Didiscus seeds lacy blue

Didiscus Blue lace flower is an annual and so pretty to press. Easy to grow from seed but it's hard to find the seed here in America.  My step daughter got them for me from the UK and they are super easy to grow. They also come in pink and white but I'm only getting a few pink so far and no white even though I planted both, darn.  The white dries to a pretty cream color shown on my fabric design in the chair photo found on my fabric wedsite Spoonflower. Click on the link to the right of the blog to see my fabric, wallpaper, peel and stick wallpaper and gift wrap.

Anemone japonica 'Pamina'

Anemone japonica 'Pamina' and 'September Charm'.  My favorite late blooming perennials for the garden.  Easy and low maintenance , zone 5-8 , 2-3' tall, great for cut flower bouquets. Medium watering requirements. Deer tolerant resistant. Blooming August through September. Great for naturalizing.

Spiraea Goldflame favorite small shrub

Spiraea japonica 'Goldflame' is one of my little favorite shrubs.  Plenty hardy zone 4-8 , 3-4' tall and wide for full sun with rose pink flowers.  Great fall foliage color on new growth. I give mine a light hair cut after it blooms and then it comes out again with the autumn leaves and flowers so I get two blooming's, it happens so fast I wonder if I could get three blooming's.
It is deciduous , not an evergreen plant. 

Chihuly glass flowers in Seattle exhibit

Chihuly glass flowers in Seattle solarium exhibit was a treat to see in my home town. I love this shot through the glass with the Space Needle in the sky.  The orange and yellow with the blue sky are inspiring. A must see if you come to Seattle , Washington.  Amazing color combinations Dale Chihuly uses, so much fun!!

Unique Fabric Prints nature inspired designs

Here is an example of some of my pressed floral and watercolor designs on fabric for home décor.  This is the faux suede, so pretty in person. The curtains behind the chair is a cotton linen leaf design.  You can find these and other fabrics on my Spoonflower shop website. Click on the link on the upper right side of this blog post. 

Clematis climbing tree

Clematis durandii is one of my favorites because of the indigo periwinkle color, my favorite color.  Here it is climbing or I should say this variety is not considered a climber, it doesn't cling to it's support.  This one you will have to tie to the tree with stretch plant tape.  Other clematis that are climbers would be great and would cling.  This one is a great one for cut flowers because it has about 10" stems and blooms all summer.  Zones 5-9 , grows 3-6' high and a width of 5' with blooms 3-4" wide, gorgeous!!!  For heaviest blooming prune back to 12" high in early spring.  Would also be great meandering through small shrubs.

New Front Yard Garden

New front yard garden that I made 10 feet wider so now about 15 foot wide.  I moved plants that needed more sun from the back yard to the front yard where there is full sun.  It's great to have a wide border enough to have the structure of small trees, step down to small shrubs that have both deciduous and evergreen so there is winter interest.  Then step down and add small ground covers and perennials with the same mix of evergreens and deciduous that all blooms at different times so you always have something blooming.  Then to have all summer color add in some annuals in the garden and a border.  I have people stopping by all the time to ask what a plant is in the garden, nice to get to know my neighbors. Always fun to have a big splash in the front yard.  I think it's warm and friendly to have flowers in the front yard.