Saturday, September 26, 2009

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Sun and wind

Particular blooms and plants

Marigold. Pretty, huh?

This petunia bloom looks like it's made of purple velvet.

The heliotrope bloom. The first time I saw a heliotrope, I wondered if it was some kind of miniature lilac. The flowers looks similar, and they also smell sweet. And the good thing about heliotrope is it blooms all summer.

I can't remember the name of this plant, but it's so pretty, the succulent leaves, the orange-colored blossoms, the little terra cotta pot it's in, and the stone surface of the table it stands on.

Even the water on the stone surface adds to the beauty.

Sunlight and flowers

I have six pots of this lavender variety. I love its silvery green leaves. When I leave to walk my dog, I drag my hand over the plants as I walk by, just to stimulate the fragrance. And isn't it particularly beautiful in a terra cotta pot? So Tuscan, so Mediterranean.

Yesterday was a flashback to our hot days of summer, after a good few days of cooler weather. I don't like the heat, but I did love the way the bright sunlight made the leaves of the calla lily glow and become translucent.

And I love the way the sunlight makes the red begonia so vibrant.

And the contrast between the shade and light on this barrel of impatiens and creeping jenny.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Fuchsias and calla lily









Miscellaneous deck views









The herb barrel

A few weeks ago, the thyme in my herb barrel died. I think the hot weather got to it. By Western Washington standards we had a brutally hot summer, also dry--hardly any rain. It's been hard on the deck plants, especially since after work I often lacked the energy to stand around watering them as much as they needed.

I happened to see a thyme plant outside the Lynden Safeway, so I bought it. It is golden thyme. Here it is still in the little pot I bought it in, sitting in the herb barrel.

Now I planted it.

And here is a closeup of the golden thyme.

Late summer

We finally got the "water feature" up and running, to enjoy for these last few weeks of summer.

Earlier this summer my dog saw a cat in the back yard and went flying over this little retaining wall before he knew what he was doing. Now he knows he can do it, he frequently takes the leap when I have him out on the deck with me.