Lion's Head Maple, Shishigashira, Ojishi

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.

Yarrow and Japanese 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 the height of 15 feet or more in 15 or more years.

Polka dot plant, creeping jenny

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!

Yellow and Purple Crocus

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!

Rambling Rose

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.

Harvey, bichon frise

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.

Garden Reminders

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.