Archives for July 2015

Last fall I dug a new flower bed, that would be only for white blooms. (Disregard rogue yellow daffodil…)

This summer I have planted a variety of perennials and annuals, and it is now filling out nicely.

The zinnia and alyssum are lovely together.

White cleome is striking and so interesting.

I found a few little white roses to tuck in.

Miss Manners Physostegia – Obedient Plant, which I hope stays obediently well sized.

The Acidanthera isn’t blooming yet, but a nice contrast in the bed with the spiky foliage.

The whitest daylily I could find.

White Cosmos and nicotiana sylvestris are coming along.

One nicotiana is starting to bloom.

There is also a gaura and a few white geraniums.

I love this mixture of perennials and annuals.

More work but definitely more bloom time, and I’m finding you need a lot of blooms for the white to make a statement.

Always fun to try something new in the garden.

The daylily season has started!

I love every one of them, but especially frilly ones, and those with coloured borders.

So many beautiful colours and combinations, it’s a delight every summer to see them again.

I only have one picture to show today.

Do you know what this is?

It is an Agapanthus, and I am so excited to see it blooming.

I have about 5 plants that all made it through a very cold winter,

and now three of the plants are going to bloom!

So this is a sneak peek of what’s coming.

 

The Redbirds in a Tree (Scrophularia macrantha) came through the winter well, and is flourishing in the garden.

They really do look like little red birds in a tree don’t they?

One plant might not be enough, three plants make a bigger colour statement,

and they are quite an attraction for the hummingbirds.

Buzzzzzz.  That’s a great word to describe the milkweed patch.

The milkweed plants are buzzing with activity these days.

And you can hear all the buzzing of hundreds of bees and flies and other insects.

Buzzzzzzzzzzzz…..

 

I am excited to see LOTS of raspberries on the bushes.

This is the first year that I’ll have enough for more than one dessert!

I was not  excited to see this.

Fresh new growth limp and wilting.

And do you see those two brown rings?

Apparently it is raspberry cane borer.  The beetle chews two rings around the tender shoots, and lays an egg between them.

One article online said to remove the stem between the two girdles and discard.

Just how is one supposed to do that?

I’ve pruned them off below the bottom ring and I’ll be watching for more damage.

But the raspberries are coming!

 

The pond is starting to fill out nicely now.

The water hyacinth and water lettuce both have baby plants.

The lilies are starting to bloom.

The fish and frogs are getting along well.

So nice to see the pond supporting life, and being beautiful too!