Sunny Sunday

ferns, hostas and astilbes

heuchera 'Brownies', hostas, jack in the pulpits in back

hostas, astilbes, ferns, bergenia, pulmonia and toad lily(will bloom later in August or September)

Daylily 'Summer Wind'

Coneflowers and 'Quickfire' hydrangea- pink flowers seedlings from white one 'Avalanche'

Phlox 'Sherbet Cocktail'

closeup of Sherbet Cocktail'

Milkweed 'Ice Ballet'

view of timber garden on east side of house

"dare to be different"

double monarda

phlox

Popcorn plant with more flowers open

Cuphea bat ears or mouse ears

Impatiens- a school year end gift from a teacher I work with

more full heads on Invincbelle Spirit hydrangea

Mezoo Trailing Red Dorotheanthus

deer planter with Vancouver Centennial geraniums, Dreamsicle superbells, Licorice Splash, and Red Rooster sedge

Phlox and' Roseglow' barberry

look who's visiting 'Virginia Henson'

hillside 

daylily divisions from ones on east side of house- planted in  2001

Daylily 'Chicago Petticoats'

'Brillant Circle'

'Lady Eleanor'

'Siloam Jim Cooper'

Minnesota colors! 'Blackberry Candy'-an outstanding bloomer too

'Longfields Beauty'

'Potosi'

'Prairie Blue Eyes'

'Chicago Arnie's Choice'

first tomatoes turning color

Stargazer Lily

deck garden

deck garden and magnolias 'Ann' and 'Jane'

     With the heat, humidity, rain and a broken toe the gardens have been on auto pilot for awhile. There are weeds to be pulled, green beans to be picked, mulch still waiting to be put down and two apple trees needing to be grounded. I have pulled a few weeds as I've watered but haven't done much else. Fortunately at this time of year the flowers are fairly capable of holding their own against the weeds. Summer school ends this week so I will have more time in the earlier hours of the day to go out and tend to the garden before it gets too warm.

July Bloom Day

lily from Mom- don't remember name

'Pink Frost' Lenten Rose blooming again. In a pot and I plan on wintering it over in garage since not zone 4 hardy

Echinacea 'Pink Double Delight'

Hydrangea 'Quickfire' and 'Elodie' Lilies

close up

Morning Glory 'Happy Hour Rose'

Hosta 'Gold Drop'

Monarda 'Marshall's Delight'

Daylily that came with house 31 years ago

Monarda 'Coral Reef'

Hosta 'Mighty Mouse'

Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears'

old Daylily from Mom

east side of the house

some of the late blooms on 'William Baffin' Rose

beginning of a pumpkin

Hen and Chicks

Welcome walkway

mini hostas- piece of mulch is about two inches long to give idea of size

small dahlia that I winterover in basement in it's pot

'Invincibelle Spirit' Hydrangea

close up- love the heads of soft pink

Cassia- Popcorn plant that smells like popcorn when you touch it. Leaves fold up when dark.
Will try to winter inside this year.

Daylily 'Lullaby Baby'

Lone flowerhead on 'Twist 'n' Shout' Endless Summer Hydrangea. The only Endless Summer variety that has bloomed this year(out of five different plants)

Rose 'Lady Elsie May'

Daylily 'Lady Eleanor'

Daylily 'Siloam Jim Cooper'

Daylily 'Chicago Picotee Memories'

Daylily 'Longfield's Beauty'

Daylily 'Prarie Blue Eyes'

Daylily 'Hyperion'

'Karl Forrester' and 'Overdam' feather reed grasses next to pool

Impatiens 'Super Elfin Starburst' mix in pots in hosta garden in backyard

    The garden is everchanging on a daily basis. The daylilies are starting to put on their display of varied colors(not many old orange ones). Some roses are still blooming. The coneflowers are standing tall. I don't have a photo yet but since moving my water hyacinth to the sunny backyard it is beginning to bloom. Was excited to see that. The tomatoes are getting fruits. The green beans are forming too. Cucumbers are still behind but starting to bloom along with the squash and pumpkins.
    I haven't done a lot of work in the gardens this week. I hurt my foot on Sunday-maybe a broken or badly sprained toe. I did get some mowing in yesterday but felt it in my foot last night. We have also been redoing our small master bathroom so I was busy with that the past week or so. Another very warm(in the mid nineties) few days are coming our way so not ideal gardening weather.
    My biggest problem this year has been the voles/moles/gophers/whatever that are digging and tunneling in most of our yard. Been fighting with these for many years but at times haven't had as much of a problem. Usually they don't start digging until fall. My husband has trapped the pocket gophers over the years but populations seem larger this year. Even though I'm not a cat person I don't chase the neighborhood cats away from the yard this year. I don't want to use strong chemicals but would like to have something to drive these critters away. Not liking my gardens all dug up!