Happy July! What a strange year it's been thus far. It's still hot and humid as always, but we've had so much rain that I haven't had to water my garden. At. All. I'm also not facing my usual July slump, in which I'm just totally over this year's garden and want to do nothing more but plan for next year. I'm still hibernating in the air conditioning inside, but will head out early in the morning in the shade to pitter patter about.
The big show in the garden was
earlier this month. The next act is a little quieter and less in your face, and I wasn't sure there would be a lot to photograph for this month's Bloom Day. But then I woke up this morning, looked out my window, and ahoy! Thar she grows! My hibiscus has decided to work with me here and open a show stopper of a flower. And in the process of taking pictures, I realized that there really is a lot in bloom right now. I just have to appreciate the subtlety of it all.
I also realized that I have no idea what anything is anymore. Between the old garden getting a neighbor's play set built upon it, plants moved about multiple times, tags lost, incomplete records kept, plants not coming back and others coming up in their place - well, this control freak has lost all control in the garden (not that I really ever had it - it was all an illusion). I'm surprisingly okay with it.
Onward to the photos!
Abeille allée (aka Bee Lane; more on the rechristened "side yard" in a future post)
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| Hibiscus |
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Hydrangea. This poor thing gets moved every two years or so and never has enough time to grow
and bloom before being uprooted again. It also gets peed on a lot. By the dog, not me. |
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Daylilies
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Rose blooming for the second time this year
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| So sick of talking about Summer Snowflake, but at least she's behaving now. |
Back yard
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| Zinnia (Cut & Come Again), Sedum 'Autumn Joy', Rudbeckia, Nepeta 'Souvenir d'Andre Chaudron', Echinacea, Monarda |
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| Coreopsis 'Moonbeam', Echinacea (one of which is supposed to be 'Green Envy' and clearly is not), Zinnia, Monarda |
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| Meadow Rue (about 9 feet tall) from Neighbor M |
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| Kerria japonica blooming for the second time this year |
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| Liatris spicata 'Floristan Violet' |
Front yard
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| Zinnia 'Cut & Come Again', Rudbeckia |
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| Sedum 'Autumn Joy' and Rudbeckia (it sowed itself in here and I haven't removed it yet) |
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| Gaillardia |
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| On the hell strip: Rose of Sharon from Neighbor M, self-sown Callirhoe involucrata, Daylilies |
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| Rose of Sharon |
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| Shade window box on porch with annuals |
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| Sun window box on porch with annuals (with Astilbe in the foreground) |
That wraps up another Bloom Day! Be sure to head over to
May Dreams to see what else is in bloom in other gardens around the world.
The fabulous thing about Bloom Day is it forces you out to take a good look at your garden. Looks like it was well worth it for you.
ReplyDeleteI used to keep track of every plant I bought in an excel spreadsheet but my laptop crashed a few years ago and I lost. Now I find I don't care as much anymore-especially cultivar names.
Happy GBBD!
Beautiful flowers on this Bloom Day!
ReplyDeleteYou thought when you got up that there wasn't much in bloom? So ... are you being held hostage so that you have to be blindfolded every time you leave the house? You have a lot in bloom! The Hibiscus, Meadow Rue, and Rose of Sharon are all show stoppers. Looks like you will have lots of sedum blooming soon, also. Lots of color and plant drama happening at your place!
ReplyDeleteFor a city garden, you have quite a bit of room, and everything looks very happy. When I lived in Philadelphia many years ago, I was in Center City and couldn't even imagine having a garden like yours.
ReplyDeleteSue - It definitely was worth it. I'm glad I'm not the only one okay with just enjoying things instead of trying to remember every particular name.
ReplyDeleteJennifer - Thank you!
Jason - Ha! Two weeks ago everything was much more "look at me! look at me! I'm in bloom!" and it's more subtle now. But you're right, there is a lot going on.
Sarah - Half of the reason I wanted to buy the house years ago was because of the land. As much as I love the city, I couldn't make do with just a balcony or teeny piece of cement, as many people do.