I’m so behind on sharing my gardens. So, I thought I’ve put so much work into them that I’ll share them anyway even though it’s mid August and not May. Here is Studio Gardens in May!
The garden phox was so pretty as always. This particular sprig was one from an accidentally pulled up stem while weeding. I swear, there was only like a tiny single root on it. It’s in a pot here in this photo. My nursery pot. I’ve stuck all kinds of plants into it that I’ve accidentally pulled up. Most do well enough I can move them to a permanent home and this phlox is ready to find a new home itself.
Below is a re-blooming azalea, and actually it’s blooming again here in mid August. Yay! I love that hot pink color and the way it looks with the green. The hostas and oakleaf hydrangea make for a nice combination. Just look at all the texture of the different leaves. In my opinion, that’s part of being a good gardener. Figuring out what will look good together even when not in bloom and creating these little eye appealing vignettes.
I love orange flowers and this one doesn’t disappoint. It’s called Firecracker flower or Crossandra. I bought it last year as an annual and read that I can keep it as a houseplant. It flowered for me most of the past winter and then slowed down for a couple months. I took it outside and fed it and it started flowering again. Unfortunately, Sandefur decided he wanted to try and sleep in the pot and broke about 3/4 of it off. I tried to root it unsuccessfully, but I did save the seeds and am curious if they’ll bloom true to color. A lot of hybrids will not.
Red roses are some of my favorite flowers. These always remind me of my mom. I thought they were called Seven Sisters, she called them that, but I looked it up and now I don’t think so. I don’t know what they are but they bloom in bunches like this, but not always seven. They smell heavenly and they’re the most luscious shade of red.
False indigo is doing well. This is the basic kind and it’s mostly in shade. I had a large version last year of a hybrid one called Twilight Prairie but it’s all but died this year. Not sure what happened other than we lost that large tree a couple of years ago and now that area gets full sun.
These climbing roses are so romantic looking, I think. That dusty rose is beautiful and they just ramble all over this wooden swing/trellis. Very thorny canes though. I’m glad they are where they are, I don’t do much for them other than feed them and trim off the dead canes.
You wouldn’t tell from this photo, but this area is mostly shade during the day. There’s a big Tulip Poplar tree in our front yard that shades it. However, I guess there’s enough sun to keep those yellow flowering coreopsis happy. That chartreuse looking green is Aralia Sun King, it gets huge each year then dies back completely. I’ve seen a huge black snake under it’s branches a few times. A king snake, I guess it likes being around another king, hah! Sun King a shade lover. In the foreground is ostrich fern sprinkled with jewel weed and in the background is variegated mugwort.
I adore the dark red of this rhododendron but it isn’t doing that great. It’s struggled since I planted it. Maybe it’s time to try a new spot.
Another beautiful smelling and looking rose. This is a rather small rose regarding the bush size, but it packs a punch with the perfume and color and the flowers are full size. Just look at those pretty ruffled petals. Zoey is photo-bombing.
Studio Gardens in May!
Okay, now we’re really getting down to Studio Gardens in May. Below is the deck post covered in clematis and Major Wheeler honeysuckle along with red roses, probably the knockout version. Both the rose and the honeysuckle are still going strong in August. The hummingbirds are nuts for Major Wheeler.
Step under the deck which is in front of my art studio windows and see this beautiful pink bougainvillea hanging. It does really well in my greenhouse so by the time it goes outside, it’s ready for quite a display. Since this photo, I’ve replaced it with a dark purple petunia and moved the bougainvillea off to the side, considerably more shaded. It’s not flowering quite as well I’m just noticing. Maybe I need to find it another sunnier spot. I’m guilty of having a plant in my hand and looking for the nearest hook and leaving it there, forgetting my intentions to find a suitable spot. Do you do things like that?
Then we come to my koi fish pond. I love it so much. Even if I didn’t have these pretty pink waterlilies, I’d still love it. Look at the tree reflecting in the water. Every morning, I feed and count my five remaining fish. The mink hasn’t been back but I sure still mourn my beautiful, large eight koi fish it killed. Read about the little bastard mink here.
Here’s a look across the pond at the black wrought iron trellis full of purple clematis blooms. Not to be outdone, the yellow coreopsis is competing quite well. I look at this photo now and the sycamore tree is so much more full now in August. It runs right up through our deck which the previous owners obviously thought it was a good idea. It was not. The tree has broken our deck as it’s grown and will need to be dealt with soon. Unfortunately for me, I’m allergic to this beautiful tree. I take precautions when dealing with the tree liter.
I love the complimentary colors of the yellow flowers of the coreopsis (tickseed) and the purple petals that fell from the clematis. Yellow and purple are across each other in the color wheel, that’s what makes them complimentary colors. I use purple to knock back the brightness of yellow in my paintings. There’s your art lesson for today.
I zoomed in a bit here to show the cement rabbit statue and the black birdcage. That cage is barely visible now here in August with purple verbena and morning glory covering it. Behind Mr. Rabbit is Siberian iris and to the left in the terracotta colored pot blooming like crazy is red and pink dianthus. Peeking out in the background is another knock out red rose. Rabbits have found their way into my life and now I welcome them. I bought this one, but my mother left me a bunch of garden stuff with rabbits, so I guess I was meant to collect them. They make me think of her and smile.
Well I hope you enjoyed the tour of Studio Gardens in May… in August! I’ll share July blooms soon. I may never get caught up! I’ve been painting like mad in my art studio for my upcoming show at Hoosier Salon. Please leave me a comment if you enjoyed the photos and tell me what’s blooming for you at this late stretch of summer.
← Save the Date! Hoosier Salon Art Show / Artist Lunch Date & Community ⟶
A few paintings from Delights of Spring
Learn more about me on the ‘About’ page under the additional links menu. I’m an artist – a painter mostly and an avid gardener. I paint a variety of subjects including birds, koi fish, my gardens, ponds and flowers as well as anything having to do with nature especially trees and tropical scenes. I also enjoy painting abstracts and have started created more and more of them. My most favorite thing to try to achieve in my painting is is mystery and telling mystical stories.
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