Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Hot, hot weather, and time in the garden is limited to the coolness of the early morning hours.

This morning I tackled the sad and spent lambs ears that had crept out of the confines of the garden, on to the road. Two wheelbarrow's full to add to the growing compost heap.

The wildflower garden is blooming wildly, and this morning I found an oblong pumpkin growing in amongst the flowers.



The Sunflowers are trying to outdo the barn flower (which towers)and this morning the two goldfinches that have been frequenting the spent sunflowers for seed flew in and out and only occasionally made themselves available for a picture (sad, and in need of editing)



A late lily, and the white phlox just beginning to bloom....





A lot of tidying still to do, and the rhubarb needs to be harvested, - along with the two cucumbers and a handful of cherry tomatoes.....

July 224th, 2009

A while since there has been any record of garden doings, - not because the garden has been neglected. There are still great heaping wheelbarrow loads of detritus, discards and deadheads headed for the compost heap to finish out their lives making wonderful rich earth for future gardens. Eeeeh - isn't it that way for all of us, - more or less...

Waiting for the Shasta daisies to show new buds.

The delphinium are springing up with fresh green leaves, planning on an autumn show.

Over at the back of the garden the bee balm is looking rather sad and shaggy, but the barn flower is in full bloom.

Charles helped me contain it and stake it, so that it won't cover all the surrounding plants with its graceful golden flowers. I put a vase of them on the verandah when we had company for lunch the other day and they looked warm and welcoming.

A wonderful rain on Thursday, - accompanied by thunder and lightning which played havoc with the telephone system in the house.

Nevertheless, today the grasshoppers were out frolicking in the heat of the afternoon. Charles says there is a bait for them, and I will have to go to the farm supply store tomorrow and research it, otherwise the poor plants will go into the fall all tattered and torn and eaten out by grasshoppers (locusts?)

Here is a lovely fragrant rose, new to the garden, - 'Perfume Delight'.

July 18th, 2009

As promised, the barn flower....

July 17th, 2009

In the midst of a heat wave, - the hot weather is not kind to the garden. The Shasta Daisies have had to be almost completely dead-headed, and it seems such a short while since they started to bloom.

One of the new roses has bloomed - a pretty pink with a spicy smell, and as it is close to the sage plant there is a slight aroma of the herb, as well, as you stoop to inhale.



This is a straight out of the camera photo - I waited for the light....

The pots are doing well, and the hollyhocks and sweet peas have almost completely covered the patio. Through the cracks in the tiles the thyme runs rampant, blooming wildly and begging to be cut and dried.




Tomorrow morning I will take a picture of the barn flower, - it is swaying gracefully out in the evening breeze, completely dominating the centre of the garden. Oh, it is a wild place, this Similkameen version of an English Garden.

Monday, July 13th, 2009

oh, oh, - hard at it in the garden this morning.

A cloudy, cooler day to inspire me, but I really didn't intend to get so carried away. Well, it was the remnants of the little mauve daisies and the delphinium that got carried away, - in the wheelbarrow. Along with the weeds that were secretly flourishing in the shade of the bigger plants.

Now the sweet peas have room to breathe deeply and expand, and hopefully, after cutting down the delphiniums, they will start to push up tender new leaves and we will have another mini showing in October!

Tomorrow I will deadhead some more, and then perhaps a few days for the garden to recover and start pushing up the material for the next full wheelbarrow.

The Clematis on the west wall is looking gorgeous, and the little blue one that is finding it's way up the branches of the willow Charles pruned back has some promising buds.



A few volunteer sunflowers are starting to make things cheery, and I was so assiduous in the spring in thinning them there are just enough to provide bright spots and not overwhelm the garden.

We leave that to the barnflower, which despite being cut back in the spring has now taken over central position and is trying to outdo the curly willow in height. Next year it is going to have to move house!!! Right now it is just starting to bloom, and when it is in all it's glorious golden colour, waving in the breeze and looking quite regal, I will be happy with it and take a picture to show you...

Two pairs of orioles came to visit in the garden tonight. - the males still looking handsome and colourful. Who was home looking after the children - or have they all left the nest and it is courting time again?

July 6th, 2009

Just testing...

July 6th, 2009

A gentle rain during the night washed the faces of the flowers and fed the thirsty plants.



Everything flourishes and nudges up to its neighbour, side by each!



Here is a little album to leaf through as you wander about the garden.

July 3rd, 2009
Took the camera along with me when I went to change water tonight, - it was getting late but a nice light for taking pictures.



The Bee Balm all ablaze and making a nice contrast for the lilies that bloom in front of it.



The garden umbrella that shades the diminishing patio is in danger of being pushed to other quarters by the hollyhocks and the flourishing sweet peas.



Above it all a sweet summer sunset, and the last bit of light on K Mountain.