As you turn around, facing away from the roses, you can't help but see this beauty spot. If you look closely you can see my garden raccoon peeking out at you. No, he isn't living but his many garden companions are. Here, in this little area, you see one of the many 'mystery' plants in my garden. A gift from my sister, Norma, this plant with the big yellow flowers and tall commanding presence needs no name to be a yearly favorite of mine

Before continuing into the rest of the sun garden, let us take a short walk to our direct left and get under the shade of this big fir tree. If you look around the area you will see the tall plumes of several Astilbe plants. As you can see they certainly know how to brighten up a shady spot. This is also the safe, shady place that I use as a transition spot for the plants not yet hardy enough to be put right out into the main garden. So it has many different visitors from time to time..along with me of course. *G*. I pause here often to refresh my spirit and cool off on hot, sunny days.

Standing in the middle of the garden as it does, the Rockrose bush is an eye catching sight when it blooms. At times the whole bush is so full of blooms you can hardly see the foliage. A most colorful standout in my garden it dominates the complete middle area.

To really get the most enjoyment from the Rockrose bush it helps to look closely at the single blooms. So delicate, still carrying the creases from the bud stage. Beautiful, soft and delicate, they look like they have been made from colored, rumpled tissue paper.

This beautiful Rhodie lives outside my garden gate but ..all gates go both ways so I am putting it in this particular album. I love Rhodies and this one is a very striking one that is very seldom seen. It stands by my sidewalk and is there to greet me when I do my comings and goings. As you can see it is netted. That is to protect it from the seasonal, rambunctious antlers of the bucks.

Since the striking beauty of this Iris seems to leap out to capture our eyes we will leave the other bushes for the moment and savor its striking beauty and lovely fragrance. This is the Loop the Loop Iris ..... one of the most striking Iris in my garden. Naturally it is my most favorite Iris because it was a gift from my daughter, Tammy, several years ago. This Iris, like the roses you met as you first entered my welcoming garden, were among the first few plants to grace my garden. Foundling members of the garden you might say..and you would be correct. I am very happy to report that this original Iris has multiplied until it is now lives with its descendants in a stunning and growing little community.

When I moved from one side of the Cascade Mountains to the other....or as it was..... from one side of the state to the other.... in the middle of winter....I could not bear to leave this beautiful Iris behind so..... here is my old friend showing up in my new garden.

How did this Iris move from one side of the state to another you might wonder.....well....it had help. Since I moved in the dead of winter my shovel and I dug it up from under the snow and we traveled together to our new home. Yes, the shovel made the trip too.

This wonderful Iris made the trip in great shape and continues to grace my garden with its splendid blooms every summer. In fact this special Iris was the first of the foundling members in my new garden and holds the very esteemed position of Garden Elder.

Ah! Another plant leaps out to capture our attention and of course we have to check it out don't we? This time it is a striking Lily that is calling to us.

Lilies are a spectacular addition to any garden and a special love of mine. They are royal, stately plants with flowers that are unbelievably large and beautiful. This particular mystery lily (translate that to be.. name has been lost in the sands of time) has faithfully provided me every year with weeks of visual wonder.

This little plant with its enormously big, beautiful flowers is a new addition to my Lily garden. Creamy white in color it glows gloriously in the darkness of this background.

I am looking forward to many years of beauty from this little unnamed beauty. (Part of a larger collection our Garden Club bought and no name came with it..next year we aim to find a more careful and caring company)

Looking over our left shoulder we see a big group of daylilies so let us saunter over there and enjoy their bright, uplifting company for a little while.

My very first daylily. Over the years that first lonely daylily has grown into a very large and striking community. With their many arching, swordlike leaves and large lily-like yellow-orange flowers, they make a commanding presence which gloriously brightens the back area of my garden.

A new and beautiful member to my daylily community

It seems it is not easy to have just one daylily. They easily become addictive. It is only lack of space that limits the ones who get to live in my garden. This bold beauty came with a name but since I can't find it anymore I just call it 'My Traveling Beauty' because it hasn't found its permanent spot in the garden so moves from here to there and sometimes back again.

This beautiful little daylily was the second daylily to add its presence to my garden. A small, early and long lasting beauty this little Stella D'Oro has mulitplied every year to such an extent that it now outgrowing its little spot in the garden and will soon need to be divided and shine in another spot as well.

A real stunner it gives a constant sunny presence to the garden even on the cloudiest of days.

The Stargazer Lily is one lily that is a 'must' for a lily garden. In other words it is an all around 'have-to-have' lily. When in bloom its striking, bold, sparkling, 'right-in-your-face' presence and fragrance captivates and captures ones focused attention....time and time again. It is a standout and presents itself as if it knows it....and is glad that you do too.

I am looking forward to this one plant multiplying into a great community.... wishfully more...,and hopefully soon. *G*

Now perhaps it is a good time for us to stand, and catch our breath for a short moment and see what next catches our eye. WOW! And immediately there it is...the Clematis vine. There are not many vines ...if any...more beautiful than a Clematis vine in full bloom. To really appreciate the wonder that is in front of us let us take a quiet few breaths and look at this single bloom and wonder....deeply ponder.... the magic of creation that allows a single vine to bloom so gloriously with so many unbelievably huge blooms.

As wonder invoking as a single beautiful, large Clematis bloom is....the feeling that a Clematis vine in full bloom invokes ....approaches awe. My visiting friend was so 'taken' by the unbelievable beauty of this blooming Clematis vine that she had to have her picture taken surrounded by its beauty and grandeur. What a picture they make...beauty highlighted by beauty.

We have many other beautiful and intriguing vines and other plants to visit but this may be a good place to stop and quietly and simply enjoy the ones we have visited and reflect on the wonder of each....

It is time now to rest from our garden tour and relax in the hot tub while we feed the deer. If we are lucky we can also enjoy the beauty of the sunset from the hot tub. We can visit with a few more members of the garden at a future time. Thank you for vising my garden friends and I hope you return soon.