Wood Water Garden

Gardners who love a mystery might like this book which discusses roses from China and the influences they had on the varieties of modern rose we have today. The book weaves botanical and horticultural information throughout. "The introduction of the China roses to Europe changed rose culture forevermore. Chinese roses offered several distinct traits that had been lacking in European roses of the eighteenth century." Ch. 13, p. 106. This is a garden mystery written by Anthony Eglin, The Trail of the Wild Rose: An English Garden Mystery , published 2009, in which plant hunters are being targeted by an "assailant" in Britain. Click here to see a review of the book: Trail of the Wild Rose.

Summer of 2007. Harvey, our bichon, thought there was a two-eyed monster by the back fence and barked at these white hibiscus one dusky evening. I had to walk up to the plant and give the flowers a shake to show him they were harmless! Wide as large saucers, white and red hibiscus were blooming in the front and back yard. A second hibiscus opened up right next to the first and created this image of a double bloom. I've since moved all the hibiscus plants to the backyard so they wouldn't have to bend and stretch to get the full sun.

Another view of the Japanese Lion's Head Maple in the backyard. Click on the pictures to see the crinkly leaves in detail. The Shishigashira above is still thriving under the shade of taller trees, surrounded by a ground cover that keeps its roots moist. Click here for more picture of the Lion's Head Maple.

From last year's garden. A Yarrow flower. These yarrow plants were uprooted several years ago from the front garden as they were not producing very good blooms. They kept popping up in the driveway median strip year after year and were mown down. Last year, I dug them up and replanted them where there is more sunlight, and they developed bright pink blooms! Underneath the canopy of a green-stemmed maple. The leaves of this maple cultivar overlap and mound. The branches avoid the shade of the house and another bush, so there is a big space where I could duck into with the camera. The tree is only about 8 feet tall. It's one of the highlights of the garden. It may be variegated Acer palmatum "Oridono Nishiki," a grafted tree also known as Orido nishiki. The name is said to mean "the rich colored fabric of the master." There is some pink, white and cream in many new leaves in spring, though now in summer all are a bright pale green. The tree is said to reach t...

Last summer's flowers. The "polka dot" plant above, the only annual I have this year, is sitting in a pot with other greenery, yet to be replanted in a place that gets only morning sun. Click on the photo to enlarge it and see the beautiful spotted leaves up close - dark pink, pink, and green combined in each leaf. This young hosta is doing nicely and gives the garden bed some bright yellow color A new Creeping Jenny keeps close to the ground, has been growing quickly, and also brightens up the flower bed (while we wait for the chrysanthemum bushes to add red and white and yellow in early fall). Hopefully there won't be a problem keeping Creeping Jenny under control!

From last spring, the first flowers that appeared by the backyard fence were these bright crocuses, in a spot where the squirrels have not yet been able to dig them up!

Another transplant from another blog, this photo was taken in the backyard a few summers ago. Forgot to raise the screen when I took this picture from the back window. The climbing roses with long branches made quite a little tree. This was before the 90 degree weather came, and the rains, to make havoc with the blooms. We enjoyed them for a couple of weeks, though.

We lost our 14-year old bichon Harvey on June 5 last year and we still miss him. Even in his later years, Harv was never afraid to look you straight in the eye. Our fearless little dog used to challenge much bigger dogs in the neighborhood with his animated barking. but then he would become very friendly up close.

We bought this painted bunny as a nice reminder of our bichon, Harvey, whom we lost almost a year ago. The stone angel in the backyard, where Harvey liked to explore, is hugging a rabbit, but we like to think it's a small dog.

From my summer garden a few years ago, I've pulled this picture my other blog, where it doesn't belong! With the purple spikes, it's about a foot and a half high. It certainly likes part shade, moist soil, and being kept cool surrounded by other plants.

Moss adorns the roof over the front gate of a house in Kyoto. Taken last year during a walk in a residential section of the city.