Saturday, September 02, 2006

Thinking Pink

Whispy, colorful cosmos grows outside our back door.


I thoroughly enjoy the cheery faces of the bright cosmos blooms as I glance out the door, especially with the morning sun shining through their petals.



A basket with this lovely pink ivy geranium is suspended from a plant hanger at the end of the garden.



They're annuals, but sew themselves freely, so all I have to do is thin them a little and move some to other gardens in the spring.



The mix of pinks is really lovely, with an occasionally white showing up.



And there's that pretty yellow eye.



It's amazing really, that they survive at all, because the kittens think of this garden as a wonderful jungle to play in. Here's Abigail emerging from the jungle :) She's one of Zoey's kittens.



The kittens were having a wonderful time playing on the back patio this particular morning, and when I crouched down to take this photo of Annabelle and Abby....



....Toby climbed onto my back!

He has a bad habit of doing that.

So of course, I pointed my camera at him and clicked :) Bratty cat!



Looking further out, over by the shed is another garden. The diesel fuel tank used to sit in this spot and there were a few flowers planted in the corner by it.



Last fall we extended this garden and added some other plants, including 5 roses we bought on sale. Posted by Picasa

Sadly, only two of the roses survived, even with careful winter care.

This spring Ross decided to move the diesal tank so that I could plant more annuals there. Of course, I was happy to oblige :)



One of my favorites is this nicotiana.

This pretty Anthony Waterer spirea is another one of the plants we bought on sale last fall, at the same time as the roses. It grew well and had beautiful pink blooms in June.



In yet another garden......but notice I'm still thinking pink....this veronica has been blooming since mid-July. I love a plant that just keeps on blooming!



And then there's the collinsia bicolor, planted in a mix in the vege garden. It's finally winding down now, but has also bloomed since early July. This photo was taken on July 14th. The blue delphinium is just reblooming now.



Here's a close-up of the collinsia (Chinese Houses) for Snappy, who posted pictures of what I believe is the same flower. When we investigated our mystery flowers, we came up with 2 different names. His was called Monarda Lombada, but they look just the same to me. So, it still seems to be a bit of a mystery.......
Posted by Picasa


Would you believe it's been raining here again most of the day? And now we're having some more heavy showers! Soggy, soggy, soggy....argh! I wonder if I'll ever catch up with the weeds and the edges before the cold weather sets in!

28 comments:

Val said...[Reply]

The garden is certainly colourful, so varied too! The only plant that we share out of those you photographed are the glads and the spirea. I tend to go for fowering shrubs, and havent really exlored any more. Maybe I am a Japanese gardener at heart - nearly all evergreens with just a splash of colour. You'd think, being English, I would know all about roses, but no!

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...[Reply]

Kerri...My cosmos & Veronica are still blooming too. Along with pink cosmos there are many white...although I don't know what this rain has done to them.

Your flower gardens are VERY beautiful and I do miss having kittens using my garden as a jungle. We fixed our cats so now if I want a kitten, I'll have to go begging. HA HA

Our tomcat, Ferbie will jump on our backs or anywhere it can get when we bend down too. They're just so funny sometimes.

Our sky is looking a little lighter this morning...I've been feeling like I live in London. If it's not raining, it's drizzling and kind of foggy hazy looking. Maybe we'll see the sun today...sure would be nice!

roybe said...[Reply]

Beautiful colours Kerri , I love the new garden bed against the shed, a nice variety of plants and colours. relaxed and informal.

HORIZON said...[Reply]

Beautiful flowers as always Kerri- cheer me up enormously. Pretty in Pink too. Can't believe how much the kittens have grown- time certainly does not stand still but at least your flowers remain a constant: Stunning!
Have missed popping by your blog- will be back asap.
Bests,

Sigruns German Garden said...[Reply]

I have never seen Collinsia, Kerri!
Your kitties are so cute! But I have three, that's enough!

Sigrun

Sissy said...[Reply]

So beautiful, Kerri! I have got to get me some of those Chinese Houses!

Susie said...[Reply]

Kerri,
Your flowers are truly a day brightener.
Those kitties make me just feel all warm and fuzzy too!
You have had MORE than your share of rain this year!
We're having blessedly gorgeous weather, although last night we used the comforter as it cooled off a bit.
xoxoxo

Judy Birmingham (Seeing Anew Blog) said...[Reply]

Such sweet kitties! Beautiful shots of a beautiful garden!

DellaB said...[Reply]

aah, pink, pink, pink .. SO beautiful .. thanks Kerri

Anonymous said...[Reply]

How gorgeous is your cosmos? I love this whispy annual and the fact that it self seeds as well makes it one of my most perfect plants.

Beautiful garden Kerri.

Philosophical Karen said...[Reply]

I love all these flowers (and the kittens) in your garden, Kerri.

We had rain all day Saturday and today (Sunday) it's been grey and overcast, with small pockets of rain that we drove through coming back from St. Jacobs. I am thinking that many of my posts in the near future will be something like this one, with photos from the past mixed in with current ones. It's nice to see themes over time in the garden, and also sometimes the way things change. You've done a really good job!

Pear tree cottage! said...[Reply]

Kerri,
there is so much beauty in your garden, it is always wonderful to visit it through your photos thanks so much for sharing today.
Lee-ann

Motherkitty said...[Reply]

Kerri, I think I'm going to have to hire you to come help me out in my yard. I can't believe all the beautiful flowers you have blooming all spring, summer, and fall. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't have some blooming during the winter months in your house! You have the greenest thumb of anybody I know (except for my sister mrsgreenthumb).

I absolutely love your flowers. Maybe one of these years I will have my yard looking as beautiful as yours and Alice's.

TUFFENUF said...[Reply]

You must have your camera with you at all times! I enjoyed the meeting of the cats! When you start talking of the cold weather coming, it seems foreign to me. It is always 90+ degrees here. I might get to wear a jacket once or twice during the winter. The air conditioning is on almost every day of the year! I was born in NYC and lived on Long Island when I was a kid. I only have a distant memory of cold weather!

Diana LaMarre said...[Reply]

I love all your pinks, especially that Veronica. It sure looks good for having been in bloom for nearly two months.

I've always like cosmos, too.

Your kitties sure have gotten big. You need one named Cosmos...that sounds familiar. I think maybe Dianne has a cat by that name.

Annie in Austin said...[Reply]

Those Collinsia look really great! I never grew them as garden border plants. We used to see drifts of a related wildflower called Blue-eyed Mary, [ I think it's Collinsia verna] at Allerton Park near Champaign/Urbana Illinois, and found it delightful, too.

Annie

Alice said...[Reply]

Can you hear that scraping noise? It's me being dragged to Kerri's blog to comment on her wretched flowers, yet again ... it's just as well she knows that I'm joking. I'd have been here sooner but I've been too busy coughing and blowing my nose (too much information? I thought so!).

Kerri - I am so pleased that you started blogging when you did, and that you now have these wonderful photographic memories to sustain you through the winter months (woops - who mentioned winter?).

Truly, your garden is total inspiration with it's freshness, variety, colour, and no doubt, fragrance. Not only your garden beds but the window boxes and pots are beautiful, too.

Cosmos, which have come back into fashion in recent years, are an absolute delight with the fine, lacy leaves and clear open flowers which keep coming for months, until the first frosts.

Tell me, is there ANYTHING that you don't grow?

Thanks for showing me what can be grown, when is keeps raining ... lol.

Pamela said...[Reply]

What a gift you have. The flower that you call chinese houses are so appropriatly named...charming.

Boxwood Cottage said...[Reply]

Hi Kerri,

I love all the pink in your garden, in fact it's my favorite color in the garden! How sad about the roses! Is it freezing so hard in winter in NY? I love the Nicotiana too, will need a pink one again next year, this year I only have 2 very light green almost white ones. You have son many beautiful flowers on your barn, I would pick some for the vase every day if I would have so many, especially on rainy days like today.

Carole Burant said...[Reply]

With my flowers starting to all die off, it's lovely to see how colourful and healthy so many of your flowers still are!! Love the pink colours, so delightful to the eye! Hopefully you won't get too much more rain...the only day of rain we've had here is on Sunday for mom's birthday party, otherwise it's been clear blue skies! Figures eh? lol Hugs xoxo

Reflection Through The Seasons said...[Reply]

Hello Kerri...

You still have a lot of colour in your garden. I do love the cosmos. What a coincidence it is to see them on your blog. After a recent walk around my garden, I’d made a mental note to grow more of them next year, they are such a delight.

Oh and your kittens, I just go all soft inside when I see them.
Love - Marion

David (Snappy) said...[Reply]

Oh my word Kerri, you are right.They are the spitting image of the Monarda, is Collinsia a different name for the same plant?But the rest of your flowers and kittens are wanderful:)
The truth is out there....Cant believe how identical they look, ha ha.You did tell me too...

David (Snappy) said...[Reply]

Do they smell like sage the leafs and flowers Kerri?My monarda do...

TJ said...[Reply]

Hi Kerri,
I just wanted to stop by and thank you for stopping by my blog this week while I was away.
I loved this Pink Posey post so much...all the pictures are so crisp and clear it is almost like being there...come back and see me any time!
:-D

Sharon said...[Reply]

They are all so beautiful and they remind me of wild flowers in some of the pictures. You take a wonderful picture my dear.........

Anonymous said...[Reply]

Wow...tons of color. It's beautiful!! The kitties are so cute.

Giddy said...[Reply]

Just happened upon your blog and was just blown away by the beautiful color. I have added your blog to my favorites so I can spend some serious time there come winter when there's nothing to see but white!

Unknown said...[Reply]

The most beautiful flower plant salvia announced for an excellent contest click on to http://www.freshsalvia.com/contest.html
and here: http://www.freshsalvia.com/blog/?cat=3.Visit today don't miss it.Enjoy and win the contest.