Addicted To Buying Flowers Or Just Filling In The Spaces

It's Fertilizer Friday and everyone is flaunting their flowers so when ya get
done here be sure to link over to Tootsies place at the bottom and see what she
and everyone else is up to.
My first Alliums are blooming. I'll have to buy more for next year. I wanted to enjoy them in 2 different places so consequently there aren't enough for a nice show.

I know I showed Columbine Clementine Rose before but she has more blooms now
and looks so pretty.
This is the Columbine that sent me into a rage last year when the deer wiped
it out. We beat them this year and got the Liquid Fence put on all of the
flowers. I remembered when I bought this one it had a pink bloom and a blue
bloom. Then later would only bloom one color and I thought surely I was mistaken
- it wouldn't bloom 2 colors. But it does. It was ready to last year and if you
look in the upper right corner there is a blue bloom on it's way.I'm not sure what Columbine this is. It doesn't look like one I've had before - I've
heard they can intermix and change colors. This is very pretty.

Some of the Irises are opened up now and more are on the way.

Miss Kim, my new Lilac, is really loaded for her first year.

A closer shot of Miss Kim, she's a dwarf Lilac and won't get
very big.

Lupines are opening.

Bob's beautiful Peony finally opened - the first one that is. I'll get a picture when
all of the buds open up.

The Phlox aren't doing well this year - only a couple of blooms.

Tradescantia Spiderwort

The little Weigela I started is blooming like crazy. It's only about 6" tall and
look at it go.

This is a dwarf Weigela I've had for years - probably one of the first plants I
bought. The tag disappeared years ago but the other day I saw one and I'm pretty
sure this is called Java Red.

A closer picture of it's beautiful foliage and bloom.

I got new stuff! Went to the Master Gardeners sale but there wasn't anything there
because we had been out of town and I missed the first day which I heard was
great. Lucky for me in the next room over was a swap meet and a lady had these
small Hostas in a crate. Whoopie! Flowers and a neat container. But look at this
little vintage coffee pot. WoW! Isn't that just great. I have a mottled gray
teapot about the same size on a weatherized ladder with flowers so it will go
great with that.

Addicted To Buying Flowers Or Just Filling In The Spaces

I hit a couple more nurseries the other day and I still haven't planted all of
the flowers I bought a while back. The owner of one of my favorite nurseries had
said last year she'd try to find some pink Campanulas but when I was there a
week ago she didn't have any luck. But whenI went back what did I find?
Campanula Cherry Bells. It's a start.
Here was another purple one I didn't have. It wasn't labeled but looks similar
to Campanula Pulla from what I could see in a search.
Here's one I'm not familiar with but looked interesting and the right color. Astrantia
Masterwort Abbey Road
After leaving one nursery I was driving into town and passed another one I had seen
but never been to. The reason I hadn't is because it's in her home and not open
all year. She has many plants that are rare and oddites. This Columbine was
growing everywhere on the place but she didn't have any potted up so she dug one
up for me. It's as tall as my big purple one so they'll look beautiful together.
She said it's an old fashioned one. I love that bright pink.

Another Heuchera, Midnight Rose with pink splotches in the foliage.

And look at this tiny little Hosta. It's smaller than the small one I got the other
day. The leaves are about 4 inches and it's called Blue Mouse.

I've seen this Iris before and just love the light green varigated foliage. Iris
Pallida Albo Variegata.

Another Lungwort, Mrs. Moon.

Lamium Maculatum Chequers.

Veronica Spicata Spiked Speedwell RedFox

Back at the oddity nursery she talked me into a Jack In The Pulpit.

Now I picked up some annuals since I haven't even started on my planters yet. This
one is new and apparently from Australia. So far cute as can be called Ptilotus
Joey Pink Mulla Mulla. It sort of looks like Celosia maybe bigger.

And this . . . oh my goodness . . . the most beautiful Cosmos I've ever seen. It's
open in the middle of each petal. Hmmm how unusual. Oh it's Pied Piper
Red.

Heliotrope, 2 different Sweet Potato Vines, Fuchsia, Diascia and one other I can't find the
name of.

And last some purple and pink Petunias.

Well that's it until I hit the nurseries again. Sheesh I have to get what I
already have in the ground before I go. Think of all the great spaces these are
going to fill.

Wonderful Parking Strips - Sunday Favorites

This is probably the prettiest parking strip I've
ever seen. It is divided into 3 sections each trimmed with stones. The focus of
the first one is a big tropical looking plant.

The 2nd section has a tree and I love how she sunk a large pot into the ground
with flowers spilling out of it. The Delphiniums are to die for. What I'd
really like to do is go behind that fence and see what treasures she
has planted there. Maybe I'll go ask her how she grows such beautiful
Delphiniums and about if that tropical looking plant is just for the summer or
if it's hardy. Ya think she might give me a tour of the rest of the gardens?

A different shot of the first and second sections.
The third section also has a pot with flowers spilling out of it and another
tree.
Here are all three sections from the opposite end.

3 pictures of another very nice strip that is just stuffed with plants, shrubs
and trees.

I took this picture because this is the widest parking strip I've ever seen - but
then I haven't been noticing them for that long. There's a big section of town
that has this size strip but there don't seem to be any planted with flowers. I
only really started noticing these parking strips a few months ago after seeing
Karen at Greenwalks posts on
them. To see lots of great ones click on her blog name and head over
there.

Beautiful Eureka, California

It slowed down on the rain in Redding the morning we were leaving to head over
the mountain to the coastal town of Eureka. So at least we didn't have a rainy
trip that day. But look at the dark threatening sky - still REALLY wanting to
make us feel at home with more rain!
The snow wasn't too far away either. Fortunately that held off and the sky even
started getting a tiny bit brighter.
We always enjoy following the Trinity River over. Since we were earlier this
year I think it was still a little murky colored. Seems like I always comment on
the beautiful clear green water in this river.
A little farther along when it's way below us - look at the different colors of
the trees and the gorgeous Redbuds adding even more variety.
In one of the little mountain towns I saw these flowers. Anyone know what they
are?

It really looks like my Self Heal but it's so much taller.

I didn't realize I was seeing wild Pampas Grass until it was too late and all of
the good pictures were far behind me. Should I ask Bob to turn around? Hmmm I
don't think so since we're almost at the bottom of the hill.

And wild Lupines were everywhere too.

Eureka is situated near extensive preserves of the world's tallest trees - the Coast
Redwoods.

I was reading a little about Eureka after coming home and found that approximately
16% of the city contains important historical structures. 13 distinct districts
have been identified which meet the criteria for the National Register of
Historic Places. In all, some 1,500 buildings have been recognized as qualifying
for the National Register.

I love this mural and the trompe l'oeil is amazing.

Even when they aren't the most ornate they still have wonderful color
combinations.

We made our way down to the waterfront in Old Towne.

Eureka, a major player in the historic west coast lumber trade, is the site of hundreds
of Victorian homes.

A small house but I love the work around the top of the porch.

The "Pink Lady" a Queen Anne style Victorian, completed in 1889.

The magnificent Carson Mansion is perhaps the most spectacular Victorian in the
nation. The home was built between 1884-1886 by renowned 19th Century architects
Newsom and Newsom for lumber baron William M. Carson. This project was designed
to keep mill workers and expert craftsman busy during a slow period in the
industry.

The Carson Mansion is a private club for men now but my Mother In Law who retired
from the Eureka Police Department was able to go through it while working one
time. Be sure and click the picture to see all of the beautiful architectural
work closer.

I love this town with all of the old buildings and am already anxious to make a
trip down again.