We hit the 94-95 deg. and things really moved along.
When we left last Friday to be gone for a few days these pink peonies were happily blooming. I didn't stake them this year- just let them be natural.
While we were gone they finished and the white ones bloomed but they fell onto the hardy geraniums.
My white ones are the strongest in smell!
Some lilies started blooming
I like their orange color next to the orange marmalade hosta.
This is a red version of my peonies. I've been really lazy this year about this garden bed. It takes care of itself but I feel bad that I didn't help the peonies stand up a bit better.
Tiny Bee Asiatic Lily blooming and soon the butterfly weed next to it will be blooming!
This red shrub rose surprises me each year. The blue spruce is growing larger and larger and it's going to cover it up before long. Poor thing gets neglected but keeps thriving.
The Stella d'oro day-lilies are just starting.
Those are coreopsis all along the front. It's going to look magnificent when they bloom!
These magic fountain delphiniums are just starting to bloom. I just love them. They get taller and make quite a show.
The Lemon Princess spirea on the end of the island are blooming and have bees all over them.
The hydrangeas bulked up in size and I'm delighted they are full of blooms. The left side are Limelight Hydrangeas and the right side are Endless Summer Hydrangeas.
Once they get blooming it's going to be a great display. Last year I had about 3 flowers. Last fall I tied them up to help them take the snow load better and I didn't cut them shorter like I usually do. Our winter wasn't quite as severe either so it looks like a good year for these.
On the deck I planted two of these with morning glories with a small trellis. I've had bad luck with them in the past hardly blooming because where I had them there just wasn't enough sun. My plan is that they will grab onto the railing and spread out- should be fun to watch them grow and pretty in the mornings once they start blooming! Some little green caterpillars have been munching on them and the hydrangeas.
The Annabelle Hydrangea really grew and has begun shading the fairy garden a lot. I'm still waiting for the 2nd cottage I ordered. The red bike is sitting on the pad I made for it. Notice the green light hanging over the garden? It looks real cute at night. I'll have to take some pictures at night and show you!
The pink dianthus suddenly started blooming too! Everything got larger in the fairy garden!
This is a gold flame spirea. I really cut it down last fall so I wasn't sure if I'd even seen blooms but it's starting to look pretty.
I'm so happy that I've seen a lot more butterflies this year than I have in a while. Last year it seemed like I hardly saw any. We also have had a lot of dragon flies and they seemed early this year. Must be something to do with the temperatures.
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (missing part of a wing)
Well- you all have a great upcoming weekend!
