Monday, July 26, 2010

3rd update on the early summer Garden

" Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability."
-   Sam Keen 

But only in the afternoon, - in the morning we deadhead and collect errant weeds that grow in the shade under blooming plants.  The compost heap grows by leaps and bounds.




"Blessed be the Lord for the beauty of summer and spring, for the air, the water, the verdure, and the song of birds." 
-   Carl von Linnaeus   


Some purple nicotinia  in a pot
the seeds of the fragrant white that I planted did not deign to come up - not this year, anyway....

Courting visitors on the old blue bird feeder


The daylilies grew well in their new spot at the end of the house



Early chrysathemums take the place of the lavender daisy


Just one lone lovely stalk of bells rising above the broad leaves of the agapanthus (I think)


The double shasta daisies come and go, so quickly.  They require constant deadheading, but I find when I do the promise of new buds further down along the stem.


The small blue clematis that winds around the willow tree it came with


The perennial sweet peas grow ever fuller and taller, - beautifully delicate,
 and dear because of the memories they bring.




The first sunflowers that have come unbidden, - but what would the garden be like without them.





A lovely summer moon rises early in the evening, bidding the sun begone.


and beckons one out to enjoy the cool of the evening


We are now up-to-date!  It is the 26th of July and I will post again at the end of the month.

The beauty of the perennials is so transient, - here today, gone tomorrow.  

It is necessary to be very aware, - to spend time in the garden with open eyes and an open heart.

To say farewell to the bloom that fades, and anticipate the bud that swells with promise.


Sunday, July 25, 2010

Part 2 of the early summer update......


“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege




it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”

-   Marcus Aurelius 








"On this June day the buds in my garden are almost as enchanting as the open flowers.  Things in bud bring, in the heat of a June noontide, the recollection of the loveliest days of the year - those days of May when all is suggested, nothing yet fulfilled."




-  Francis King



Grocery store Roses




Some of the lovely lilies that grow in the garden






Some bright sunshine to carry us through until October



The Hollyhocks are sad this year, blighted and their leaves full of holes.



The garden at the end of June





Another grocery store rose



The poppies that came uninvited but welcomed with open heart




Sweet William that wandered over from the garden, along with the lamb's ears



Bee balm, a bright spot at the back of the bed



A fancy poppy in red tutu










More lilies

















A medley of poppies and roses





























The Shasta daisies come into their own


Saturday, July 24, 2010

July 24th, 2010

Too much digging in the garden, - not enough writing about it!

A little update on July amongst the current blooms.

Summer arrived on the 21st of June, - still cool and pleasant but since then the days of early morning gardening and snoozing afternoons have come upon us.

But here is the garden while yet the temperature was being kind to the tender fragile blooms.

The roses still flourished, at the height of their first flush.












The new astilbe, a dainty, creamy spire at this stage of the game.

Katie brought a lovely bouquet from her rose garden


A canterbury bell surprised me next to the pathway,  blending in with the miniature bridal wreath.


The lavender daisies


Lilies and poppies and the remnants of the white delphinium. 


Miss Callie sunning herself on the bench beneath the Philadelphia Orange


and at night a full moon smiles benignly down on the sleeping garden


Lilies and roses, again





a gorgeous bloom on the mock orange, pure and fragrant


So green, so vivid, and the evening scented stock smells so heavenly

and, in the evening, it is all just a little mysterious


Observe this dew-drenched rose of Tyrian gardens
A rose today.  But you will ask in vain
Tomorrow what it is; and yesterday
It was the dust, the sunshine, and the rains.
-  Christina Rosetti