruning! 

 

The nameless pink rose we brought with us when we moved. This rose is amazing. It was already at the last place when we moved in, and it had been poorly sited. The whole garden there was overgrown with weeds (really a nightmare), particularly around this rose. And it never got any sun. Yet it always bloomed! I couldn't leave it behind when we moved and now it seems much happier with proper light and nutrients (and no weed competition). The red rose I mentioned earlier somehow came along with it, which was a real surprise as we never even knew it was there! But a nice surprise nonetheless. 

 

My one surviving larkspur. I wish it would seed itself. At least it's re-blooming for me. 

 

And the almost identical delphinium I put in across the yard! I am definitely consistent with the colours I like! 

 

Poppies! Not so great in containers, it seems (not these ones, anyway), but I plan on putting them in throughout the garden next year. 

I didn't notice the squirrel was still there until after I'd taken the picture. It had come running as soon as I stepped outside. I guess it was still hoping I had something more edible than a camera in my hands. We might spoil them a little! 

 

Pansies that seeded themselves from ones I bought last year (the gift that keeps on giving). 

 

And morning glories that always re-seed themselves. The only ones I need to start every year now are the "Heavenly Blue" morning glories (which have yet to bloom, I might add. It's been an odd summer.) I think the purple ones are "Grandpa Ott" but purple morning glories are common and easy to find. 

With nothing to climb, they end up spilling over the edge of the deck--very pretty. Although they will wrap around anything even slightly vertical, including one another! 

I think this pink morning glory originally came from a packet of mixed seeds, but I'm happy to see it return every year. 

 

More poppies. This one is a "peony" poppy called, appropriately enough, "Black Peony." I love the colour! Unfortunately, I didn't get many blooms. I'll try planting more of them next year. 

 

And this was an exciting find growing up the side of the hedge. Yes, that is a dandelion. The SO's foot (for reference) actually is about 12" long, so you can work out how tall that thing was. At least you have to admire its persistence! I'm sure we'll be seeing it again next year as we couldn't get much of the root. There's always something to look forward to in a garden ;) 

(All photos by me)

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