Who Says You Can't Have it All?

After visiting Marion Jarvie's garden this weekend, I'm absolutely certain that if anyone told her she couldn't have every plant in the universe, she wasn't listening.  After seeing her garden, I can tell you that I can't think of one fancy plant that was missing.  

Marion has an open house 4x a year - if you haven't had a chance to visit, I'd encourage you to do so.  It really is remarkable.  The beds are intensely planted with fantastical specimens of perennials, woodies, tropicals and annuals - she takes the term "mixed borders" to the extreme.  And by the looks of things, her love of a plant, isn't always for life, there are so many new hybrids planted here and there, you know when you study the blossoms of a new treasure that it has replaced another that wasn't performing to her standards.   

Most of the garden is behind the house.  However, if you were to rush to the back, and not stop to study the beds in the front, you'd be missing out.

When I see something as lovely as this double Hydrangea quercifolia, it is so tempting to see if I can find one for my garden.    

Perhaps it is knowing that if you're a non-performer you'll be dispatched that makes her Hemerocallis bloom on schedule?

Or, maybe the fear of being bitten by a dragon?

Here's a look at the whole plant.

A great display, but none are hardy.

 This gives you an idea of how she does her mixing.  There's a good set of stay-in-the-ground plants with careful spacing left for the showy tropicals.

Just the sort of plant, I'd like to carry around the house like a pet.

The Lilium were exceptionally beautiful - the scent everywhere.

Another terrified, yet excellently performing Hemerocallis.

So sweet to see the Clematis dancing with so many plants around the garden.  I definitely need more of the later blooming variety.

You could spend hours looking at this garden: getting all sorts of ideas about colours, leaf combinations and mixes to try at home.

I was glad when a few clouds came over - the light was so spluttery for photography.   Here you can see part of the pond.

On my last pass through the garden, just had to show you a good example of how to make a side yard look wider.

Back at home, where my less big and fancy plants feel safe knowing I don't have the budget to send them packing, the most remarkable thing happened.....water fell out of the sky.  In fact, 4 cm of water fell.

We got three good passes of rain and this morning I cannot tell you how much better everything looks, and how many Japanese Beetles have shown up in anticipation of more tender lush foliage.

So nice to see Fargesia 'Red Panda' with water on it.  Should do a "good for drought" post - and when I do, this plant (although murderously hard to find I've discovered) will be on it.

This pretty well says it all about our weather so far.  I've clipped off so many flower heads to rid the garden of the sunflower larva that distorts and destroys the flower heads of the Echinacea.  Hopefully this concerted effort will cut down on their population and make the garden prettier next year.

And in my formerly dark shaded back garden - here's Hydrangea 'Lemon Wave' looking great.  It's one of the few shade-lovers that seems to appreciate the fact our former neighbours had taken down their giant beech.

As for the rest of the day, it's as hot as can be - 34C predicted and so lovely and humid, I'll be finished by the time I get my gloves on - don't even want to think about the humidex.  Perhaps I'll just curl up in the a/c with a few old catalogues to plot how I'll grow a few of Marion's treasures from seed for my garden next year.  Who says a girl with a budget can't have it all too?