"A garden is a delight to the eye and a solace for the soul."
- Sadi -
Our local paper recently wrote “
If you like your summer days mild and your evenings cool this has been the perfect summer. But if you enjoy 30-degree days and sweating through steamy nights after a too-long winter, this summer has been a disaster.”
It’s been a ‘lukewarm’ summer; wonderfully comfortable without any major heat waves. I’m personally loving it (minus some of the rain), and so is my garden. With the cool and wet weather, the plants have been blooming for unbelievably lengthy periods. In all the years I've been tending to this garden, I've never seen such a continuous explosion of colour. There are flowers popping up everywhere, and they’re sticking around for a very long time.
Come along for a stroll...
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| I love the pretty blooms of the Lilium 'Lollypop'. Unfortunately, so do the rabbits! |
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| The rabbits are also enjoying the Asclepias tuberosa more than I'd like them to. |
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| Lilium 'Royal Sunset' puts on a spectacular show each year. |
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| The elegant white flowers of the Lilium 'Navona'. |
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| Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Rainbow’ adds a special touch with its delicate blooms. |
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| Butterflies can't resist the Centaurea dealbata flowers. |
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| No garden is complete without the presence of Shasta Daisies. |
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| All the Monardas (Beebalms) are thriving with the cool and wet weather. |
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| Rudbeckia hirta 'Toto Rustic' is a favourite of bees and butterflies. |
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| Alcea rosea ‘Spotlight Mars Magic’ produces beautiful red flowers and grows almost 7 feet tall! |
What’s your summer like so far?
Such gorgeous flowers! If you're looking for your steamy heat, we've got it here in Alberta. You can have it back anytime you want! It was 32 yesterday. Too hot pour moi.
ReplyDeleteNo thanks, Debra! It's all yours. I'll just have to enjoy it...from way over here! LOL...
DeleteOh Martha! I could just eat them all up - just like the rabbits, they are so beautiful! As for the weather, I'm really happy about it - after the sizzler of last summer and the deep freeze of last winter - we deserve this weather!!! So glad your garden agrees!
ReplyDeleteWe do deserve this, Francie! I love this type of weather. It warms up during the way, but not terribly so. And at night it's quite cool. The best type of summer for me!
DeleteOh my, I am in awe.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous, gorgeous flowers.
How you must love your garden ....
I do love it, Margie. It's quite a bit of work, but well worth it.
DeleteMartha, your flowers also attract cameras. What beautiful photos. I have a question about the second to the last photo. You identify this as Rudbeckia Hirta. I've known these flowers as Gaillardia aristata or more commonly Blanket flowers. Am I wrong? I've seem them growing around San Antonio, TX and in Oklahoma, but never cultivated them myself.
ReplyDeleteWell, I can't say either way because I'd need to see the flower you're referring to. Blanket flowers and these flowers can look quite similar. I have a few Gaillardia growing in my garden, and I can clearly see a resemblance, The one in my photo is definitely a Rudbeckia, but the one you are mentioning may very well be a Gaillardia that looks quite similar.
DeleteBonjour Martha,
ReplyDeleteIn the background of your Gaura lindheimeri, there is some blue flower... aren't you afraid they are going to be jealous not to be showed! :)
I love flowers colors but I don't have a green thumb, as a mater of fact even a cactus died on me because it was too neglected!
Nope, I'm not afraid. Because that blue flower has had its 15 minutes of fame, or so to speak. And did it care when the Gaura was ignored? Not one bit. So, it can suffer in silence...LOL...
DeleteActually, a cactus is not as easy to grow as people think, so you're not that bad!
Love the flower pics! I like cool summers myself. It's been hot here in Oregon, and I don't like it. Can't wait for fall!
ReplyDeleteI love cooler summers, and this one has certainly been a winner for that. Well, I hope your weather cools off soon enough.
DeleteWow. Your garden has some amazing shots. I a sorry to hear about the rabbits.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lady Lilith!
DeleteAs for the rabbits, they're just trying to eat. I'm not really bothered by them. It's cute having them in my garden.
what a treat today Martha!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Christine. Flowers always brighten up the day.
DeleteMartha, these are beautiful! I particularly LOVE the last one.....single Hollyhocks! Are they not?
ReplyDeleteWhat a selection of lillium too!
Yup, Hollyhocks! I love them. Gorgeous plants. I have a couple of them in the garden, and plan to add a few more. I have to protect them, though, because the rabbits eat them.
DeleteAll brilliant photos. Each one.
ReplyDeleteI've love this summer. It's like one long Autumn and I'll take it any day of the week.
You hit the nail on the head, Wonder Woman. That is exactly what it's like...one long Autumn! Love it.
Deletenice flowers
ReplyDeleteThanks, Adam!
DeleteGorgeous flowers and photos!
ReplyDeleteI love this summer too. Great for outdoor fun!
Yes, a great summer for outdoor fun! You can actually stay outdoors without dying of heat!
DeleteAmazing! I was expressing mmmms, as I scrolled through the photos - though the Monardas looks to be sticking it's tongue out at me.
ReplyDeleteThat may be true! They have a bit of an attitude ;)
DeleteYou do have lots of color. Some years are just better than others.
ReplyDeleteThat is very true. It all depends on the weather, and this year it's great for some plants.
DeleteHot, hot, hot and almost no rain--I'm in Phoenix, AZ!
ReplyDeleteExtreme weather! Nothing in my garden would survive that type of weather!
DeleteMy favorites: first and last! The "Lollypop" and "Spotted Mars Magic" are glorious. We have NOTHING like that here in the desert where I live. Summer is… different here. Today it was 107 in the shade with 19% humidity. Wretched. I miss beautiful plants and flowers like these, like I was able to grow up in Idaho. I might be able to get some of these plants to grow in winter, though… That's our "summer-like" season, comparatively; the season for growth.
ReplyDeleteA totally different world, for sure! But I'm sure you have your own spectacular things there. I hope to visit the desert areas in the US one day. I find them fascinating!
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