July is Blooming!

I guess July is my big month for my perennials.  

 I did a walk around the yard this afternoon and snapped off a lot of pictures! 

I have been watching some Delphiniums that were taller than me since last week. 

  Unfortunately the morning rain broke them over so I had no choice but to bring 

them indoors!

As you can see they were fabulous.  They were so heavily

laden with flowers the just broke over and I couldn't leave them like that.  

I stuffed some Yarrow in the center for filler.

I wanted to let them hang over like big branches to show how long they are!

~This area is out front of the house~

I like how this is looking like a cottage garden...I like it when the

plants start to mingle with each other.

I do wish the Delphinium would bloom all summer!

I love seeing their spikes of color.

My Shasta Daisies are getting close to blooming and I see a lily has appeared in the middle of them!  I wonder how it got there!  Must of had a little help from a critter!

 The cone flowers are just starting too...

I put in new Coreopsis last year and they've all come back nicely.

The other ones I had slowly disappeared.  I blame it on the variety, but it 

could have been the voles too.  

Love the (Speedwell) Veronica

These lilies have a fabulous color- they seem to glow.

I love how the purple and yellow look great together!

I never posted the Columbines when they bloomed.

These Columbines bloomed back in the middle of June.

The Stella de Oro Lilies are finally blooming.  

This is the part of the island people see as they drive by our home.

I created the island to add privacy and sound absorption. We live close to a main road and it can be noisy.

~To the side of the driveway~ 

Boy these guys are vibrant!  Makes me think of the Southwest!

I moved them from the back of the deck area last year and they seem to be quite 

happy here!

I'm glad I moved them over here they were really getting large and this area can 

handle it better.

~Out back~

I made this my pink garden area last year.  

I bought up a bunch of lilies that were on mark down last summer.  

I stuck with shades of pink.  It looks a little haphazard right now, but each 

year it will improve.

I really love this coloring the best.  They didn't all have their labels so I'm not sure what they are called.

This is another one with similar coloring but it has specks highlighting the center.

These are a peachy pink color that I placed either side of my 

Queen Elizabeth Floribunda Rose

This one is hiding behind my Iris

The birds love the bird bath- it greens up really fast though.  A sopping wet Baltimore Oriole jumped up on the deck railing the other day and I had to chuckle.  

They're so wary though it's hard to get a picture. 

Just in front of this bird bath you can see a big granite stone.  I had three of them 

set there but I've taken one away and...

I moved it to this corner of the pathway to the patio.  I've planted some sedum around it and a white Bell flower-Campanula.  There is a perennial Salvia next to it but it looks terrible right now.  Once these sedum plants fill

out it should look more interesting.

I should have been smart and cut this in half before I planted it!  Oh well....

Right next to that are some very orange lilies!

When I bought them from Lowe's several years ago 

they were labeled as yellow... ha- so much for that!

This year they are the largest I've ever seen them.

These white ones used to be where the orange ones are.  I thought that the voles had eaten them all and then they appeared again, so I decided to separate them last year.

My Hydrangeas are starting too but I better wind this up and I'll save that for my next post.

 I hope you are enjoying your gardens and plants too!

Thank you for visiting!  

Please leave a comment so I know you came by!

Got the Blues....

Yep, I've got the blues...

I've been so excited about these Delphiniums and

  I was planning to take pictures with my

good camera but I got beat by the rain!

I took this picture on the 2nd with my iPhone.

 I put plant supports out to help them but these were over 5 ft. tall and my stakes proved to be too short.

Today they were filled out beautifully but

 This morning we had a lot of rain!

I looked out the front windows and saw they

had broken over so I had to bring them in.

 I decided to display them in this dramatic fashion

to show how big they are. 

The one on the right is 3 ft. long

I cut some of the yellow

Yarrow (Achillea) to fill in the center. 

I'm getting a lot of use out of this vase

I got from my Mom's.  It's a very heavy vase and 

capable of supporting this bunch.

 I've got the blues...on top of my table!

I'm joining
Kathe with an E
for
Your'e Gonna Love It!

and

Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson
for
Share Your Cup Thursday 
 

A walk around the yard....

Well finally... my Rose of Sharon 

(Althea, Hibiscus Syriacus) is blooming!  

It's certainly taken it's time this year to bloom!  Actually I am glad to know it's alive and seeing it bloom was a nod to the fact that I didn't kill it last year when I gave it quite a cutting back! There are a lot of buds yet to open but they are all facing the neighbors house!  I figured I better take a picture before I forget to!

You'll notice the bumble bee was visiting too!  The flowers are a purplish blue double bloom.

Such a pretty flower...

Now on to some random shots

 These Black Eyed Susan's haven't amounted to much this year.  They seem shorter than normal too...

The Stella D'Oro lilies are blooming again, but of course not as prolifically as the first time.

 Some more Delphinium

The Yarrow and Coreposis are still blooming

The Russian Sage has a very wild look to it this year.  I think they prefer to be planted in a spot where they can be on their own.  At least is smells good!

 The Sweet Alyssum that returned from last year has filled in nicely

Smells good too!  We have leaves dropping here and there....the fall season won't be long!

On the deck...I am awarding myself the "ugliest potted plant" award...this Sweet Potato Vine has been polite enough to produce flowers but I can't say that I 

enjoyed the plant.  

Very mixed about my plants I chose this year.  I need a better plan next year!

Let's wander to the back...

The arbor has Sweet Autumn Clematis...no blooms yet...and Morning Glories growing with no flowers too!  What gives??

Along the path some hostas with unusual flowers!  

 The shade in the back yard provides a great environment for these plants

 I only fertilized once this late spring with the Flower Tone and Plant Tone and the annuals
got a sprinkling of Osmocote as they were planted.

The always reliable Impatiens make a great display...the Golden Japanese Forest Grass, Hakonechloa "Aureola" gracefully lay along the stone wall...

Lastly, my planters in front of the garage took off rather wildly! The Sweet PotatoVine really got a run on and has just about taken over!  I do like the red Supertunias...they made a good show. 

One of the bloggers I follow Cabin & Cottage left this sentiment on a beautiful post she did- it grabbed my heart strings and expressed my sentiment!  
With her permission I'm sharing it...
(please click the link to see her beautiful post!)

When the season finally changes, it will be sweet and a bit sad.  I will want to hold summer tightly for a moment as you do with a loved one when you wish you could stay forever.  Already waiting, though not idly, until the next time you meet. . . .

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Thanks for visiting!

Liz

I'm joining 
Fishtail Cottage for
Garden Party #17
and
Today's Flowers