Sum,sum,summertime!

Summer is in full swing with the hottest week of the year and record setting Fourth of July temps over 100 degrees. I've managed to keep things well hydrated with just a little help from a nice summer night rain storm.  We have also spent time in the pool keeping cool every day this week. It's so relaxing just floating on the water and watching all the birds flying around the yard. Mr and Mrs Robin are working hard to keep their second set of children this year well fed. It won't be long until they're empty nesters again.
Instead of a lot of individual flowers I thought I'd do a kind of tour of the yard this time. One surprise I found the other day was a beautiful lone magnolia blossom. The magnolias are forming their buds for next year right now but I was surprised to see a fully formed flower open. Enjoying it because the spring buds all froze just as they were opening this spring.
Hope everyone is keeping cool and enjoying the summer in the gardens.

Magnolia 'Ann'

front yard

coming from the driveway

view from the front step

what I'm missing most this year is many of my mature pink lilies that were eaten up by the underground critters over the mild winter. I lost five or six beautiful clumps in my gardens although some are coming back from tiny leaves.

east side of house- this has been here since 1980 when my husband and a landscaper friend of ours built this for me. a  lot of the plants have changed but the daylilies have been there since day one

backyard as you come in gate or out the backdoor

garden with 'William Baffin' rose-he's my favorite! (facing east here)

looking south towards pool from backdoor, stairs to deck

the deck

hosta garden next to pool-we did not plan on pool when we planted this tree many years ago, too bad it blocks the afternoon sun which keeps water on the cool side(okay when it's really hot) those darn critters also ate some of the hosta roots in this garden so some are rather small this year

back of house- magnolia trio

under the deck

hillside tumble garden

fenceline daylilies

southwest corner of yard

backside of pool with grasses

west side of backyard

pool side

veggie garden that needs weeding!(it's been too hot)  the vegetables aren't doing as well this year although the beans are full of flowers. the peppers and tomatoes just seem to be sitting there-not sure what they're waiting for

view from west side of fence

west side of garage

Our circle around the house is done. Hope you liked the tour.

June Bloom Day

'Henry Kelsey' Rose

My all time favorite- 'William Baffin' Rose, special too because my dad's name was William

Closeup

'Fiesta' Rose

love the uniqueness of each flower

'Pavement Foxi' Rose

always a great bloomer

'Pink Lemonade' honeysuckle

sorry, I'm not sure what  the other three honeysuckles are

I think this is 'Mandarin'

I always have to have a cuphea in this watering can. This year I found this pretty pink one instead of the  bright red and purple ones.

'Invicibelle Spirit' Hydrangea full of blossoms

a pretty callibrachoa we found- love the white edge

My deer got a new liner this year. Planted with licorice plants, Callibrachoa 'Mocha',  a Mocha coleus and 'Vancouver Centennial' Geranium

'Rosa Mundi'  Rose (with 'Lolypop' lily in background)

Once again this year, more rosa than mundi. This should look like the Fiesta rose instead.

'Pavement Snow' Rose

'Fuchsia Meidiland' Rose

'Pink Gnome' Rose-a tiny fellow

'Sunrise, Sunset' Rose

'Morden Blush' Rose 

another view of 'Fuchsia Meidiland'

hillside garden with spots of color. Coneflowers and Liatris will be in bloom soon, adding more color.

Pink Lily

'Peach Pixie' Lily with neighboring spirea

'Peach Pixie'

Spirea

new find- a hybrid Sunvillea Pink, Bougainvillea

one of many deck planters- 'Pretty Much Picasso' petunias, nemesia and euphorbia

Astrantia

White begonia that spends winters inside-earliest these have bloomed after moving outside for the summer

Pink begonia also blooming early

sign on the backyard gate with double purple callibrachoa

Look who's hiding in the garden amongst the lilies

fairy dish garden-added the tiny pine tree called 'Gnome' and 'Lemon Thyme' this week

June has been a wonderful month for my many roses. They are all doing a great job putting on a colorful display of all shades of pink-my favorite color. The honeysuckles were all blooming at the same time on the back fence this year which I think is a first. I have managed to get out a few times to plant up the many containers but trying not to work too hard with the persistent pain still in my side(physical therapy is helping some). I have found new plants to replace what the critters ate or killed over the snowless winter. Gradually the holes are getting filled in. I am happy to say I have made it out to the garden centers with my mom during the past month, although by the end of the visits we are both tired out (Mom more than me). It is something she still wants to try to do as we both love hunting for the new and different that you can't find by going to just one place. It takes several trips before we are done.
Thanks to May Dreams Gardens for hosting another bloom day. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer(although it's not official until next week)