Island Out Front- Mid July

I took a few more pictures in the early evening of the front island.

 Don't you just love it when a bunch of your flowers are blooming altogether!

When I first spotted these Shata Daisies at the garden center I liked how their flower heads stood straight up facing the sky and they start out a soft yellow and grow to a white color as they mature.  I cannot find any notes on the name of these which disappoints me greatly.

 I'm so pleased that this delphinium keeps coming back each year.  In the past I've had some that seemed to go for a couple of years and then just disappear.    Now I want another one, or two or three!

The coreopsis is at it's best right now!

 On the right is a large patch of Black Eyed Susan's that will be the next pop of color!

 I'm glad I made this border of coreopsis- they do well and make a great display.  

 We have been a little neglectful about keeping the edge of the island looking groomed this year.  We decided to forgo getting mulch this year- we'll catch up on it next year!

 I'm so tickled with the Butterfly Bush plant- it's gotten larger each year and makes such a nice display.  Great summery colors- orange, purple and yellow!

The purple looks so good standing next to the yellow.

Speedwell- Veronica and Zagreb Coreopsis

 When we created this island it was to cut down on some of the noise from the road out front and it has helped.  The blue spruces were much smaller then and I thought I had made enough room for their growth.  We've expanded the island 2 times afterwards and the spruce tree keeps getting larger!  I love seeing the branches go to the ground but it does present a problem with mowing around it on the other side.  I'm debating removing a few lower branches.  I just don't want to ruin it's looks so I need to be careful.

I'll leave you with this bouquet of flowers and wish you a very happy weekend.

 

A New Garden Bed and an Evening Stroll

I weeded and prepared a bed for some new perennials 

I have tulips that come up here in the spring and some lilies that have just finished blooming.  There are some lily of the valley that got in here but I worked at getting them out today.  They have the sweetest little flowers but they are so invasive!  There was a little hosta hiding in here from an old garden that used to be here.

I clustered all my plants into my cart- I love how they look!

I got them set- they look a little haphazard but next year they will look a lot fuller.  I'm going to keep the store tags with them so next spring I can remember where they were set.  We're going to put some landscape bark down to help with the weeds and it looks good!

I wanted a dramatic bunch of Russian Sage so I put three of them in and I put these Tuscan Sun Heliopsis close by because I think their a great mix together.

These Coneflowers are called Secret Affair from the Secret Series- they are fragrant too!

This is a Helenium plant (Sneezeweed)  It's a really cute flower and will be hearty in our area.  I look forward to it getting larger each year!

Looking up the slope of this bed are the Asiatic lilies and a Crocosmia- Lucifer plant (the tall sword life leafed plant.  I guess they are related to Gladioas

I think they look very exotic like something I'd expect in Hawaii!

Turning to my side across the driveway the Limelight Hydrangea is starting to flower.  It's coming on fast- always a pleasure to see it bloom.

On the front island near the hydrangea my Shasta daisies, Coneflowers and Coreopsis are blooming away

Does this say summer or what! These coneflowers are called Little Annie

Zagreb Coreopsis

I don't know the name of this cone flower off hand but I love the color.  The stems are very dark and the flower really stands out.

The Black Eyed Susans are just starting to flower

The Butterfly Weed has been blooming for a good week or more.  

These Meadowbrite coneflowers have been in for at least three years and they've really spread out nicely.  They stay short and compact.  

This is an Orange Marmalade Hosta. It starts out with somewhat of an yellow/orange cast and then fades to more of a white look.  I think mine gets too much sun- it's color hasn't been as rich as it should be.

This island garden just blooms along without much effort.  I dead head flowers and pull a few bits of grass that try to invade but that's about it.  

Early evening at the end of a beautiful summer's day!

 

The floral parade...

The floral parade continues. 

 It's such a treat to see the flowers showing off their happy colors and pretty faces!

My island out front has been blooming away. We had a garage sale this past Saturday and I worked on prepping for it throughout last week...which was hard because of that heat dome we were under.  98 with a heat index of 105

The day of the garage sale it cooled off and it was quite comfortable.  People were taking tours of my gardens.  They were all so kind and complimentary.  Made me feel good!

These drooping Delphiniums are all that's left of those big 5 ft. tall ones I had.  I love the bright blue color.  It makes for some nice summery color combinations.

These little cone flowers are coming along nicely.

The Zagreb Coreopsis have turned out to be a winner!

When I found these Shasta Daisies at the garden center I liked how the flower's face is straight up.  I've got to hunt around the plants and see if I can find their tag, because I don't remember their name.

Last week

A new cone flower I put in last year looks pretty mixed in with some these purple delphiniums. 

Too bad I didn't remove that green plant stake for the picture!

The Peachie's Pick Stokes Asters are starting to bloom too.

Still waiting to see the Black Eyed Susans! 

This butterfly weed made it back.  I love their color.

More cone flowers- I believe these are called Little Annie

I love the soft delicate flower of the hostas.  

Summer, summer, summer!  Yes!

 Out back the hostas are all blooming.  I enjoy watching the hummingbirds visit them. They dance around feeding off of them and it's a joy to watch.

These are short and stout but I love the variegated

 coloring they have.  These are Amber Tiara hosts.

These hosta flowers are draping across like flags hanging.

The Endless Summer Hydrangeas are blooming.

I love the different stages of the flower.

My soil is very alkaline and even with the fertilizer that's supposed to help turn them more blue this is about as much blue as I can get from them.

Love their soft fluffy flowers

This one is a giant...almost like 3 flowers

Last year I had no flowers due to the untimely frosts so I'm tickled to see them blooming!

 These Sunday Gloves day lilies are framed with some Razzamatazz day lilies. 

  I think they are a stunning lily.  Definitely my favorite!

Thanks as always for visiting!

I love to hear from you.

I'm sorry I haven't gotten around to visit much lately, 

but I will try to do better!