Pathways of Seattle

Over the course of the Seattle Fling I quickly noticed that pathways were an emerging theme. Whether the garden was large or small, without exception, there were cleverly designed pathways that added to a sense of majesty and mystery about each garden.

Dragonfly Farms

This path at Dragonfly Farms has given me some inspiration for my own garden. The plants will be different, but I hope the feeling created will be the same.

Suzette & Jim Birrell’s

Shelagh Tucker’s

Even around the back of the greenhouse, Shelagh has added a lovely pathway with as much attention to color and design as the more public areas of her garden.

Dunn Gardens

Michelle & Christopher Epping’s

Denise Lane’s

Denise Lane’s

Denise Lane’s

The smaller gardens probably benefitted the most from the enclosed and winding pathways. Kate Farley’s garden was one of the smallest ones we visited, but it seemed just as big as the others. Every winding path led to an interesting garden feature.

Kate Farley’s

Kate Farley’s

Kate Farley’s

I hope these photos inspire you to add a pathway somewhere in your garden. Don’t just garden around the edges!

August Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

As I started writing this post I thought I would look back to see what was happening on August 2010’s Bloom Day. Some of the same plants are blooming this year as were blooming last year at this time. However, at this time last year we were just starting to experience the unbearable heat. This year, temperatures in the 100s started in June, rainfall is at an all-time low, and my water bills are at an all-time high.

Most of Galveston County, just south of Houston, is under Stage 3 water restrictions. That means no outdoor watering. The City of Houston is still under voluntary water restrictions, but I fear rationing is in our future. The official rainfall at my garden is about 2 1/2” for this year. It’s tough on our plants considering we live in a sub-tropical environment that is accustomed to receiving 54” of annual rainfall.

But, enough bad news, let’s see what’s blooming this hot, dry day.

Calliandra emarginata

Pentas

Firecracker plant and more pentas

Cassia alata aka Candlestick

Rose of Sharon

Turnera alternifolia

Whitfieldia elongata

Other plants blooming are: Gregg’s mist flower, pyramid bush, vinca, duranta, crepe mrytles, knockouts, bottlebrush tree, pride of barbados, crocosmia, variegated gaura, Texas rock rose, hamelia patens, white turk’s cap, peruvian pavonia, and rudbeckia.

Check out more Garden Bloggers Bloom Days at May Dreams Gardens.

My First Dragonfruit

I bought a dragonfruit plant from Buchanan’s last summer (or maybe it was the summer of 2009). It was on sale (I’m always a sucker for a sale) and looked like it would be fun to try. However, it is still in the same pot I brought it home in and it is rather neglected.

When I returned from Oman in mid-June, I noticed that it had bloomed while I was gone. The bloom looks very similar to what I have referred to as a night-blooming cereus in a previous Macro Monday post. It would seem that the two are related. I’ve been keeping an eye on the fruit as it has been forming. Over the last few weeks I’ve been wondering how I would know when to pick it.

Yesterday I came home and squeezed it. It was a little soft, so I picked it immediately. I was afraid that I had waited too long to pick it, but based on a little internet research, it seems that I picked it at about the right time.

The tag on the pot said red dragonfruit, but did that mean red on the outside or the inside? There are two red-skinned types, one that is white on the inside and the other that is red. There is also a yellow-skinned variety.

It turns out that mine is a red-skinned and red-fleshed variety. The flavor was very mild, almost non-existent. But, it was fun to eat. Quite an experience.

Now, I think I need to find a white-fleshed one to keep the red-fleshed one company.

Sheds of Seattle

I have shed envy. I was very impressed with the sheds of the Seattle gardeners. I almost hate to call them sheds, that hardly seems to do them justice.  Every gardener needs a place to start seeds, transplant seedlings, hang shovels, rakes, and hoes, a place to dry herbs and garlic. All of my tools are along the walls of our garage, squeezed into any available space. It’s just not right. Woe is me, I need a shed.

The Birrell’s bright blue shed is a focal point of their backyard. The bright colors cheer up any day. To call this structure a shed is an understatement. Just look at the space they have inside to work on projects! Another benefit of a garden building is the rainwater harvesting potential.

Shelagh Tucker has a roomy greenhouse with cold frames along one edge to get her and her plants through the Seattle winters.

 

 

 

 

 

The Eppings’ shed looks like a cute little cottage. It is tucked into the back corner of their garden and blends in with their landscape quite nicely while serving as a great area for some of their container plantings.

Kate Farley’s garden workshop is a large room at the back of her garage. You actually don’t even notice it behind all of her plants. I just love that wood burning stove.

Even if you don’t have the space for a room-sized shed, you can have a cute little area for all your garden stuff. Check out Lorene Edwards Forkner’s play area on the side of her house.

Again, thanks for following along with my theme oriented posts of the 2011 Seattle Garden Bloggers Fling. Stay tuned for more.