Banana lovin' ... march of the bananas

Well I had to continue with my series on lovin.  After all, its summer and the lovin' is strong these days... especially the banana tree lovin.   I'm often told I kind of look like a monkey.  Though I don't think it's meant as a compliment, I don't really mind.  I do eat enough bananas to keep a small farm afloat in ecuador.  So maybe my banana lovin' comes naturally. Actually, I'm sure of it.

Here's how my bananas started back in early spring..... These trunks were protected with some fall leaves and a small cage made out of chicken wire.

And here they are in May .... Each year I can't wait to watch the march of the bananas.  Usually starting sometime in late March conveniently.  It never ceases to amaze me how fast they start to fill out.

For anyone who questions whether bananas "belong here?" Look at this one growing in the most conservative part of my garden.  I think it looks pretty cool at least.

And now to the real big ones.... remember the patch at the beginning of the post.

Well they are now over 10 feet tall! These things grow fast.

If the warmth continues I could have my best banana year yet!

And it's not just the super tropical banana leaves that are amazing.  Check out the amazing pseudo stem.

And as for the leaves.... Watching them unfurl before your very eyes (sometimes in the course of a single day) is a truly remarkable experience.

There you have it.  Banana lovin' in the PNW. Who'd of thunk it?!

"go bananas, go go bananas ... eat bananas, eat eat bananas ..."

foliage follow-up!

This foliage follow-up is brought to you by the glow of summers evening.  There is no better time of the year, and no better time of the day.  This is what I wait all year for.  I wait for that magical time of day when the world is all aglow.  The suns warmth still lingers in the air, and for that moment in time you breathe it all in.

One of my greatest joys this summer has been watching the way my young Leccino Olive glows.  It has brought me out to a part of the yard that I don't usually visit in the evening - obviously not enough.  I think that is important.  To have things that draw you deeper into the yard that is.  To feel compelled to journey through your space.

As I have journeyed through the last through months I have waited for my mimosa silk tree to fill in.  With the cold June I thought it might never come when I'd see this tree alive and growing.

But with all the warmth we have experienced over the last weeks it appears everything has caught up.

This palm has not just exploded ... it has gone gang busters!!!

I don't really know what this is.  It appears wild, it has beautiful foliage and does not appear to be all that invasive so I have let it do its thing.

The musa basjoo clump is really starting to put on some size.  It never ceases to amaze me just how fast these things can grow come this time of year.

Like I said, I wait all year for this.

And schefflera (Hoi?) seems to be growing nicely.

This little sedum palmeri is a new addition as well and an instant favourite in my books.

And lets not forget fatsia.  I think I feature this guy in almost every single foliage follow-up.  And why not!?  These are seriously under appreciate in my books.

Here's to savouring the sights, the sounds, the warmth and of course beautiful foliage under the summer sun!! Happy July foliage follow-up everybody!  Visit Pam's blog Digging for more of the fantabulous July foliage follow-up!

Happy Summer!!!

It's summertime officially!! I for one am so VERY excited.  I thought I would share some early summer photos from the yard with everyone now so that I can look back at the end of the season at how things have grown and or been changed - and each year it does in fact change.  Things are still looking a little bit neglected compared to where I am most years.  But hopefully if the sun decides to stick around that will all change! Today is a pressure washing, lawn cutting, nursery visiting day!

The summer Luau's are just around the corner!!! This sign always comes out for a party.  And summer itself is one massive party in the palm garden!!!

Agave parryi has pups!!! That means even more agaves!

See there are a few flowers in the garden.... a few.

My monster chamaerops humilis sure looks happy with some warm sun.  This is the absolute best spot in the garden! It's kind of the place of honor.

And not too much longer to wait till yuccas are blooming...

My new yucca rostrata loving the sunshine! hmm... I think it needs another rostrata friend dont you?

Glorious spikes!

This is about as flowery as I can handle.

I'll leave you with the palms on the first day of summer.  I can't wait to see how much everything grows over the next months.  These palms will happily put on 1.5 feet of trunk!  It's going to be a jungle in no time!!