Wednesday, August 9, 2017

My Flowers Would Like to Meet You!


Hello, my friends, I hope you are well and 
enjoying these last few weeks of summer! 

I have been so busy that I almost forgot to 
introduce you to my flowers this year, 
and they have been whispering in my ear
that they want to meet you, too :) 

So before this wonderful season of flowers ends, 
let me take you around........


These are Nikko Blue, mop-head hydrangeas
that seem to love it here, so I have quite a few. 
They are wonderful for drying in early fall, 
and I always have big baskets full to place on
cupboards, tables and in corners. 


I live in the forest, so have plenty of shade. 
Begonias are wonderful for that. 
I love the vibrant colors and they will bloom 
until first frost. 

You can see more hydrangeas to the right and 
reflected in the windows. 
I have a large hedge of them here. 


Another variety of begonia that is just as 
pretty as a rose, but without the wonderful scent. 


They are the perfect flower to live under 
my umbrellas. 




They look pretty in hanging baskets, too. 
Here they get just a tiny bit of sunshine
late in the afternoon. 


They don't mind living under the shade of the canopy.  
(You can see the basket in the back corner.)


I potted up a flat of blue lobelia for my plant rack. 


I painted the rims of their terra-cotta pots with 
green porch paint. 
The hanging baskets were Mother's Day gifts. 


Purple petunias have the prettiest scent. 
Whitey Bear and Kai are always photo-bombing :)


The fairies have been busy gardening, too! 






xoxo


These tiny Johnny Jump-ups (viola) were planted 
last fall and have bloomed non-stop ever since! 


I have saved the seeds and hope to grow a new 
generation to keep the happiness going. 


One of my favorite roses - it has the sweetest scent. 


Even Kai seems to enjoy it! 


Another sweet scented beauty.
You can see how large the blooms are. 

These are 'mystery' roses, as I have forgotten the names. 


I do remember the name of this one - Joseph's Coat. 


This garden has Sweet William and tansy. 
Here the tansy hasn't bloomed yet. 



The Sweet William has reseeded itself over many years. 
The tansy is perennial and is a native wildflower here. 
It has very aromatic leaves that I use for sachets that repel moths. 

Both of these grow with very little care and water. 


I have a few butterfly bushes (Buddleia), and I am 
glad that I do, as they are now deemed invasive
and restricted for sale here in WA state. 


Not only do they attract the beautiful tiger swallow-tail
butterfly, but they fill the whole yard with their 
amazing, spicy scent with every breeze. 


And it wouldn't be summer without red geraniums, 
I think. 


Geraniums and marigolds are classics that 
never go out of style. 


We continue to have smoke drifting down 
from the large fires in British Columbia, 
eastern Washington, and even some smaller fires
locally. We have not had rain in 52 days, 
breaking all records. 

The air quality is terrible and at times it is 
extremely irritating to breathe.
The air quality has been compared to the air in Beijing, China.  


It's especially bad in the morning. This is smoke, 
not clouds concealing the mountains from view. 

But there has been one amazing surprise........


The blood-red moon. 

I took this unedited photo last night as it rose over the 
smoke-filled mountains. 


Later it glowed with this eerie ring. 

The weather is expected to remain the same 
until early next week. 
We are praying for rain. 

xoxo

Thank-you for your sweet visits and lovely comments, 
dear Friends. 

I have so much to show you in the next few weeks
and I will keep posting and visiting as I find time. 

xoxo

Today I am linking with :

Floral Passions - Floral Bliss

Won't you join the fun? 







52 comments:

  1. Your woodland garden is beautiful, and so good for shade loving plants. To the contrary I have it dry and sunny, so no those gorgeous looking hydrangeas. I so wish that the air quality improves soon, smoke is irritating. I had a summer cottage near the Russian border and when there were big forest fires we felt the same as you do now. The moon is spectacular!

    Wishing you some good rain!

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  2. We used to live in Silverdale and Poulsbo WA, and I cannot imagine no rain for 52 days. That was my favorite thing about the Northwest area. All your rain must be stuck in a weather pattern here in Texas and further east, as we are as green as WA usually is and the states east of us are flooding. I can only admire your lovely hydrangeas from afar. I try to grow them but just can't seem to keep them too long. Your wonderland of flowers is amazing. Hope you will show them more...It's like a feast of beauty.

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  3. Grazie per le meraviglie che condivido con noi!!! Amo i tuoi fiori! Un abbraccio Savina

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  4. Just incredible... it is a wonderland....you are a green thumb..

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  5. Dear KAren, my sweet friend, thank you for his lovely walk through your agrden and arround your sweet home! Your flowers are so beautiful! Great pictures from the Moon too ...
    Wishing you a lovely week, enjoy the times in your garden and take care,
    sending Love and hugs and blessings, Claudia xo

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  6. Wow that moon picture is wonderful, though I am sorry about the fires and lack of rain. Your garden is beautiful and those roses are so pretty!

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  7. Karen I wish I could send some of our rain your way. It's been raining so much here the last couple of weeks which is really unusual in New Mexico. I hope you are blessed with rain soon. As always your flowers and plants are just gorgeous. You really have a way with them.
    xx Beca

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  8. Oh my, the moon took my breath away! And so did your flowers {{smiles}}

    You truly have a way with plants, my friend. Everything looks amazing. I would love to sit amongst such beauty.

    Hugs to you!

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  9. Your hydrangeas are truly delightful as is your moon. Your garden looks the perfect place for Fairies to play! So many gorgeous blooms. Have a truly wonderful week Karen and I hope you will have some rain very soon and your air quality returns to normal.

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  10. Saw that big orange moon last night! Your porch area is so beautiful and I can't get over all the gorgeous flowers you have! Hydrangeas are one of my favorites. I have decided to build a circular bed around one tree in my front yard (which I will have to fence in) of hydrangeas and peonies, mostly. Your lobelias and begonias are so beautiful! I can't decide on favorites of all the types you have. I think the haze is soon diminishing, and I am so glad of that...and hoping for rain!

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  11. Wow, I love all of your blooms in your wonderful gardens. What a great photo of the moon. I hope you get some much needed rain soon.

    Happy August ~ FlowerLady

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  12. What gorgeously beautiful gardens! You live in such a wonderful area. I do hope this air quality improves soon as we here in Oregon suffer with it as well.

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  13. You can have our rain, we're getting a bit fed up with it!! The moon looks spectacular as do your pretty flowers, can we be at the end of the season so soon?! x

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  14. Your flowers are amazing!! You definitely have a green thumb Lady! ;) Those hydrangeas - be still my heart. And of course I LOVE the fairies. Pure magic.

    Doing a rain dance from the northwoods and sending it your way! Prayers it works soon. (or I'm scaring my neighbors for nothing) Lol
    xoxo

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  15. Your garden and your flowers just look so lovely.
    I just love the fairy garden and I think the way you painted the rims of the terra-cotta pots with green porch paint makes them look extra special.

    I do hope you get some much wanted rain soon ... I'll have to send some over. In my part of the UK we have had non stop rain today!!!

    Take care

    All the best Jan

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  16. So much beauty to enjoy around your home. Ugh...the smoke haze is really ugly. It's sad not to see our mountains. We are praying for some rain and clearing and for the firemen fighting the fires in B.C. and Washington state.

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  17. Liebe Beatrice,
    das war ein ganz zauberhafter Post. Sooooo viele herrliche Blumen, und viele davon im Schatten...Es muss wunderschön sein, so im Wald wohnen zu dürfen!!!
    Ich drücke für Euch ganz, ganz fest die Daumen, dass es bald so richtig gut regnen möge!!!...und dass Ihr nicht auch der GEfahr eines Feuers ausgesetzt seid!!!

    Jetzt noch zu meinem Post über die Vermehrung von Pflanzen durch Stecklinge...Dem 1. Post habe ich noch einen zweiten angegliedert, vonn daher meinen Tipp:

    Liebe Beatrice,
    schau Dir noch diesen Post an: http://heidis-gruene-ecke.blogspot.de/2017/08/mit-stecklingen-geliebte-pflanzen.html

    denn dort bekommst Du noch viele weitere und wichtige Tipps, damit es mit der Stecklingsvermehrung klappt!
    Vom Grundsatz her ist es wirklich ganz simpel! Man sollte nur einige einfache Regeln beachten, und schon hat man in relativ kurzer Zeit die schönsten Nachkömmlinge von den Lieblingspflanzen!
    Ich drücke in jedem Fall beide Daumen!

    Alles Liebe
    Heidi

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  18. Love your Garden, perfect spot for a nice cup of tea with a friend. Thanks for sharing.

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  19. Absolutely fabulous Karen...
    I think I'll buy a flat of Blue Lobelia next Spring...gorgeous!
    Hopefully the BC fires will die out...horrible for all those people.
    Enjoy the rest of your week...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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  20. I so enjoyed meeting all your lovely flowers! Your hydrangea is beautiful. I've tried to grow one here and it just sits there. I think they prefer cooler weather. I've heard about the air quality where you are and it's a bit scary. I hope the wild fires can soon be brought under control. Enjoy your day dear friend, Pat

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  21. Your gardens are beautiful and I love everything. Your seating area with all the pretty pots. Love the Lobella, but it's been so hot here in So CA that it struggles to make it.

    Thanks o much for sharing your lovely gardens. Have a terrifi rest of the week.

    Mary

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  22. Wow...what an amazing spot you have with such beautiful flowers. I love it. I hope that the wild fires clear up soon. Such a terrible thing to do deal with and think about the damage it does. I know I live about 3.5 hours from Gatlinburg TN and last yr when they had fires the smoke made it all the way here. It was terrible. Stay safe and enjoy your view, and your amazing space.

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  23. It's nice to meet all your flowers, Karen. Your hydrangeas are such a pretty blue color. And I really like all the red flowers. My heart sings when I see a red flower. And of course you know I love the roses. What a pretty color that one is, and so BIG! That's a great idea to paint the rims of the pots green. The blue lobelia is sooooo lovely. Karen, I hope that fairy with the glass ball never breaks, she is adorable. What a beautiful picture of the moon. I hope you get some rain, as it sounds like it is much needed.

    ~Sheri

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  24. Your flowers are absolutely gorgeous, Karen! So glad you did this post-I don't believe I knew of your blog last summer. The mop head hydrangea are beautiful and I am so curious about the roses. What a rainbow they make. I can go on and on about everything. I'm just getting started with perennials, roses and vines.

    I saw a post on Instagram from a friend in Vancouver. There was no explanation about the smoke and haziness, and as I've been in a tiny town in Michigan as of late, I wasn't aware. I pray all goes well and you are back to breathing good, clean air soon.

    Jane x

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  25. Everything is so beautiful around your home. I especially love your pots of blue Lobelia on the plant racks, and the green paint around the outer rims of the pots, love it !

    We're suffering here from the same fires as you. Fortunately no fires close by, but like you, we cannot see the mountains for the smoke, and it is hard to breathe. We're hoping the weather forecast is true and looking forward to rain early next week.

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  26. So many things to love in your beautiful post. I love shady gardens and you certainly make the most of yours. Hope the sky clears soon and the fires go out. We seem to have the opposite weather to you. Our early summer was very hot and dry. Now we are rainy and windy. Almost autumnal dare I say. B x

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  27. Lovely to meet your flowers! They are all so beautiful and holding up very well despite the lack of rain. Hope you get some rain soon and that there are no more fires.

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  28. Your deck looks like something out of a movie...a very romantic one at that. In fact, your entire garden is the epitome of romance and beauty.

    The mystery rose is huge and quite lovely, as are all your other flowers which seem to love living at your home.

    I've always found it fascinating how negative conditions like smoke can cause such a pretty moon. Sometimes that happens with the sun too. How ironic that so many parts of the country, including ours, has gotten more rain than usual yet in an area like yours known for rain hasn't. Mother Nature is an interesting sort ;). Fortunately, it doesn't look like your flowers are bothered much by the drought!

    xxx

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  29. Hello, your flowers are just stunning. You have a beautiful deck, cute garden art and a fabulous view. Love the moon shots. Whitey Bear and Kai are sweet furbabies. Great series of photos. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!

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  30. How lovely the flowers looks, Karen. And who wouldn't like to have a fairy in the garden?
    Amalia
    xo

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  31. Your hanging baskets and garden pots are so delightful Karen. A truly happy post.
    Sorry about the smoke hanging around, it's not good for health is it.
    You have a beautiful home and surrounds :D)

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  32. Beautiful photos Karen. Thank you for the tour of your gardens and deck. That's too bad about the air quality, I hope things get better soon for you soon. That was interesting about the turtle comment you made on my blog.

    Have a wonderful weekend to come.

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  33. Hello Karen, wow your yard, garden and flowers are all beautiful! I love your cute fairy garden and your lounging area of your deck!! The mountain is so gorgeous. Thanks for sharing these photos. Enjoy the end of summer.
    Hugs, Julie xo

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  34. It is just beautiful to meet all your lovely flowers, I especially loved the viola's and the lovely roses, such pretty colors they have!! So sad to hear that the smoke has gotten that bad and such a long time you have gone without any rain, I will add that to my prayers that you all can get some rain and relief soon from all the smoke. The pictures of the moon are so eerie, but amazing at the same time.

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  35. Karen, your flowers are glorious! I can imagine sitting on your deck and just inhaling their perfume (minus the bad air). I think I would stay home always if I were you and just enjoy the beauty around me. xo

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  36. Karen, I hope the fires and dry spell end soon. But your photos have captured my imagination and I feel as if I've just had a mini-vacation!

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  37. Wow! Your garden is so, so beautiful! You are surrounded with gorgeous flowers and plants and you did a great job maintaining the garden so well!

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  38. Hi dear Beatrice!
    Thank you soooooooooo much for sharing your blooming world with us today because i was terribly missing the flower in our garden as due to very warm weather no flower until october .

    You choose to live an elegant place with beautiful surroundings .

    I am amazed with your variety of flowers you have around your and how megnificently you displayed them in your house!!!

    LOVED your cozy comfort corner with blooming basket .
    this rose like flower is unfamiliar to me ,so pretty indeed.

    I wish and pray that may you can get some rain to feel better my friend .
    WE git little few weeks back and the joy was like celebration as in this southern part of my country rains are so rare

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  39. Wow... let me say one more time: wow... Such a beautiful garden in the forest, lots of amazing varities of blossoms, from begonia to geranium, marigolds... and lovely butterflies, as well! It must be a magical place, and even that you have issues with the quality of air because of the fire, the mountains views are lovely! Here, in the city, we are waiting for some raindrops, too, just to feel some fresh air after the terrible august heat.
    So, many thanks for the beauty of nature shared with all of us! I enjoyed all the gorgeous aspects and I realise how much work it must be done to care every single plant in your garden, season after season.
    A very creative and inspired weekend to you!

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  40. I was very happy to meet your flowers. We had wild fire a lot this summer in Southern France as well. I hope the air clears off soon around your garden.

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  41. Your gardens are still going strong and so pretty! I was unaware of the fires and no rain. I hope that changes quickly so you can get your view of the mountain back! That blood red moon is gorgeous.

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  42. Well I am certainly happy to meet your flowers...Your gardens looks beautiful...and I never heard of the plant, Tansy before.The mop head hydrangea are beautiful. I'm so not ready for it to be, darn I say it, fall! I could hardly believe the air was from smoke..my goodness it must be very hard to breath...Do you wear a mask it could really help.. Your photo of the blood red moon is gorgeous...and I never seen to be able to a get a good photo of the moon..what's the zoom you used?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Cathy, thank you for your dear visit! Yes, fall is just around the corner......sigh.....The smoke is now cleared out, thank goodness, and it has rained a bit, but not enough. To answer your question about the zoom - I have a 5 year old Nikon Coolpix P520 that has a built in zoom lens. I just put the setting on 'sunrise-sunset' and held it steady! I love my Nikon! xx Karen

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  43. Oh my, you and your fairies have a lovely garden! I love it!

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  44. ooh your garden is so beautiful! I would like to spend some time there!! I dream about my own garden, but now I can only decorate my loggia. We're thinking about buying our own flat, we would like to have huge loggia or terrace! I would love to plant some flowers and make some nice place to spend time in!

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  45. Dearest Karen,
    Okay, my 35+ hours crocheting of curtains for the kitchen bay window project is DONE so now I can catch up on blog reading.
    This post did bring such fond memories back for me from my childhood in The Netherlands. Mom's favorite was Sweet William, so that touched my heart!
    Personally I loved to have my wooden window boxes on the 2nd floor, filled up with red Austrian trailing geraniums and lobelias! They thrived so well in the Dutch climate. I've tried here in the 80s, even had some tiny Austrian trailing geraniums 'canned' for smuggling into Georgia... Never forget that sight as the leaves were flying when they were spinning the cans for putting the lid and (mushroom) label on!
    All dreams from the past that cannot be 'grown' here...
    But I sure enjoy your abundance of beauties in this post.
    Incredible photos of the moon too.
    Sending you hugs for a happy weekend.
    Mariette

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  46. Such beautiful flowers - and that moon is something else. It's just a pity about the smoke pollution in the air. Hopefully you will get rain soon.

    Diana

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  47. so much beauty. Almost overwhelming :) Thanks for shareing.

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  48. Dear Karen,

    Your garden is so very beautiful, with all the gorgeous flowers and plants blooming. Love the hydrangeas, roses and your hanging baskets, the little viloas are sweet too. Don't you just love when flowers reseed again and start all over. The blood red moon is an awesome sight.
    Enjoy summer and the new week
    hugs
    Carolyn

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Thank you for stopping by! Your comments are important to me and are very much appreciated. xx Karen

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