gardening

All about Purple sage: Friday Flowers

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Purple sage and Indian paintbrush at Gray Butte, Oregon May 2016

     You may have heard of this plant referred to in the classic western, Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey. But did you know purple sage is not actually in the sagebrush family? It’s a type of sage in the mint family, Lamiaceae, and one of its common names is “mint sage.” If you crush the leaves in your hand you’ll be able to tell why.

     I’ve seen purple sage, Salvia dorrii, in various high desert locations in eastern Oregon. Gray Butte, just northeast of Smith Rock, is a great place to see this native shrub in full bloom.

Wildflowers at Gray Butte May 2016
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Many shades of obsidian: Weekend Challenge

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There are many shades of obsidian in nature. The Weekend Challenge from GC and SueW, and their monthly color challenge for June, is the color Obsidian.

By coincidence, I was out in the yard yesterday morning rearranging some of the obsidian I’ve collected at nearby Glass Buttes. Here in Bend, Oregon, we recently had a huge storm with high winds, rain, and hail. My rocks all had a nice bath. 😉

Here are few portraits of obsidian rocks in my garden.

A piece of black obsidian in with the ice plants. I like to pick up pieces that have interesting textures.

Many shades of obsidian. Black obsidian & ice plant. Bend, Oregon May 2020

Here’s a larger piece of black obsidian tucked in under the mint plants.

Black obsidian & mint plant. Bend, Oregon May 2020
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Chive Blossom up close: Macro Monday

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Chive blossom up close Bend, Oregon May 2020

Here’s a view of a chive blossom up close in my garden. We have a bumper crop this year!

Macro Monday

Rainbow of soft colors in my garden: LAPC

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Right now I have a rainbow of soft colors in my garden. Many plants are blooming in the high desert.

This lupine has delicate shades of purple and peach on the same plant.

Soft colors in my garden Bend, Oregon May 2020

My purple sage shrub started blooming last week. This plant is a member of the mint family. If you crush the leaves you’ll get what some refer to as a “mildly intoxicating minty aroma.”

Purple sage in bloom. Bend, Oregon May 2020

This a sweet little carnation with dusty green foliage and small blossoms in varying shades of pink.

Pink carnation in bloom. Bend, Oregon May 2020
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I like rocks!: LAPC

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The Lens-Artists Photo Challenge this week is Pastimes so I immediately thought of rocks. I have always collected them.

Here’s a still life of rocks in my collection. Some we found, some were purchased, and others were gifts.

I like rocks collection of various rocks in Oregon May 2020

A couple of weeks ago we visited Glass Buttes, one of my favorite places. Yes, there are several types of obsidian in this haul, but I also picked up ones that looked cool. I like the large one in the upper left in particular.

I like rocks collection of various rocks in Oregon May 2020

I try to incorporate the rocks we find at various locations into our landscaping. Here’s a few around a cholla cactus I started from a single “leaf.”

Rocks around a cholla plant, Bend, Oregon May 2020
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Cypress spurge up close: SMM

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Cypress spurge Bend, Oregon

This pretty plant is the first to bloom in my garden in the spring. The tiny flower of cypress spurge is framed by bright yellow bracts.

Sunshine’s Macro Monday (SMM)

Sharp-shinned hawk cooling its jets: WWE #24

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Sharp-shinned hawk cooling its jets near Bend, Oregon 27March2020

This sharp-shinned hawk was either cooling its jets because it was overheated or it was pretending to be a piece of yard art to lure in an unsuspecting songbird. 😉 It stood in my backyard creek for a LONG time!

Water, Water Everywhere (WWE) #24

Buckwheat blossoms in the summer: Floral Friday #13

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Buckwheat blossoms near Bend, Oregon 28June2019

These wild buckwheat blossoms were photographed in the High Desert near Bend, Oregon. I believe this is a variety of Eriogonum umbellatum, the sulfur flower. Their yellow blossoms brighten up the desert like little rays of sunshine!

Floral Fridays

Spruce cones up close: SMM

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Spruce cones up close

A photograph of spruce cones up close that I took in my Bend, Oregon yard.

Sunshine’s Macro Monday (SMM)

Summer’s bounty on display: LAPC

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Snowy quilts now cover the gardens, but I remember summer’s bounty

Glossy purple eggplants, leafy green artichoke buds, and garlic cloves wrapped in crisp colorful coverings

Summer's bounty, Bend, Oregon farmer's market 19 June 2019

Rainbow shades of plump tiny tomatoes

Summer's bounty, Colorful cherry tomatoes, Bend, Oregon 19 June 2019
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Blazing star beauties: Friday flowers

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Blazing star beauties in Bend, Oregon August 2019
Wildflowers blooming on Pilot Butte in Bend, Oregon August 2019
Pilot Butte view in Bend, Oregon August 2019

I saw these blazing star beauties at the top of Pilot Butte in Bend, Oregon last August. Pilot Butte is an extinct volcano that is a state scenic viewpoint. It’s a great place to visit for a 360 degree high desert view! You can see in the photos that these flowers are growing on cinder rocks. The Sisters volcanic peaks are in the background of the last picture.

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Purple coneflower up close: SMM

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purple coneflower up close

These coneflowers’ colors are fading as summer turns to fall. Their form is still beautiful and I look forward to seeing them bloom next spring.

Sunshine’s Macro Monday

When the flower blossoms: Sunshine’s Macro Monday

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When the flower blossoms

When the flower blossoms, the bee will come.

Srikumar Rao

Sunshine’s Macro Monday

Old, new, borrowed, blue gardens: LAPC

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old, new, borrowed, blue Daylilies with the Sisters in the background, Oregon 20July2019 20July2019
Day lilies with the Sisters mountains in the background

The challenge for the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge this weekend is Something old, new, borrowed, and blue. I am highlighting the recent High Desert Garden Tour in Central Oregon.

Something old

I saw many plants I’m familiar with on this tour. Some I knew the names of, others I was like, “Uh… what was your name again?” Fortunately, the plants were labeled or the person whose garden it was could tell you.

Here are some old friends.

Blazing star, Madras, Oregon 20July2019
Blazing star
Old, new, borrowed, blue Honeycrisp apple, Madras Oregon 20July2019
Honeycrisp apple
Love-in-a-mist, Culver, Oregon 20July2019
Love-in-a-mist
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Bird Not For Sale: BOTD

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Bird not for sale, robin nest in grape plant, Bend, Oregon 21July2019

I was visiting one of my favorite plant nurseries recently and saw a little sign on one of their grape plants. It says the plant is not currently for sale because it is occupied by a robin and her hatchlings. In other words, this bird is not for sale. You can see her with her beak pointed up in the air at the top of the picture. She is one proud and protective mother!

Granny Shot It Challenge – BOTD

Purple Pretties: Friday Flowers

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Here are a few of my purple pretties in full bloom in my High Desert yard in Central Oregon.

  • Purple pretties, Lupine flowers in Bend, Oregon 22May2019
    Lupine
  • Phacelia flowers in Bend, Oregon 24June2019
    Phacelia
  • Purple pretties, lavender in Bend, Oregon 19July2018
    Lavender
  • Larkspur flowers in Bend, Oregon 25May2019
    Larkspur
  • Aster flowers in Bend, Oregon 4July2019
    Aster

Springtime Cosmos: A Photo a Week Challenge

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It’s always a thrill to see these lacy-leaved springtime cosmos in the morning sun.

Springtime cosmos Bend. Oregon 21June2019
Cosmos Bend. Oregon 21June2019

A Photo a Week Challenge – Flowers

Sand lily – High Desert Star: Friday Flowers

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Sand lily - High desert star
Sand lily, Leucocrinum montanum

The sand lily, also known as the star lily, is a delicate perennial wildflower found in western North America. It grows in sagebrush deserts, open montane forests, and in sandy and rocky soils.

The plant above is growing near sagebrush in an uncultivated part of my property near Bend, Oregon. There is only one plant and I look forward to it blooming every spring.

Sand lily - High desert star 15May2019
A field of sand lilies
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Roses-Summer Blooms & Fall Fruit: Friday Flowers

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Roses Blooms 13September2018
Roses Fruit 18October2018

I enjoy watching these roses growing along the Mill A Loop trail along the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon. They produce a bounty in the summer and the fall for walkers and wildlife.

Friday Flowers

Prairie Smoke: Friday Flowers

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A Rose by Another Name

Prairie Smoke Wyoming 1June2018

Prairie smoke, Geum triflorum, is a native plant of the prairies and it’s a less showy member of the rose family. The sepals on their droopy flowers are fused shut so they can’t open fully. I was drawn to this plant with its plain flowers and deeply serrated leaves.

The plants grow 6-10″ tall and bloom in late spring through early summer. Once the flowers are fertilized, they are followed by feathery wispy “fruits” (achenes) that somewhat resemble smoke. Another common name for this plant is Old Man’s Whiskers. The semi-evergreen leaves turn varying shades of red, purple, and orange in the fall.

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Chives vignette: Friday Flowers

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The color has faded in these blossoms but they are still beautifully framed by the long spiky leaves on this chive plant.

Chives Vignette 10July2018

Friday Flowers

Colorful Border on Fall’s Eve: Friday Flowers

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Colorful border at Oregon Garden, Silverton, OR 20September2018

A colorful border full of flowers on the last day of summer at Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon. 

Friday Flowers

Quote on the Cosmos: Friday Flowers

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Quote on the Cosmos , close-up of cosmos flower 13September2018

Other times, you’re doing some piece of work and suddenly you get feedback that tells you that you have touched something that is very alive in the cosmos.

Leonard Nimoy

Friday Flowers