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Monday 20 August 2018

What's in a standard ?

Monday mornings ... spectacular ... right ? .. second last week of August .. even better ... sure ...
Signs of summer slipping towards Fall ? maybe ?
One of my baby Tiger Eye Sumac is "blushing" a bit .. a tiny indicator of change happening
Tall Fall grasses ... flowering from tiny beads .....
Joe Pye ... unfurling .. letting down it's "hair"

OK .. enough said about that .. I am on now to my "standard"
I planted hydrangea standard "Pink Diamond" .. well .. maybe "stuck" is another description of how I plunked the poor thing in the shade side of my garden on a holding pattern, until I could figure out the proper place for it.
I transplanted it this past Spring and thought .. no flowers this year because it could be a bit shocked from my not so nice treatment or was that indecision ?
BUT ?
View from the deck ....
It has decided the move was not such a bad one and even on a cloudy wet day it is looking GOOD.
My first standard ... and so far I am liking what a standard it is !

I forgot to go into detail about the Spring renovation of the patio .. so here is a partial picture of the flagstones when they are wet because flagstones when wet look even better some how.
It seems ages ago when the poor guys were working in rain, snow and hail trying to lay these suckers down .. they did an amazing job and we are enjoying the view (a bit messy at the moment) very much.


11 comments:

outlawgardener said...

The Hydrangea standard is very happy in your garden and who wouldn't be; everything is looking grand! Love the new paving stones.

Barry said...

Gurlfriend:
Been way way way too long since I snuck over here! The garden is looking fab, considering the hellish summer we have been having. So much of mine looks crispy around the edges, and it ain't KFC we're talking about!
Pink Diamond has always been a favourite of the paniculata Hydrangeas. For a bit it was hard to find as even the shrub form.

Standards....... great for smaller properties. Lets you plant beneath them relatively pain free, but my jury is still out on them in general. Too many cases of upper growth [above the graft] death to gain my confidence. Salix 'Hakuro Nishiki' one of the worst examples of winter kill due to unprotected or weak grafts. Same is being said of Hibiscus. Might be chalked up to where you are.... zonal denial issues, perhaps?

Let me know how yours winters over, I need more evidence......
Hope all is well with you!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Oh Joy, your standard is spectacular. I love standards. I bet this will be the first of many. Your patio redo is outstanding too. You need to give us a before and after. It is true that the colors of stone are brought out while they are wet. Most photographers wet the stone before taking pictures. So many good things going on in your garden after a slow start.
I saw the first colorful leaf drop off the maple tree today. The signs are beginning to collect. Autumn is just around the corner.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Peter and thank you ! .. So far so good with the standard .. I have to see how my pruning techniques turn out for next Spring though ? LOL ..

Barry .. I have to send an email now *smirk* .. haha
Hey this one survived 2 winters here now .. so far so good but I understand exactly what you mean about graft issues ... I wanted to get another one and missed out this year because I was too undecided .. damn ! .. but maybe next year .. I have a lot of swapping out of plants to do.
Yup .. we all seem to suffer that zone denial issue eh ? but ESPECIALLY YOU !!! LOL

Lisa girl thank you so much : )
Yes .. I was supposed to do a before and after post .. my bad .. BIG sigh ! LOL
I am glad to have Autumn turning that corner for us .. this past season was wicked .. that winter killed so much it is a wonder I have anything left in the garden, yet some plants surprised me with their tenacity too !

Alistair said...

Hello Joy, seems like most shrubs get the opportunity to be standardised these days, is that a real word? no squiggly red lines underneath it so I guess it must be. Well anyway, I like it very much, enough to make me want one. As for your patio, well, I don't have an envious bone in my body, but I am jealous.

Carrie said...

Such beautiful photographs! Everything looks so healthy and little indicators of time marching on are exciting - soon we will all be able to put on our cosy jumpers and not have to make any excuses about needing a hot chocolate :)

I've never seen a standard hydrangea and I am now in love with yet another plant in your garden. You know if you ever want to move house, I could happily live there and have that garden all to myself, hahaha.

Much love to you,
C xxx

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Alistair .. thank you so much : ) Yes, I think so many shrubs are now created to be standards I think in a way more gardeners are looking for vertical interest and the opportunity to under plant .. which I have to touch up myself with this spot ..
This standard makes me want another one so I will be looking next year .. each year is so different for what becomes available though .. it is a mixed bag of tricks ? haha
I am very happy with the patio too .. Fall clean up of the MANY maple leaves we will have will be much easier this way !

Carrie you are so sweet thank you ! I think we will be here ... until we are not ? LOL
I would hate to sit down and think of all the "expenditures" on the garden but in the end it has made us both very happy and that is the main thing right ?
I am always amazed with your allotment and how you reap the bountiful benefits of it.
It truly is the best of green grocers !!

Jason said...

I can admire these standards but I don't think they would fit well in my garden, a bit too formal.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

My goodness Jason .. I have not thought of them as formal .. my garden is a mish mash of plants I like .. then I happened to like this one and bam ! it winds up in my garden . LOL
It is all about what we like and what we feel comfortable with .. that is why our gardens are all so individual and so interesting : )

Buttons alias Grace said...

Looks fantastic. It may be time for a visit ;) Hugs B

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi there Grace, thanks girl ! .. hey I only take shots of what looks decent (and they are getting fewer and fewer now ? ) LOL .. soon it will be time to do the big cut back and planting of Spring bulbs.
I can't wait for that Autumn weather !