Crocosmia Archives | Diana's Designs Austin

Puget Sound Gardeners Fling – People, Plants, and More

Last month 100 garden social media influencers met in Puget Sound WA to tour gardens, share meals, and make new friends. This was the 15th such annual gathering, called the Gardeners Fling. We meet in a different city each year (except for 2 Covid-fraught summers) and the host city gardeners plan a 4-5 day outstanding garden experience.

Our time in Puget Sound was magical. Each garden, private and public, wowed in so many different ways.

I’ll start my virtual tour with the garden of one of our hosts, Camille Paulsen, @tahomaflora .

She has crafted her space to frame and enhance the many gorgeous views of Mount Tahoma, also known as Mount Rainier. The mountain enjoys almost mystical status around Seattle and Tacoma. The days start with an assessment about the visibility of the mountain and end on the same note. How fortunate her family is to have this National Geographic-worthy sight from their deck, their paths, their hills, and so many other vantage points.

We were there on a clear day, and the mountain was glorious.

This little secret seating area on the edge of the hillside had a special view, too.

I can imagine sneaking away to to escape here.

Several paths wind through the property, all of them welcoming and interesting. And many of them with an eye to the view.

On the back deck, a bit of whimsy highlights the distance of treks to similar mountain hot spots.

The light was striking as it poured in between the leaves of a collection of Japanese maples and other wispy trees.

Camille’s artistic flair extends beyond the curating of plants to include an interesting assortment of art in the garden. Various carefully crafted vignettes were tucked throughout.

Sharing the adventure with so many long-time and new gardeners was as fun as discovering the garden itself.

So many unique details caught my eye.

Sweet spaces scattered everywhere.

The pool area was a lovely gathering spot filled with interesting pots and plants.

Tucked down the hill in the forest, koi languished in a beautiful pond, suprised by all their guests.

Enjoying some pats, Camille’s cat seemed unfazed by all the garden gawkers.

Thanks, Camille, for a great tour of your lovingly created garden.

Another post to come soon highlighting other beautiful sights from the 2024 Puget Sound Gardeners Fling.

By Diana C. Kirby|2024-08-18T09:27:49-05:00August 18th, 2024|2024 Garden Bloggers Fling, 2024 Gardeners Fling, 2024 Puget Sound Fling, Blog, bloggers, blogging, cedar tree, Crocosmia, cypress trees, decor, Fairy, ferns, Fling, focal point, foliage, Garden, garden bloggers, garden bloggers fling, garden decor, garden photography, garden statues, garden tour 2024, garden travel, garden visit, garden whimsy, hanging pots, Japanese garden, japanese maple, landscape design, leaves, Mount Ranier, Mount Tahoma, path, paths, pathway, patio, people, photography, plant, pond, pool, rock wall, Sharing Nature's Garden, statuary, statue, succulents, Tacoma, tour, travel, Uncategorized, water feature, water features|9 Comments

My garden and design photo faves of 2019

It’s a new year and I’ve just passed the 6 month milestone in a new garden. I miss so many things about my previous garden – an acre and a half that I nurtured and loved for more than 16 years. I’m also excited about having a new challenge. A BIG new challenge!

So, I’m recapping some of my favorite 2019 photos of my gardens, both old and new.

This Japanese flowering quince always joined the daffodils and hellebores as the first harbingers of spring. These are plants I will definitely incorporate into the new garden. I’ve already planted several varieties of daffodil bulbs.

The row of Mountain Laurels lining the old driveway was heady with grape-y goodness when they were all in bloom. Luckily, there is a Mountain Laurel in the new garden.

I dug up and brought several hellebores from my collection to the new house and they are thriving. I lost one in the process (I might have been too busy to take good care of them in their pots for months before I began creating a bed for them).

These lyre leaf sage also came with me. They provide lovely ground cover all year and put up these delicate blooms in the spring.

All of the Austin Garden Bloggers will recognize this as Lucinda’s iris – passalongs that I believe we all share.

Rest assured, Lori, the ditch lilies you brought me back from Wisconsin in a bucket traveled with me to the new house, too. I’d never leave those behind!

Dianella and loropetalum were building blocks in the previous garden and the will be again when I start building some big beds.

I think I’ll find a home for another ebb tide rose, too.

The current yard (it’s not a garden!) is covered with ivy. I hope to craft a happier habitat for beneficials and pollinators and birds.

I loved the hot, confetti pops of color in the front bed at the previous house. This is the one I jokingly called the hideous bed.

Swedish ivy always perked up the shadier nooks and crannies in the garden.

I fell in love with crocosmia at many Garden Bloggers Flings and was happy to add some to my garden two years ago.

I always made room for cordyline in the garden and in ornamental pots.

Of course I brought all of my pots with me. I think we moved 75 of them – yikes! Having them all here made us feel right out home on the big back deck and outdoor living areas.

This eyesore area at the new house needed an overhaul. We had to regrade, take out trees, build a French drain and dig out a dozen trashy shrub volunteers. As a small project, it was my first garden creation.

I started by giving some curves and shape to this part of the French drain to define a new bed area in this square space. Then I painted the dilapidated concrete. This area is the view out of the dining room French doors that open onto a courtyard. I designed these steel panels and had them custom built to surround the AC units at the previous house, but don’t need them here. They were perfect for adding interest to this odd space.

Plants and a bird bath were the crowning touches! The wrought iron table and chairs in the courtyard offer a lovely spot for morning coffee.

Lots of fun projects are on tap for 2020. I hope you’ll come see how things are progressing.

Happy New Year and Happy Gardening!

By Diana C. Kirby|2020-01-05T10:39:28-06:00January 5th, 2020|2019, bulbs, Cordyline, cover plants, Crocosmia, daffodils, day lilies, Dianella, ditch lily, drainage, dry creek, flax lily, four-nerve daisy, Garden, Hellebore, irises, japanese quince, lady bugs, lily, loropetalum, mountain laurel, narcissus, new bed, passalongs, quince, river rock, river rock bed, rose, roses, screen, sculpture, shade plants, Sharing Nature's Garden, spring, spring bloomers, Swedish ivy, Uncategorized|6 Comments

Cistus nursery delights gardeners at Portland Fling…

Our third stop on the first day of the Portland Garden Bloggers Fling was Cistus Nursery. Coming from the Lan Su Chinese Garden, which was serene and peaceful, Cistus provided a bold contrast — it was chock full of plants – a sensory explosion for plant lovers.

There were many familiar plants at the nursery, like these Yucca rostrata, which grow happily at home in Austin, Texas.

I did say chock full, didn’t I?

But some of the Cistus family were uninterested in visiting bloggers.

“Yeah, I see you, but it’s hot and it feels good here on these cold bricks, so I hope you don’t mind if I don’t get up to greet you!”

Oh, so true! It should have said, “gaggle of plant nerds!”

I’m smitten with interesting tree bark and there were several great trees to photograph.

Love these Eryngium — their dramatic spiky blooms provide unique texture in any garden bed.

Dramatic grasses billowed in the breeze.

While it was easy to become engrossed in the plants on the ground and the tables, the impressive views extended to some of the majestic trees that love the Pacific Northwest.

There were many different species of Eucomis in the gardens and nurseries in Portland. I’ve been babying one in my own garden at home for some time. Forced to suffer the scorching heat and the periodic nibbling deer, it is tough as nails. Hmmmm…. and thus began the idea of taking another one home with me…

I saw this plant all over the Portland gardens — Melianthus major. Big, bold, textured and tough, it really caught my eye. I took several photos of it, fully intent on finding one for my garden at home. But after some research yesterday, I’ve decided it might be too invasive in my garden…but maybe I can keep one in a pot!

Another favorite in my garden, Euphorbia.

Flingers in search of treasure.

More interesting bark.

And these crocosmia were everywhere. Their beautiful strappy leaves combined with vibrant blooms add a real pop to any garden setting.

More amazing Erygnium.

Reaching for the sun.

Being a salvia collector, I’m going to have to try to find one of these in Austin for my garden — Salvia guar. ‘Argentine skies.’

Even the growing heat couldn’t keep us from fanning out across the nursery in search of garden goodies. Some bloggers left with plants. I left with something almost as good — ideas!

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:05-06:00September 15th, 2014|2014 garden bloggers fling, bark, Blog, Crocosmia, erygnium, eucomis, euphorbia, Fling, melianthus major, nursery, Portland, salvia, salvia guar Argentine skies, Sharing Nature's Garden, yucca, yucca rostrata|0 Comments

A little rain and a little motivation

It’s amazing what a little rain will do for the garden … and for the gardener’s soul.

I am totally invigorated by the recent two days of steady rain that totals more than an inch. In our drought stricken area, this is a real blessing.

So yesterday, after a lovely lunch with Robin, of Getting Grounded, we went to Barton Springs Nursery to see what we could see. And we — rather — I — saw some bluebonnet PLANTS that had to come home with me!

I have not been successful with seeds because I have too much mulch in most places they would like to grow. So yesterday I painstakingly amended the soil with crushed granite in 3 little spots and pulled back mulch and made them a home. And then fenced them in immediately so my deer friends, Emmy and Lulu, wouldn’t come snack on them! (Did you notice that Madame Daffodil has invited a friend to her Spring Party?)

I also planted a Potato Vine and I bought an Abutilon that will get planted today. I’ve been eyeing everyone else’s and been green with envy. Unfortunately mine was mis-labeled, and when I called they just didn’t know what kind it was because it was a gift to them from a friend. I guess nurseries get passalongs, too. So I will post a picture tomorrow and you can help me ID it.

I also got a few Rain Lilies that Robin picked up from Annie at The Transplantable Rose when she was passing-along. I didn’t get in on the offer quick enough, but Robin shared hers with me and I am so excited to have some — I’ve never had any — thanks to both of you!

And the rain has also prompted these little Crocosmia above to pop right up out of the ground in search of sunshine.
This lovely Hibiscus was waiting for me when I went into the greenhouse yesterday to open it up and let some humidity in from outside. Wow. It’s really very intricate. My photo doesn’t do it justice.
And here is the Bougainvillea that Robin gave me last Fall. Blooming happily — in February! She must think she is in Mexico!
As does this Desert Rose, happily blooming away in the greenhouse.