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Mar 26, 2015 5:17 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sherry Austin
Santa Cruz, CA (Zone 9a)
Birds Bulbs Region: California Dragonflies Foliage Fan Irises
Keeper of Poultry Roses Photo Contest Winner: 2015
I moved to the Santa Cruz mountains 17 years ago. There wasn't much here besides lawn, a big eucalyptus, and a walnut tree.. I wanted to have enough room to plant all the things I didn't have room for in a small residential lot. All I can say is that I've dug a lot of holes over the years.

Come on in!
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Nemophila, Limnanthes (Meadow Foam)
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Narcissus 'Love Call' and 'Ice Follies'
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Magnolia (maybe Dr. Merrill), Magnolia 'Kikuzaki'
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Magnolia 'Heaven Scent', Magnolia 'Wada's Memory'
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Ceanothus 'Julia Phelps', Dwarf Nectarine
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The garden awakening
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There are some roses just starting to bloom
'Gilbert de Nabannond', 'Salet'
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Chinese Wisteria, and a double Japanese called 'Black Dragon'
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Irises are getting close
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a garden is never done... especially when you haven't run out of room yet..
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I have some helpers in the garden..
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Thanks for visiting...
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The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us.
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Mar 26, 2015 6:55 PM CST
Name: Veronica
zone 5b
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Art Butterflies Irises Region: Indiana
Hummingbirder Hostas Dog Lover Daylilies Cut Flowers Clematis
Very nice. I really enjoyed my visit to your gardens.
My attitude determines my altitude
A truly wise person uses few words; a person of understanding is even- tempered. Proverbs 17:27
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Mar 27, 2015 4:32 AM CST
Name: Jeanne
Lansing, Iowa (Zone 5a)
Birds Region: United States of America Vegetable Grower
I tip my hat to you. You have a very beautiful place, Sherry. You have done a lot of planning, digging, and planting over the years. Your love of gardening sure shows. Thanks for sharing pictures of you gardens with us. Thumbs up
Yard decor, repurposing, and flowers,
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Mar 27, 2015 4:47 AM CST
Name: Betty
MN zone 4b
Frogs and Toads Birds Hummingbirder Irises Lilies Peonies
Roses Garden Ideas: Level 1 Region: United States of America Hostas Garden Art Echinacea
Enjoyed your lovely garden, the plants and your garden critters. Your garden gate is a wonderful piece of art, tell us about the gate.
If you want to be happy for a lifetime plant a garden!
Faith is the postage stamp on our prayers!
Betty MN Zone4 AHS member

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Mar 27, 2015 5:47 AM CST
Name: Catherine
SW Louisiana (Zone 9a)
beautiful gardens! And some pretty cute garden helpers too Smiling
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Mar 27, 2015 11:13 AM CST
Name: Vickie
southern Indiana (Zone 6b)
Bee Lover Garden Photography Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Region: United States of America
Region: Indiana Garden Art Annuals Clematis Cottage Gardener Garden Ideas: Level 2
Oh... My.... Goodness! I clicked on the picture of the garden gate (stunning!) and was entranced by the beauty of your garden with every picture after that. I didn't even want to stop clicking through the pictures to find out what each plant was, but I had to stop to find out what the blue shrub was. Ceanothus is gorgeous!


I love the way your garden meanders around and draws a person in. What a beautiful place you have!
May all your weeds be wildflowers. ~Author Unknown
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Mar 27, 2015 11:39 AM CST
Name: Neal Linville
Winchester, KY (Zone 6a)
Bulbs Charter ATP Member Cottage Gardener I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Irises Roses
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Level 2
So artfully and masterfully designed and grown, Sherry! Love all of it! Gorgeous gate too!
"...and don't think the garden loses its ecstasy in winter. It's quiet, but the roots are down there riotous." Rumi
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Mar 27, 2015 11:42 AM CST
Name: Philip
Ireland,.The Midlands. (Zone 8a)
Amaryllis Roses Lilies Hostas Dog Lover Dahlias
Cottage Gardener Clematis Cat Lover Garden Photography Cactus and Succulents Seed Starter
Hi Sherry,..that garden gate is certainly an eye catches,..beautiful!,..fantastic blooms and great pictures,..i spotted the cage like structure and was curious about what you would have in it,..of course when the hens appeared my curiosity was answered,..loved your little helpers as well,..a beautiful cat an a very alert doggy.

Philip.
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Mar 27, 2015 11:06 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sherry Austin
Santa Cruz, CA (Zone 9a)
Birds Bulbs Region: California Dragonflies Foliage Fan Irises
Keeper of Poultry Roses Photo Contest Winner: 2015
Thanks for all your kind words..

We have a friend at Freedom Forge here in Santa Cruz who is an architectural blacksmith. He allowed me to put the gate on layaway for 5 years.. Kind of like making car payments. I gave him artistic license to do what he wanted. I told him I wanted dragonflies and poodles... and to have some whimsey. On the inside of the gate, the dragonfly is clutching a poodle. There was originally a tiny dragonfly in the poodle's mouth, but they were loose and I brought them inside... The columns were made by local stonemason, Michael Eckerman.
He also built the wall.
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I have other artwork involving dragonflies.. This is a birdhouse made by local firefighter/artist, Wendy Domster. She came out to my house, went through my garage and yard and collected a couple of boxes of stuff, and came up with this:
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House finches have built a nest in this lantern for several years outside our kitchen window.. It's fun to watch the babies fly out for the first time.. You can almost see them in there..
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Missing the misty mountains... we've had summer, all winter it seems...
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The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us.
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Mar 28, 2015 5:29 AM CST
Name: Vickie
southern Indiana (Zone 6b)
Bee Lover Garden Photography Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Region: United States of America
Region: Indiana Garden Art Annuals Clematis Cottage Gardener Garden Ideas: Level 2
Love the dragonfly birdhouse! It amazes me how creative some people are.
May all your weeds be wildflowers. ~Author Unknown
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Mar 28, 2015 8:44 AM CST
Name: Betty
MN zone 4b
Frogs and Toads Birds Hummingbirder Irises Lilies Peonies
Roses Garden Ideas: Level 1 Region: United States of America Hostas Garden Art Echinacea
Thank you for the information and sharing some more of your pictures. Love the dragonflies, they also appeal to my taste in garden deco.
If you want to be happy for a lifetime plant a garden!
Faith is the postage stamp on our prayers!
Betty MN Zone4 AHS member

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Mar 29, 2015 8:11 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sherry Austin
Santa Cruz, CA (Zone 9a)
Birds Bulbs Region: California Dragonflies Foliage Fan Irises
Keeper of Poultry Roses Photo Contest Winner: 2015
It seems like everything is coming into bloom at once..
Here's Wisteria jap. 'Black Dragon' again..
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I bought this as 'Mark Sullivan', but I'm not so sure it is... Not a really strong grower, but beautiful anyway.
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I just got this Dogwood a couple of months ago.. Cornus florida var. 'Pringlei'. I'm told the this is a seedling of C. florida var. 'Urbiniana', hence the different name. I don't know how it differs, other than the possible variation that seedlings may have, as opposed to cutting grown...
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A completely different type of Dogwood is this red twig variety with gold foliage.. Maybe C. sericea 'Sunshine'
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Rosa chinensis 'Mutabilis' is tender in colder climates, I'm told.. Here, it makes a nearly ever-blooming, easy care shrub with flowers that change colors as they age.
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My Grand-daughter named this one "Cookie"... late in the afternoon the chickens start following me around because they know they get treats when I lock them up.
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My first tall bearded Iris opened today. I bought this as 'Stepping Out', but it is not... I'm working on narrowing down the name, but 'Classic Look' and 'Rare Treat' are in the running.
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That's enough for now, it's time to feed the dog...
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The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us.
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Mar 30, 2015 3:51 AM CST
Name: Vickie
southern Indiana (Zone 6b)
Bee Lover Garden Photography Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Region: United States of America
Region: Indiana Garden Art Annuals Clematis Cottage Gardener Garden Ideas: Level 2
Great pictures, Sherry! You have a wide array of plants. I especially like the dogwood Thumbs up
May all your weeds be wildflowers. ~Author Unknown
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Mar 30, 2015 7:40 AM CST
Name: Leslie
Durham, NC (Zone 8a)
Garden Photography Cat Lover Irises Region: North Carolina Peonies Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Love seeing the rest of the gardens Sherry. I love the double wisteria. Lovey dubby
"The chimera is a one time happenstance event where the plant has a senior moment and forgets what it is doing." - Paul Black
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Mar 30, 2015 10:27 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sherry Austin
Santa Cruz, CA (Zone 9a)
Birds Bulbs Region: California Dragonflies Foliage Fan Irises
Keeper of Poultry Roses Photo Contest Winner: 2015
Leslie, the nice thing about the double Wisteria is that it doesn't set seed, so you can have it close to the house and windows. The seed pods have been known to explode open in the right weather and can take out windows...

Thank-you Vickie. It was probably an ill-timed purchase with our water situation, but I couldn't help myself... Fingers crossed that I'll be able to give it enough!
The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us.
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Mar 31, 2015 12:50 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sherry Austin
Santa Cruz, CA (Zone 9a)
Birds Bulbs Region: California Dragonflies Foliage Fan Irises
Keeper of Poultry Roses Photo Contest Winner: 2015
Several more things coming into bloom today.

Unknown mini rose.. and a sweet little pansy w/ morning dew..
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Apple blossoms and Rose 'Chanelle'
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Knipfofia sp. and Rose 'Perle d'Or'
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Dutch Iris 'Eye of the Tiger' and a Dwarf Bearded Iris 'Gimmick'
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Progress!
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The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us.
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Mar 31, 2015 4:31 AM CST
Name: Vickie
southern Indiana (Zone 6b)
Bee Lover Garden Photography Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Region: United States of America
Region: Indiana Garden Art Annuals Clematis Cottage Gardener Garden Ideas: Level 2
Not only do you have a beautiful garden Sherry, but you take awesome photos of it too! I love all the close-up shots I tip my hat to you.
May all your weeds be wildflowers. ~Author Unknown
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Mar 31, 2015 9:26 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sherry Austin
Santa Cruz, CA (Zone 9a)
Birds Bulbs Region: California Dragonflies Foliage Fan Irises
Keeper of Poultry Roses Photo Contest Winner: 2015
Thanks Vickie... I'm still learning my way around the camera.. I tend to do better with macro shots than landscape shots.. Still trying to figure that one out Smiling
The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us.
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Apr 1, 2015 7:31 AM CST
Name: Leslie
Durham, NC (Zone 8a)
Garden Photography Cat Lover Irises Region: North Carolina Peonies Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Your pictures with dew on the flowers have been quite stunning.
"The chimera is a one time happenstance event where the plant has a senior moment and forgets what it is doing." - Paul Black
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Apr 9, 2015 9:33 AM CST
Plants Admin
Name: Suzanne/Sue
Sebastopol, CA (Zone 9a)
Sunset Zone 15
Plant Database Moderator Region: California Cottage Gardener Garden Photography Roses Clematis
Daylilies Houseplants Foliage Fan Birds Butterflies Bee Lover
I really should come to this forum more often, what a nice surprise to find this thread here Sherry! Hope to see your garden in person soon, I want to check it all out, including that gorgeous iron work! 5 year layaway?!! What a novel idea to be able to own something so unique.
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Handmade quilts, new & vintage fabrics in my Etsy store. Summer Song Cottage
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