Hollyhocks galore..in my back yard. Good thing I planted early, I haven’t had time to work in my garden lately with the new office and such. Threw out some seeds and looked what happened. Of course I put in some good foundation perennials and roses too . Take a look/see at what is going on at Hummingbird Cottage this summer!

Customize your own photo album

The weather is changing at Hummingbird cottage- its time to clean out the fountains. Just purchased my 6th one for the garden on Friday – when it delivered I will share pix.

 In fact going thru the garden i noticed that I have purchased several new items this year. Check out the shutter bird house and the iron angel — it will take a while –but soon the will blend nicely on the garden walls. Got them at Sugar Plums Festivial check out their website for up coming dates sugarplumcrafts.com

 Aren’t my new gates magnificant! I designed them and had Creative Iron make them for me. They remind me of my mom’s rose garden-

 Plants are getting sleepy in my backyard– trees are changing and even the pond seems lazy! It’s time for some great color like pansies and poppies.

I punched up some color for my front garden entrance for Turkey Day. My turn to cook!  I always say I’m not an ‘orange person’ I have to eat my words!  Check out all the great fall colors of the coleus, Kangaroo paws and Impatiens-

 Hope your holiday is pleasant-Take a few minutes and walk though your garden and say Thanks for all the wonderful things-

Summer is in full swing at Hummingbird Cottage. My back yard has lots of blooms. The dinner plate dahlias are spectacular! This is my second year of growing them in the garden. My dear neighbor Arlene gave them to me to put in my friendship garden last year. I have admired them for years in her garden. How lucky I am to have some for my own friendship garden.

 What’s a friendship garden—it’s my patchwork garden of lovely plants my family, friends, neighbors and clients have given me over the years. Take a look at all the things in this garden bed and share some memories of my past.

ROSES! 

Cecil Brunner Rose

Cuttings from my neighbor Wanda, who passed away some 15 years ago, every time I see these dainty Cecil Brunner Roses, I think of her – they are the same color as her complexion. What a pleasure to have for a neighbor for over 17 years. I miss her dearly.

Climbing Eden Rose

The Eden rose is a special gift from my sweet sister Melissa; these roses are my very favorite! They look like little rose printed curtains we had in our room as kids. Sweet and dainty just like my sis!

Climbing Eden Rose

Apple Blossom Rose was another cutting I took in a horticulture class many years ago at Long Beach City College. The rose was brought in from my classmate Karen, and was one of the first things I ever propagated. Isn’t it sweet and dainty—the blooms only last a day but worth it!

FUSCHIAS!

The fuchsias were cuttings from my client Connie, we trimmed some plants a few years back and I took home the trimmings. Connie has an amazing collection of fuchsias and never gets spider mites, I am not so lucky this plant seems to be the only one I have been able to keep alive! I always under water!

COREOPSIS!

Coreopsis’ ramble though out my entire garden – they make me so happy! All are babies from a plant I acquired from Nancy’s garden.. Nancy and I have been friends for many years and is a true blue friend!. I wasn’t a big lover of this plant—at first- but now I realize what a workhorse they are in the garden–Always a burst of color for the garden. The flowers are great to put into small bottles for instant decorations and come back year after year

CERCIS!

This beautiful Cercis ‘Forest Pansy”- Red bud was a gift from by brother, Sonny, for my birthday. The gorgeous tree is perfect!! It blooms tiny purple and pink flowers in the spring, the leaves are purple in a heart shape (perfect for any cottage garden) and the small tree doesn’t have aggressive roots. Oh yeah the tree is low water and low maintenance- if only my husband was sooo perfect!

HYDRANGEAS!

My birthday is in the spring so I always get bunnies (not real ones) and Hydrangeas for presents. Luckily I love both, Blue is my favorite but I haven’t met a Hydrangea I didn’t like! I have around 20 different varieties. ( I am not ashamed to admit– I am a hoarder of plants—no a ‘collector’ of plants!

Clematis!

The purple clematis is awesome in my garden this year – I got it last year from my friend Debbie for a Thank you gift—can’t remember what I did to deserve such a beautiful plant but Debbie’s favorite color is purple so I smile and think of her when I see it reach it stretch to the top of the trellis

clematis on a trellis

ANGELS TRUMPET!

The Angels trumpet was a slip from a plant in school- my how it has grown, During the day, its the favorite place in the garden for all the bees– and at night I see fruit bats taking a whiff of the sweet scented plant.

HEBE!

Variegated Hebe sparkle at night in my friendship garden – low voltage lights show off my plants and add another dimension in the garden. I took a cutting from Suzanne’s garden while on a visit in Vista, Ca.

 The little Japanese maple was given to me to place under Pewter’s memorial in my friendship garden. Pewter was my little grey cat I had for 19 years. I loved him and miss him everyday. What a great friend and family member he was to us. I smile when I see the little tree and thank God for giving me such a treasure to enjoy for all those years. Pewter we miss and love you.

Our sweet Pewter                                                                                        

The garden is in full bloom at my little cottage this July. The peaches are almost ready and the plums are not far behind- the apricots are long gone. We even have mulberries on the little tree- Too bad I haven’t had a taste of any fruit! Thanks to some uninvited guests.   

A new family has moved under my shed–mommy and baby raccoons! I suspect that they think they have it made, a great place to stay  with a new swimming pool filled with fresh fish!—(My new pond and Koi.) Must be like going on vacation and having room service!

 I don’t have the heart to get rid of them. Guess I will have to just get use to going to the farmers market and pretend it came from my back yard. The Koi are protected and everyone is happy in the garden-

 Happy Summer – share the season!

It’s already Spring in my back yard. My Snowball is blooming and so are the  Canterberry Bells. A sweet scent of my Angels Trumpet is in the evening air around Hummingbird Cottage.  

Check out my new pond we installed last fall — things are starting to fill in and we now have five (tiny!) Koi swimming happily under the bridge.Soon plants will cover the stone and soften the pool of water.  

My husband has been busy adding  new window boxes along with a drip system  to keep every thing blooming. More places to plant– you can never have too many blooms– happy gardening.

 

No need to wait until spring to have lots of color, take a stroll through Hummingbird cottage, my own private garden where anything goes…or grows.

Some plants growing in my garden now:

• Iceberg roses
• Baby climbing roses
• Garden Salvia
• English Lavender
• Spanish Lavender
• French Lavender
• Sweet Lavender
• Apricot tree
• Sea Thrift
• Iceland Poppies
• Creeping Jenny
• Creeping ficus
• Ranunculus
• Asst. Argyranthems (daisies)
• Pincushion daisy
• Tick seed daisy
• Coreopsis