Friday, July 31, 2015

Summer and Sunflowers



What's not to like



They go together.





You may recall that when thinning sunflowers have a look at the stems.  The green stem on the left will produce light colors and the darker stem on the right will produce the vivid reds and rust colors.  





A few Foxglove for contrast makes for a festive show. 





New fingerling potatoes look at home with apples and pears.  







These tuberous begonias have been in the same pots for years.  They go into the greenhouse before the frost where they are forgotten until they show new growth in the Spring. 





I didn't think that I would like these pale peach colored Foxglove...they have become one of my favorites. 





A few volunteer sunflowers show up in the potato and squash patch.  The planted seeds (on the left and growing in a row) always bloom a few weeks later. 





 This is the time of year we like to be outside, working in the garden and relaxing in the shade when the sun is high.  





Just gathered for a bouquet.






Don't forget to cut a few flowers to enjoy inside.






Sweet Peas always make me happy.  The odoratus type or old varieties still have that heavenly perfume.  



I'm getting ready to welcome visitors today and tomorrow.  
Our town is celebrating with a Blue Grass Festival and 
Gallery Stroll. 

A horse drawn wagon will bring visitors to my studio.


Have a wonderful week dear friends.  

Gina 


20 comments:

  1. Dear Gina,
    I come to you for summer's pleasures, no matter if in a field, a pot or a marvelously hand painted bowl. It is too hot in Texas for a flower show
    now. How lovely your guests will feel with so much beauty around. The red and rust colors of the sunflowers are gorgeous.
    Wishing you a great weekend, Sieglinde

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    1. Dear Sieglinde, It is always in early August when my garden shines. Sometimes I wonder why we work so hard when we have to wait so long to see results. But it is so rewarding to finally harvest and preserve vegetables and fruit. By now we have forgotten all about the many hours spent planting and weeding and no doubt, will tackle it again next year.
      Thank you for stopping by. You are so nice to leave such a lovely comment.

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  2. Dear Gina - so much to love and admire here especially that wonderful sunflower just opening on the second photo and the exquisite photo of the peachy foxgloves - both would look lovely framed or on a greetings card.

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  3. Dear Rosemary, Speaking of greeting cards, every time I open one of your blog posts, I see several greeting cards designed from your extraordinary photos. A case in point is your beautiful photograph of my favorite blue and the bumble bee.
    Is a little coffee table book in the making? I would be your first customer.

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  4. Gina, all of your flowers are so joyous and beautiful. I love the photographs taken from the vantage point of the porch, and also those amazing close ups of the flowers. What splendid showy sunflowers! (Of course I also find the more demure sweet peas rather fabulous...that scent....)

    Best wishes to all involved in the weekend festival. I am sure you'll take at least one photograph folks arriving to visit your studio? They are in for a treat!

    xo

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    Replies
    1. Dear Frances, I wish that I could send you a bouquet of my sweetly scented Sweet Peas. Their beautiful fragrance fills the entire garden, especially on a very warm day.
      Our festival was a great success, even the weather cooperated, sunshine all day Saturday and a downpour after everyone had gone home.

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  5. Where have I been — living under a rock? I did not know that sunflowers came in a red shade. I still prefer the yellow ones, but I like that the red sunflowers have that yellow halo around the seed pod.

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    1. Dear Mark, Most of my sunflowers are various shades of yellow. There is a sunflower that is very light, the Italian White. The markings of the white sunflowers are quite spectacular. I have seeded them but have not seen one bloom. But then they have just begun blooming. I'm hopeful.

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  6. So very, very beautiful: the views, the flowers, the colours. I don't know how to say.......
    Wish you lots of fun with the Festival and hope you can welcome many visitors.

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    1. Hello Janneke, We had a wonderful Blue Grass Festival. It was great to see so many people come to our little town. This is the time of year when everything looks at its best. We have had just the right amount of rain helping the flowers show off their best colors.

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  7. Such beauty you share today. Visiting from MM.

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    1. Hello Podso, I am so happy that you stopped by. Thank you also for your sweet comment. Have a great week.

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  8. Hello, your flowers are simply beautiful! I love sunflowers! Lovely post! Happy Monday, have a great new week ahead!

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    1. Hello Eileen, Wishing you a wonderful week as well. Wish I could share my flowers, I have so many sunflowers right now.

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  9. Sun flowers are a favorite but difficult to grow in the usually-wet-cloudy Seattle area. Should have planted some this year as the weather certainly would be right for growing them. Beautiful photos as always -

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    1. Hello Jackie and Joel, Maybe next year. Once you have sunflowers in your garden you will have many seedlings the very next year. The birds do all the work for you. Hope you give them a try. They are very easy to grow. I think that they would do well in your area.

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  10. It is wonderful to see a vase of vibrant sunflowers, they mean summer is winding down but that's OK as the autumn colours will be showing off before we know it.
    Love the fingerlings with the fruit, I like to surprise guests with cooking the dark purple/blue potatoes. :-)
    I hope everyone enjoys your studio Gina.
    Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday.

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    1. Hello Judith, Sunflowers do make a statement don't they. Mine made a big impression on the visitors. When combined with hollyhocks they really shine.
      Thank you for hosting Mosaic Monday. Have a great week ahead.

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  11. Oh I do think that I would adore any flowers right now, and the pale pink Foxgloves would be right in the front, so pretty. The Sunflowers, they always make me smile, just adore their faces, and so many nice varieties and then so useful too. It has been stressful around my house and so this was just what I needed~

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    Replies
    1. Hello Mary, I'm so sorry that your life is stressful at this time. Hope you will see better days soon. Flowers always help to make my days more enjoyable. Take care. ox Gina

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