June was cool and showery - July, so far, has been fairly warm, hovering most afternoons around 30 degrees centigrade. so it's early morning for me as far as maintenance goes. And for the last week I have been able to hear the morning song of the birds. It is quiet in the back garden and a lovely place to have the first cup of coffee, and then to fill the cup with raspberries for breakfast. The pale berries have been a good size, and bearing well. The red berries are later, - smaller, but sweet.
All the June flowers have faded and gone - the roses, the delphinium, the foxgloves. I am hoping the foxglove will reseed so I can truly say I have been successful at growing them. I have cut back the delphinium so they will hopefully bloom again in the fall, and of course expect an August flush of roses.
All is now yellows and oranges as we approach mid summer, - the rudabeckia, the day lilies, the barnflowers, and eventually the sun flowers, although none are yet in bloom .
The red and the pinks and the yellows that were in the garden when we moved here were lovely, but rather overgrown by the roses and the quince bush, both of which will have to be severely pruned.
Of course the star of the show was the exotic Spider Lily which I planted in pots with a dahlia and some alistras, which is yet to bloom.
The back garden is really very inviting and quite quiet and enclosed. Of course the whole property is very enclosed and private, but there is always the side fence to lean on and talk to neighbours.
The Bergamot does not make the same brilliant show as it did on the hill, but that is because there are not as many of them. In time they will dominate the top half of the raised bed, and hopefully attract more hummingbirds to feed.
The Shasta daisies have been quite untidy, leaning into the sunflowers and the wisteria vine against the fence, but they have been very large and saucy with their
yellow button centres.
At the front the Rose of Sharon is responding nicely to the good pruning Frank gave it.
and here is my crop of potatoes!!
and one last picture, - the nicotiana in small pots, ready to scent the spot where I sit.
Waiting for the Sunflowers and the Barn flower to come into its own!
