Cottage Garden 8/8/16

Oh my goodness, it's been a crazy summer!  I am excited to share with you this weeks garden photo's.  The Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas are certainly a favorite to showcase here at my home. So much so, I ended up adding four more last year to the curb outside my white picket fence.  I recently shared this photo (below) on Instagram and was surprised to see it had over 1400 "likes" - that is the most attention I think I've ever been given on any of my social media outlets. 

 

 

The change in the weather has quickly turned these beautiful blooms from white to pink and this week I am already seeing plenty of the last stage of hot pink.  You can see in the photo below the four tiny ones I added last year to my garden landscape.  It will be a few years before they are large like the ones at the corner curb.

Many names have been circulating on the internet as to what these beautiful shrubs are called...and how to maintain them.  These beauties are easy for me to grow here in the Pacific Northwest, Zone 8. I have them planted in poor (clay) soil and in full sunshine.  They need a good watering a few times a week.  Their stunning white blooms appeared this year in late June and have continued through the summertime.  I assume they will complete the curbside show in September ~ which is when I generally cut all my hydrangeas back in the garden. Yes, one by one, I snip off each bloom just below above any new growth that has begun. If I go any lower than that, I will be removing next years blooms. 

Some other gorgeous garden blooms that have appeared since my last post (in order) is the David Austin Olivia Rose, David Austin Gentle Hermione, Souvenir de la Malmaison, Double Scoop Cranberry Echinacea, Stargazer Lily, Peaches and Cream Hollyhock (first stage and also as it has changed), Lucifer Crocosmia, Cosmo (from seeds), Phlox and Gladiolus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you are enjoying your week, xoxo, tracie