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Garden Tour

7/5/2018

8 Comments

 
 Just as I thought, things are happening fast in the garden right now! We had a nice soaking rain last week, and then the heat wave arrived. Today is the last day of that and also the hottest with a record high of 96 and low of 73. I've actually been enjoying it, especially after such a cold June (we had a light frost on the 15th and 22nd!). So, I am about to take you on a looong garden tour!
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Remember when we could hardly see the house over the snow?
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What a different world it is now! Those rose bushes were completely buried, by the way!
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The old rugosa roses that were here when we moved in were the only roses to survive last winter. I guess I'm going to have to look into getting some Canadian Explorer roses.
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The lupines were absolutely lovely last week, but now are starting to look a little messy as they go to seed. Oh well, there are disadvantages to being a serious seed-saver with limited space, but it's worth it!
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I am delighted with my little herb garden right now. The only thing missing is the foxgloves, none of whom survived last winter either. 
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But the Valerian! It may well be my favorite herb! These in the herb garden are blooming for the first time and are a little smaller. The plants in the flower garden are now over 6 feet tall!
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It will perfume the whole yard with only a few flowers open!
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And butterflies love it! I saw this one fluttering around them one morning and was so frustrated because I didn't have the camera. But it stayed so long I finally decided to go back and get it, and sure enough it was still there and stayed around long enough for me to get several pictures.
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The comfrey has gotten huge. I finally cut some of it back yesterday because it was toppling over onto the plants in front of it, but I may have to cut them back all the way because they are starting to get powdery mildew. 
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The flowers make for some very happy bumble bees!
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The Castor Beans are finally settled in and starting to grow again in the heat.
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Evening Dame's Rocket, Sweet Rocket, Damask Violet, Vesper Flower...whatever you want to call it! 
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The Sweet Williams are at their loveliest.
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I loved the markings on this one!
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And this...
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This one is a bit of an oddity...kinda reminds me of a baobab tree!
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'Sarah Bernhardt' is my favorite peony...I just wish it would have waited until the rain was over before bursting into bloom!
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I'm not sure what was in that rain we had last week! There wasn't much wind and most of the time it was a light rain or mist...but the next day I noticed that this tree had just fallen over!
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A little later the same day my sister and I were standing under this tree in the front yard when we suddenly heard a loud crack and down came this branch (we got out of the way just in time)! I know it was old and dead anyway, but it's been there a long time. There was also a young tree bent over my running trail!
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But, back to the flowers! My 'Benjamin Franklin' peony surprises me every year, sometimes blooming earlier than 'Sarah Bernhardt', and sometimes later! 
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The bees seem to prefer it over all the other peonies.
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I don't know the name of this one. It came free with a nursery order a couple years ago and this is its first year to bloom.
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'Coral Charm' is opening, too!
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This is Kniola's Purple-Black morning glory. It is just beginning to climb the arbor (after I stopped it from trying to strangle the forget-me-nots!) but is already flowering close to the ground. It looks like the center is glowing in every picture I've taken!
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The Anise has been doing very well. From what I read it will be little short of a miracle if it ripens seed here, but who knows? 
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My French Mallow plants are starting to bloom. The seeds came from Monticello!
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The seed garden...well, it isn't as good as I hoped, nor as bad as I feared considering the poorness of the soil in this spot. Still, I think most of my seed supply is going to come from the flower gardens again this year. I made the mistake of letting the buckwheat go to seed last summer, so it has been coming up everywhere. Oh well, I guess that's just more soil improvement! 
It has turned out to be more of a place to put the extra plants that I had no room for in the flower gardens, although there is a nice patch of dill and borage. I'll know to plan better next year!
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The mint is happy!
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I've never done well growing basil, but oddly enough my plants seem to like it better here than in my little herb garden!
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Close-up of the dill...
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This is completely unrelated, but I just thought some of you would enjoy seeing my new "grandogs"! These are Nellie's babies (born June 6th). There are 6 girls and 1 boy. I can't believe how fast they are growing up! 
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And this is one of Carina's boys born in February! He spent last weekend with us and we had a lot of fun! His name is Henry. :)
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Carina was excited to see him! She is such a loving mama.
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Alright, I think that's everything! Thanks for coming along with me!
8 Comments
Diane Coto
7/5/2018 08:20:19 am

Absolutely beautiful. I'm here because of your link on KP. You've got a great camera eye also! :)

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Joanna link
7/5/2018 04:18:40 pm

Thank you for stopping by! Photography is one of my hobbies and I get a lot of practice as well. :)

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Donna
7/5/2018 09:42:32 am

Thanks for sharing your lovely space. Since retiring I moved into an apartment, which I love, but miss having flowers! Yours are all beautiful!!!

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Joanna link
7/5/2018 04:21:20 pm

I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)

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Eliza link
7/5/2018 10:52:41 am

I loved your garden tour, Joanna - cottage garden style is my favorite and yours is lovely with roses, peonies which I adore, sweet william and more. Isn't it amazing the contrast between winter and summer? It good to be reminded!

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Joanna link
7/5/2018 04:24:42 pm

Thank you, Eliza. :)
It is an amazing contrast...I'm going to have to go back and look at these comparison pictures next winter when I'm worried that the snow can never melt before July!

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Jason link
7/7/2018 11:46:24 am

Wow, those Lupines! Gorgeous! Interesting about the Valerian, I have never grown it. Also I like the Comfrey, which I also have not grown either. Reminds me a bit of Borage, which I have a lot of.

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Joanna link
7/7/2018 03:17:39 pm

Some people don't like the smell of Valerian, but I can't understand why because to me it just smells like a very strong vanilla!
I was fascinated to learn last winter that Comfrey is a member of the Borage family!

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    ​I am a passionate gardener and seed-saver, who also enjoys playing the violin and accordion, running, spending time with my 4 golden retrievers, keeping chickens, photography, and reading. ​
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