High Summer!

Hi Peeps. I've finally managed to get a blog post together. As I'm sure you know, the garden is changing rapidly as spring bloomers fade away and high summer's bounty takes center stage. Don't you love this time of year?

In spring, I purchase, among (many) other things, this Mertensia maritima from Far Reaches Farm. Not long after planting it I mentioned here that it was looking really sad. Alison said she lost hers so, fearing mine was on the edge of death, I quickly dug it up and put it in a pot, away from slugs and other unseen threats. Look at it now.

Mertensia maritima blossom

It's blooming and looking healthy. It's still a bit leggy so I stuck this driftwood piece in the pot and allowed a bit of Kenilworth Ivy (Cymbalaria) to mingle with it, bringing out the blue of the foliage. 

Mertensia maritima ... Not quite as lovely as the nursery photos but I'm not complaining.

Here are a few more bloomers.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Peppermint Swirl'

Hydrangea m. 'Buttons and Bows' with Rosa 'William Baffin'

And the luscious 'Ayesha' Hydrangea

Abutilon cv. my sister bought for me at Sebright Gardens

I'm not a huge fan of Daylilies but this one fits the warm color scheme of this area.
Hemerocallis 'Just Plum Happy'

Origanum ... either 'Santa Cruz' 'Bristol Cross' or 'Barbara Tingey',
you tell me.

I lost most of my Dahlias to winter's vagaries but 'Bonne Esprance' is happy as can be.

Ditto for Dahlia 'Awalkoe'

And Dahlia 'Rip City'
There are three more Dahlia plants that haven't bloomed yet.

Phlox paniculata 'Peppermint Twist'

Another Phlox with P. Becky Towe' foliage and Star Jasmine flowers.

Gladiolus

Lonicera x heckrottii 'Pink Lemonade' has finally overcome its annual spring aphid infestation stage.

Geranium 'Patricia'

Patricia with Rosa glauca foliage.

The Wine Cups never looked better in my garden. (Callirhoe involucrata)

Alstroemeria 'Tricolor' looking fab.

Mimulus lewisii, the parent plant

Mimulus lewisii baby plant with flower

Impulse purchase: Milk Thistle (Silybum mananum)

The foliage is what sold me.

Thalictrum delavayi 'Hewitt's Double' is so challenging to photograph.

Check out the Sarracenia that I bought for a buck at a plant sale last year.

Mukdenia rossii 'Crimson Fans' has colored up nicely.

I really love Astrantia maxima in my woodland border.
It is mingling with Anemonopsis macrophylla buds.

Berkheya purpurea... my kind of "sunflower."

I was thrilled to see the first Gardenia 'Frostproof' blossom.
The next day there were seven blossoms!
I LOVE this plant.

Kniphofia 'Pineapple Popsicle' 

One of three surviving Canna plants.

I am in love with Hibiscus moscheutos 'Kopper King'
Behind it is variegated Comfrey (Symphytum x uplanicum 'Axminster Gold')

No, the Chameleon Plant (Houttunynia cordata 'Variegata') is not invasive in my garden.
The soil is too dry, despite my watering efforts.

And now for wider garden shots.

Clematis viticella 'Venosa Violacea'

The bare spot is waiting for a transplant. My son got me that cool rock.

That is Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers' back there.

Tetrapanax acting all regal and elegant as it invades the entire bed.

Rock-sorting on the patio from a recent rock-hounding trip.

Acer palmatum 'Ben Hime' looking decidedly more red this year thanks to more sunlight.

I'm in love.

Finally, critter alert.

One of the tiny little froglets in our pond.

We're still hoping we'll see a monarch butterfly but at least this swallowtail
noticed a tasty treat.