Tuesday, September 10, 2013

The Humble Bungalow Garden ~ The September issue....

It's been ages since I've done a garden post.
It's not like I have been ignoring the garden,
I feel that I have written so many posts on it that you might be bored to tears.

You might be yawning as I have been writing about my simple life in this wee house for quite sometime...

Why do I blog?

I like writing.
This Humble Blog has become a habit and an online diary.
Some of you are commenting and a lot more of you are reading.
I check the stats periodically just to reaffirm that I have an audience.
but I digress...

I was outside for hours yesterday and in my zeal to dead head the roses I gave myself a nasty cut with the secateurs.
It might have needed a stitch but I cleaned it well with hydrogen peroxide and slathered some antibiotic cream on it and plastered a bandage on it pronto. It throbbed for about an hour and so I took myself off for a walk in the neighbourhood to take my mind off it....
I am such a sissy when it comes right down to it.

When I returned I got right back in garden mode, I put on my gloves this time and trimmed the edges and mowed the lawn.
Did I mention that Mr. HB bought us a new lawn mower this season?
a cute chartreuse green rechargeable battery type that is so much lighter than our old gas guzzling Toro.
This one is quieter and does a great job and I can use it without being pulled off my feet!

I am achy and tired after my stint in the garden and needed to sit for a bit and rest up before making dinner...
so I thought why not sip tea and do a garden post.
Be mindful not to type with the bandaged finger.
(Can you tell that I am having a bit of a pity party?)



Peeking through the pillars
is a sturdy Arbutus tree


I love how the bark peels


Look at that earthy olive green shade underneath the rusty red bark


This tree drops lots of leaves on our garden
I use a childs rake when tidying up the beds
it certainly comes in handy.


Limelight hydrangea
floppy heads that droop a bit after the rain,
they are stunning in a bouquet.


colchiums


roses are still blooming


coreopsis and a yellow rose


fried egg plant as some like to call it...


Romneya coulteri


The Humble Bungalow


You can see how tall the grass was before I cut it!

Hope that your week is going well...

15 comments:

Jennifer said...

The Arbutus are splendid, but they do make quite a mess of our garden!I love your garden posts.

La Vie Quotidienne said...

The bungalow is looking glorious; how I envy you your temperate climate so perfect for gardening. Sorry for you poor finger, I seem to always have a gardening injury somewhere...especially when I have been working around roses.

Susan B said...

I never tire of seeing your wonderful garden, Leslie! Wow, I'm impressed that your Romneya are still blooming. Ours bloom once in June and then die back. Must be too warm for them here. The arbutus bark is lovely!

Swissy said...

Love the pics of your garden anytime of the year. I live in New England, so many of your plants and trees are foreigners to me. And I hate to cut myself, don't do it often, usually when I'm hurrying or not being mindful. But sometimes there are just accidents, aren't there?

Sheree said...

We call Arbutus trees Madronas here in the United States. Downtown we have many Lotus trees like Paris. They are messy, though! Now our town is planting Ginkgo trees. I think they use very little water.

At home we are almost to zero water gardening. Our city really encourages this but it is a little different. The native plants are happy campers but others suffer and are overtaken. I feel like a hippie. That's a bummer. :( lol Oh, well.

You have a lot of material here. It would be a beautiful book.

I love your flowers! I bet you have some hummingbird visitors. :) We still have a few.

Wishing you joy!

Sue @ A Colourful Canvas said...

Ah, the beautiful arbutus tree! Why oh why do they only call the island home? Thanks for sharing the beauty that is your garden. And take care of your finger. Calendula cream works wonders!

Susan said...

So sorry to hear about your cut finger! I hope it is better by now. Watch out for infection! I've never heard of an arbutus tree or a madrona tree! I find it fascinating that different parts of the country have different trees. I can identify most any tree in the state of Texas, but take me to another state and I have no idea what their names are.

Like everyone else, I really enjoy your garden posts. I should be out working in my garden, but it is just too hot here! Even in September. I will say that my salvia leucantha is blooming.

Madame Là-bas said...

I love the arbutus trees! They are so West Coast. Maman and I were just on Whidbey Island and you can see the September changes in the colours of plants, the fields and the light on the water. Your garden work sounds quite strenuous so you deserve the tea and sympathy.

Pondside said...

Your garden is just beautiful. I love the glimpse of arbutus that you have through the window. They are certainly lovely at this time of year. I wish we still had goats, as they loved the arbutus leaves. I don't tire of garden posts!

Lorrie said...

Your garden is a delight. So sorry about your cut finger. Take care of yourself. Arbutus trees are so beautiful with their striking colors and peeling bark.

Anonymous said...

I love to visit the Humble Bungalow via your blog! Thanks for the lovely photos and hope you have speedy healing!

Patricia J said...

Hostess, you may want to check with your doctor on the date of your last tetanus booster and see what they recommend for a deeper garden wound. Just to be on the safe side.

materfamilias said...

I'm so glad you share my love of the arbutus -- so many city gardeners end up taking them down, impatient with the clean-up of their leaves (I'm really surprised to learn, from Pondside's comments, that goats love these -- they're such tough leaves!). Take care of that wound. I'd second Patricia J's recommendation on the tetanus booster -- I took that precaution a few years ago when I feel in the garden and split my chin open.

Judith said...

I have a life long love affair with trees,no garden is complete with out them,we call the beautiful Arbutus 'Strawberry Tree'.Many cottage gardens plant Rowan trees supposed to ward off evil spirits!
Patricia is right check you are up todate on your tetanus.

Jacqueline~Cabin and Cottage said...

Nice to see your beautiful bungalow and garden! I don't know that I have seen an Arbutus tree before. I hope your poor finger heals fast!