Gee can we have more than one garden thread?

Now that its even Summer here in Central Oregon, the wild flowers are really showing off. We have beautiful red "paint-brush", small blue and white penstamons, many small daisy type things, yarrow and the fescue grasses are covered with seed - they're our natives so we don't mow them, mowing only only blue grass lawns and hay fields. Most people do not have flowers here or any gardens at all because fences capable of keeping deer out seem to be beyond the ability of the natives. This is horse country and you can get just any animal for free on craigslist because someone has one and afford to feed it and the kids.

We bought a place with incredible ornamental gardens surrounding the house. Things live and bloom here that are not suppose to be able live this far north, or in adesert, or on a mountain, or in this cold. We're so fortunate to have gardens built by a master as her personal expression. My wife has 57 species entered in her Excel file, but thats maybe 1/3 of whats growing here excluding the natives.

OTOH we have utterly failed at getting ANY edible plants yet. Maybe next year I'll have time to put in food plants, green house and a chicken coup.

So anyway summer is the time we gardeners await. Beside food plants, what is really showing off were ya'll live? Sorry but around here almost everything is everygreen - manzanita or pine - its always the same boring green here all year around unless there's snow.
Jim
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These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.