My Garden in August

Despite all the rain, or perhaps because of it, the garden is looking particularly floriferous (is that a word?) and abundant these days. I'm sure it won't last too much longer, so I captured a few moments of the garden at its summer peak.

Here's the front-left:


Front-right:


My son made me buy this Dahlia plant when I was browsing the seed aisle -- his instructions were, "I want the big one." He rarely shows an interest in what I plant, so I went along with him. I dubiously planted the tuber in the Spring and pretty much forgot about it, until I noticed this lovely flower this week. What a surprise! Now I'm totally in love with Dahlia's and can't wait to try some more.


Another happy surprise was the Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-Mist). I sprinkled some seeds this Spring, and hoped for the best. It's now growing around my Belinda's Dream Rose, and I just love it. You can't tell from the pictures, but the Nigella petals actually turn a lovely periwinkle blue as they ripen.


Here's the Nigella in close-up. Isn't the common name perfect?


-Steph

Late Afternoon in July

Yesterday was a truly memorably beautiful day; no clouds (a rarity this summer), no mugginess, and gentle sea breezes. After a perfect beach day, I took a survey of the garden and was happy with a few things I found.

Like my bush tomatoes are starting to ripen:


And the bush cukes are just going nuts. They don't seem to mind the wet weather:


Many of my flowers are really peaking or beginning their decline, but there were a few standouts.

Like these hemerocallis (daylily) that I saved from the %50-off rack at Home Depot:


Or this Belinda's Dream Rose that I ordered from Antique Rose Emporium -- it's supposed to be just about the perfect rose (its an Earthkind rose -- drought and disease resistant, and a repeat bloomer, with the classic, cupped bloom form). I planted it this June, and its beginning its second bloom of the summer.


Many of my hydrangeas are beginning to decline, but are still lovely. Like this Nikko Blue Hydrangea that I feel is making a nice pairing with my variegated dogwood (Cornus alba 'Ivory Halo').


I got this Alpenglow Hydrangea last year, a sale item from Bluestone Perennials. It came in a 4-inch pot and is now about 2ft x 2ft. I love how the electric pink has mellowed to a softer, mauvey pink.


I caught Auggie, frequently known as the Devil Dog, taking a breather under my Japanese Dappled Willow (Salix integra 'Hakuro-nishiki' ). Belying his nature, he looks rather sweet and cuddly.


-Steph

My First Lily! (and other stuff)

The Lily above is Black Beauty. I ordered these from Old House Gardens, and so far, I'm delighted with how they've come up. They're eventually supposed to grow to between 5 and 7 feet tall! Though currently, they have only reached about 2 and 1/2 feet. Everyone says that Lilies are eaten by the Lily Leaf-eater Beetle (rather appropriately named), so I'll be on the look-out, but so far, so good.

My Double Red Knockout Rose continues to delight:


And here's my new favorite Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Variegata'):


I was actually pretty shocked that this Hydrangea bloomed; most garden sites suggest that the buds freeze higher in zones higher than 7. I'm in 6b here in Swampscott, but the shrub is on the North side of the house, tucked up against a very warm PVC fence.

The Gaura have gone crazy this year. I actually cut them back earlier in June because they were starting to flop over:


-Steph

P.S. The pic below is for Maria -- this is the Hardy Pampas Grass (aka Ravenna Grass) I'm thinking about tearing it out. It's a Monster!

Summer?

At this point it feels a bit redundant to complain about the weather, but it is just awful! I am sure my neighbors thinks I'm even more bonkers (they already think I'm bonkers) for gardening in the misty/sprinkles that pass for a break in the rain, but I don't see a choice. On the other hand, I haven't had to water very much.

Despite the lack of sun, there have been a few bits of inspiration around the garden. Many plants are beginning their bloom, and have grown into monsters with all the rain.

I've been calling the unnamed rose bush I dug up at my Grandma's a Hybrid Tea, but because it is starting to develop multiple blooms on one stalk, I'm actually starting to think it is a Floribunda. Once it breaks bud, it's this bright pink.


After a few more days, it matures to this heavenly pale pink.



This rose is lovely, but difficult. Aphids love it, it already has some black spot and leaf curl, but I've decided to go organic in my garden, and if a rose can't handle it, well, that just means I have to go on a hunt for something that will do well in my garden. I've already become devoted to my Knockout roses. I've got two, a pink, and a double red.

Here's the double red.

It's already bloomed once, and it's beginning a second round of blooming. The blooms first open, looking a little like a classic Hybrid Tea rose. The red is so bright, the light just bounces off my camera, making it hard to shoot.

Another rose I've had some success with is my Flowercarpet Yellow (it's behind the Miscanthus - the clumping grass). I bought the plant last year, and it just churned out the flowers immediately. I didn't water it, or fertilize it, just let it go, and this year it's even better.


The Flowercarpet series, as the name suggests, is supposed to spread widely and stay low, but the yellow's form has been pretty upright and non-spreading, but the rose production is so amazing, I went out and found a 'Pink Supreme,' which is just now starting to bloom. I also recently planted another shrub rose, 'Belinda's Dream,' which is supposedly disease resistant and very heat/humidity tolerant. I'll keep you posted about how these work out.

Now that I have a few roses, I'm totally in love. Definitely, a rainy-day-blues buster of a plant.

-Steph