Mid Summer Photos

An August evening

Drumstick Allium, Allium sphaerocephalon.

Blue Hydrangeas in an urn, a test photo for my new magazine project ( soon to be announced, here!)

My friend Jess at work, a designer at Hasbro, was advising me about what I might add to my magazine that I am working on. She said that she felt that ideas about good color combinations for containers would be appealing to her demographic ( under 30 females who read Dwell, etc). So I decided to assemble some containers and, since I am an artist and designer, see what I could come up with. I particularly like this one.

And this one.

Fergus sleeps while Margaret goes and checks what’s on in the kitchen.

Some topiary Myrtus communis on the steps of the deck after a mid summer trim

Verbena bonariensis shot on a summer evening

Gentiana septemfida in a trough

Tulbaghia capensis in the gravel garden

Leycesteria formosa var. glandulifera

Brillantasia subulugarica, a new plant for me, not certain about the taxonomy on this name, but with 6 – 8 foot stems this slavia-like mint is very impressive, surely it is invasive in warmer climates, but as a tender tropical, it is perfect for northern gardeners. Will need to have cuttings taken and then brought indoors over the winter ( like coleus).

Iochroma cyanum, another tender tropical shrub we keep in pots.

Oriental-Trumpet cross lily, ‘Conca dor’

Another view of the Lilies towards the house in the evening in late July.

Joe’s nephew Curtis ( we still call him Curtie) with one of our over-watered Petasites japonicus gigantem leaves.

Lilies and Crocosmia in the front River Rock garden ( our front entrance)

Yellow Oriental lilies in the River Rock Garden with a Japanese White Pine cultivar.