Graffiti

• I ordered myself a birthday present this year and it finally arrived!! A stained glass monarch bench. The black portion is metal. Wow what an eye catching focal point this is going to be. It’s going in my Entry Garden which I can now rearrange around this piece

• Inside the entry garden the pansies are going crazy!! The cool temps have been good for some things that’s for sure. With 90’s in the forecast on the weekend (here goes the whiplash again)...I’ll need to make sure these flowers don’t get fried…and all my newly planted tender ones.

• The fence image (what fence you ask..hee hee) is of my varigated ivy colliding with my honeysuckle. In the middle of this whole thing is Clematis “Gurnsey Cream” which blooms the same time as the honeysuckle

• My beautiful tree peony is now practically flat on the ground!!! It rained and even the staking I did couldn’t hold up the massive flowers which are all opened now. I’ll cut a bouquet and bring them in an get a shot of it.(now the main blog photo)

Have a wonderous day in the garden all!! Sandra

Hi all,

Well yesterday was my birthday and unfortunately I woke up to the devistating news that the huge earthquake had hit the area in China which is near and dear to my heart…Chengdu, where the panda I went to adopt in February lives.

I spent all day trying to contact the panda base and finally I got an answer from a couple of dear folks who went through this ordeal. You can read much more about how the pandas are doing at my blog http://graffitigossip.com

To top it off the weather was so miserable that I could’nt even go work off my nervous energy in the garden but there was a high point to the day. My sweet hubby Steve took me out for dinner and gave me two of the coolest presents!!! As you can probably tell I adore my camera and photography….it all started when I wanted to take my own inspiration garden photos for my watercolors years ago

Well this year I upgraded for the 4th time …I now have a Canon 40D and Steve gave me a super “off camera” flash unit to help me get better shade garden images.

That’s not all! He got me a GPS for my camera that imprints the memory on each photo with a Google map location. Anytime you see my images on Flicker you can go to the EXTIF info and find out exactly where I took that photo and zoom in for some amazing detail from the air!!!

Of course then I ended the nite with coming down with a cold so today is serious down time. Will be going to San Francisco this weekend and can’t wait to check out some of the gardens and use the new toys!!!

Hugs Sandra

Do the rest of the countries around the world celebrate Mothers Day today? I remember when we were in China they had their own day of recognition for Moms but not in May.

Yesterday my friends and I went to the grand opening day of our local Beaverton Farmer’s Market to see all our special gardening friends and shop till we dropped! There were so many stunning Mother’s Day baskets and planters my mouth was literally watering. The growers are getting better and better at color combinations and steering away from just petunias and alyssum .

• I came home with some incredible finds including a few goodies pictured here. The hardy geranium (yes…believe it or not this is a HARDY true geranium)... is in a pot in my Entry Garden with some other goodies from the market. I’ll post tht later but loved the flower shot with my red rug showing up behind it! Woo Hoo..that will wake you up!

• The terracotta frog fountain in my Art Showcase bed has now gotten a stunning backdrop itself of forgetme nots to make the image “pop” The frog was purchased last year at a big garden show in Portland

• My fave find of the day is my huge pot of “Escargot” begonia. Each leaf on this spiraly , textural wonder is just emerging (the seller removed all the old 12” leaves to make room and re potted) I’ve grown this begonia before in a small pot and loved it. This one they said I should expect to be over 3 feet across this season. It is in a 5 gallon pot in the photo on my favorite pedastal inside the Entry Garden.

• Now for something complete different. An unusual variation on the “Two Spot” ladybird beetle. I consulted a specialist online and it is a two spot…these little darling can produce all sorts of variations apparently. I’m so glad I got to get a photo of her.

• The shot of me I took with the camera on “timer” on the tripod in an attempt to get a self portrait of me with my tree peony …the flowers are still only about 2/3 open and as big as my head!

So all you moms and everyone else for that matter…......have a glorious Mother’s Day!!! Pour yourself a cup of tea or coffee, put up your toesies for a while (in a pedicure chair preferably) and then go back out and get them all dirty again in your little piece of paradise..your garden!!!

Hugs Sandra

I am getting weather whiplash!!! Anyone in the Portland OR area can relate to me on this. One day the sun is out and lovely warm and garden friendly….the next 5 days go down to almost freezing at night and rain or overcast. This cycle has repeated itself over and over the past 2 months and the poor garden is so confused.

Luckily enough plants are just stubborn enough like me…..and persist through the bizarre rollercoaster ride.

• One beauty that has been a fave of my for beconing in spring is a Tree peony I was given by a friend. (first image) This spectacular 6 foot tall tree is loaded with 27 buds which will open up into dinner plate sized blooms hopefully by the end of the weekend. Will update on those as they mature.

• Another image is my “Negrone” fig. What’s with this plant. I never see a bud or a blossom but in April/May, it sets little olive sized fruits?? Does anyone know about figs??? I’ll post more in a separate planting thread on this funky plant. I do love it!!

• The recycled metal and venetian blind birds are guarding my forgetme nots in the 3rd image. I have so many forget me nots they will never be forgotten that’s for sure!!

• I purchased a very expensive (for me) smaller rhodie this year and boy was it worth the price. Look at these butter yellow blooms!!!!!! Still in the pot. Once it’s done blooming I’ll have to find a perfect place for it. Maybe in a huge cobalt blue pot .

• The last image…I call it “Ivy Envy”...lol! A gigantic Ikea mirror reflects my ivy covered fence in the garden

Have a glorious day everyone!!! Sandra

I have been cleaning up the beds everywhere else but neglecting my Zen garden that I created last year. Today and yesterday I worked my bum off and got things back in shape and ready to plug in some annuals and maybe a few more perennials.

I also have a new visitor to my garden this year. The prettiest black kitty who is SO friendly. I have always had cats but my hubby is allergic so it’s been years since I’ve had the pleasure of owning one….my dogs wouldn’t appreciate it either.

Kitty and I sat down for a long photo session and she helped me garden too. I am so close to the road I hope she uses her sense and keeps away from the cars and my dogs in the inside front yard.

A few things blooming right now are in the images..new ones will be posted tomorrow

Hugs Sandra