Summer Garden Trip Adventures

Going to visit special nurseries and gardens is always a great time. In the past week, I went to 3 places, Palmiter Garden Nursery, Jerry Kral's garden, and Cottage Gardens Daylilies.


I met the owners of Palmiter's in early spring at the Rochester Gardenscape show. They are located in Avon a small town outside of Rochester. They are very well known for their amazing peonies. Their nursery came about from being gardeners who had plants people admired, so they began to sell, and things progressed from there. So there is a large home garden to see besides the plants for sale.

Though a bit pricey compared to so other nurseries, the plants were excellent quality and the staff was friendly and helpful.

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Rock Garden Society member, Jerry Kral, had a visit to his garden for our chapter. He is very lucky to have an acre garden within the city limits of Rochester. His backyard is mostly shade gardens filled with amazing plant specimens and garden art.




It was easy to take cool pics at his place.


He does have a sunny area complete with rock gardens at the back corner of his property.


It was a fantastic home garden to visit!

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Friends and I were lucky enough to visit Cottage Gardens Daylilies in Medina again this year. The day started off very rainy, but it did calm to a gentler rain as we got there, and we had a great time.

Hilde and Elizabeth perusing the daylilies

Besides the daylily fields, there is also a beautiful house garden to enjoy.


Brent Ross, the owner is a very friendly and funny guy.



Debbie 4, a seedling of Brent's that came home with me

I'm already looking forward to next year's trip!

It Has Been Too Long!

Leucanthemum superbum 'Sonnenschein'(Shasta Daisy)

The weather has been almost too perfect here. Of course I am becoming paranoid and am waiting for a major catastrophe from Mother Nature or one of her evil doers(rabbits, etc.) So I've been working in the garden in all my spare time trying to enjoy what has been a lovely year so far.. I have been taking photos all along. I just haven't been up to working on posting. But this next flower just made me so happy, I need to show you all.

Annual Poppies!(Papaver somniferum)
If you haven't grown this annual yet, I strongly recommend it. The blooms are so big and frilly they don't look real. Yes, these are the opium type. No it is not against the law to grow them as some people often believe. Well, maybe huge farm fields of them is, because you need that much to be making any drugs. So we can all safely grow them and enjoy them.

Another plant that I really enjoyed seeing for the first time this year was this iris. The coloration is so pretty. It finished bloom a couple weeks ago.

Iris siberica 'Roaring Jelly'


Yucca 'Bright Edge' bloom

Jim, this next one's for you : )

Rose 'Belle Isis'

I'll leave this evening with Gary sitting under my rambler 'Leontine Gervais.

Hawkeye Belle Surely Is A Belle

Already in full bloom June 7th

Dr. Griffith Buck, now deceased, was a professor at Iowa State who loved to breed roses. He worked toward breeding roses that are hardy, disease resistant, and beautiful. His roses are now known as Buck roses. His most famous rose is Carefree Beauty.
Someone once wrote on a forum that Buck roses weren't good looking. I remember thinking you've got to be kidding!



Don't tell me that is not gorgeous. Now some of Dr. Buck's choices for rose names have something to be desired, but who's perfect?
It is difficult to take a bad pic of Hawkeye Belle.



She is a vigorous growing shrub to 4 or 5'. In case you've not read in a previous post, I don't spray my roses, and she is very disease resistant for me. She blooms all summer, and her fall bloom will look as good as this early one. Her only fault is that her scent is mild. Is is there, but you've got to stick your nose right in the bloom. With blooms like hers though, I will forgive this fault.



Especially since I can't remember the last time I fertilized her. She may be a beauty, but she is one tough rose.
Many rose enthusiasts, like myself, will tell you once you grow a Buck rose, you will seek out more of them. They really are wonderful.

Blooms Everywhere!

Iris 'Wabash'

I've been working hard on the garden. So much to do and plants are blooming everywhere. I really love this time of year. I'm not sure what to post! It will get worse as all the roses are blooming.


Rose 'Bow Bells' first bloom

I'll have to highlight Bow Bells later. She doesn't often get the respect she deserves.



My baby unnamed as of yet

This blue clematis is a chance seedling. I couldn't of asked for a better baby! The blooms start dark and age to a beautiful light blue. Right now they are mid-stage. I hope to put together a pictorial once done. Humm...maybe I'll have a name that Clematis contest once I have all the pics.


Unknown Peony

This was suppose to be another variety, Solange, I believe. Anyway, it is a good peony. The flowers are very pretty. The blooms stay up on their own. The foliage turns bronze later so it is very attractive. The only minus is the scent is faint. I like my peonies to smell like my Sarah Bernhardt. Her scent is strong and carries on the wind. I love coming home in the evening to her.


My little Chickadee

I've had the worst time trying to get pics of the chickadees. Hopefully I'm home the day the babies come out. It is easier to get pics on that day.