Dreaming of Spring

Spring bouquet...

L.D. Braithwaite

Looking thru my picture albums and having some fun with the Photoshop. Rose L.D. Braithwaite, a beautiful crimson.

A Happy New Year!

Sake barrels at Dazaifu Shinto Shrine. I often wondered if they were full... apparently not according to the safety laws.

Fen Zhuang Lou 粉粧桜

China Rose Fen Zhuang Lou (粉粧桜, フェンツァンロ) still going strong in December.

'Dainty Bess' in December

I still have a few roses flowering here and there, a bonus at this time of the year. Dainty Bess,HT has most gorgeous buds.

Saffron

A little fall beauty, Safron Crocus, Crocus sativus.

More Saxifraga fortunei

By now Saxifraga fortunei are almost all in bloom. Really pretty little flowers. More suitable for cooler climates but still hope to do better next year.

Saxifraga fortunei （大文字草）

Saxifraga fortunei, Hannai.

Daimonjisou（大文字草）

A little new beauty, Daimonjisou （大文字草） (Saxifraga fortunei var. incisolobata) "Benibotan".

Red...

Managed to grow these from "Red Mix Seed". Lobelia cardinalis?

Fuchsia

Love Fuchsias! So many beauties out there! But this is the only Fuchsia cultivar that survives our hot and humid summers. Have had it for about 15 years.

Oklahoma...

It was going to be a picture of rose, Oklahoma... a beautiful and fragrant (!!!) HT. Well, somehow some Noritake China got in a way. ;)

Clematis florida 'Alba Plena'

Clematis florida 'Alba Plena' is not an easy plant to grow but when it finally blooms it is worth all the trouble. I have four plants that "wilt" suddenly especially on a hot day after the strong rain. Very common weather pattern here. Well, last couple of days I have been lucky: the blooms are still here. :)

Alps summer 2008

From Italian side, Mont Blanc ("White Mountain").

Second flush

Some Clematis as Gravetye Beauty and Etoile Violette have nice second flush of blooms: these were trimmed back on June 27th.

Chojagahara's wetland

Chojagahara's wetland, Oita Prefecture.

Kuju Lavender

Lavender field in Kuju.

DA & Fuchsia

DA "Pat Austin" and fuchsia from cutting. This is the only fuchsia that survives our hot and humid summers. Got the mother plants decades ago and this baby is less than one year old. Pat Austin beautiful in spite of the heat. One day combo...won't last longer because of the high temperatures.

Hot and humid

The garden is tired from heat and sauna effect. The blooms do not look the way they suppose to look. The colors are off and most of the flowers are spotted. However, there was one beauty blooming after the last rain. Cutting of C.Miss.Tokyo? Actually not sure.

'Midget Blue'

Clematis 'Midget Blue' blooms again. Pretty petit flowers. Very compact plant, unusual in my garden where everything tends to get huge.

'Shirayukihime'

Clematis 'Shirayukihime', I had to cut off the flower to take the picture. Most of the vines withered earlier in the season leaving two that have blooms high in the sky...

Tokage

My gardening friend, there are a few around. Small lizard, tokage.

'Entel'

'Entel-Tentel-Trikatrei-Uhtsi-Kaaru-Kommerei" Estonian nursery rhyme and used by Uno Kivistik to name some of his Clematis plants. My 'Entel' only seems to luck the color it is said to have...

'Aotearoa'

Clematis "Aotearoa", very good violet-blue Clematis from New Zealand. Floriferous and does well in the shade.

Kaaru

Clematis Kaaru. I thought I lost it (and misplaced it) and here it is coming back stronger than ever.

Rain....

.... drops.

A ray of sun

Clematis 'Victoria'.

Rainy Season

...has begun! :( It will last for a month or more.

Clematis pitcheri

Two years ago I went for a meeting of JClS were I was given a tiny seedling of Clematis pitcheri. Two years later , the first bloom.

'Fond Memories'

The first bloom on Clematis 'Fond Memories'.

"Viola"

I was in love with this Clematis from day one. I have had it for about 5 or 6 years. The most vigorous and has the most beautiful dark nodding blooms...I haven't found many people talking about Clematis 'Viola'....

'Mrs Cholmondeley'

Mrs Cholmondeley looks quite well from "back" as well. ;) This year blooms seem to be under control in size...I am not fond of "plates".

Double Clematis

Probably Clematis "Proteus", not that I have ever bought or planted it. One of those life's mysteries. Has been blooming in my garden for number of years. Double, spectacular blooms on last year's vines.

'Inspiration'

Clematis integrifolia Inspiration 'Zion'. I grew this one from a tiny cutting. I like the color, the type and the name! :)

'Durandii'

Integrifolia x durandii, one of my favorites. Very vigorous for me from day one. I have had it for 5-6 years and have a problem accommodating it in the area I hoped x durandii would not leave. For some reason most of the roses and Clematis do not listen to common sense of books written about them and exceed the maximum heigh and width.