Flowers & Rainbows

I didn't quite get organized enough to post on the 15th, so I feel like I'm a day late and a dollar short :O). I also want to apologize for not keeping up with my regular visits to your blogs, things have been a little hectic lately, so I will try to catch up and then keep up. There is a fair bit of garden activity at the moment and I'm happy to share some pics with you.

The polemonium Stairway to Heaven really brightens up a shady bed. The foliage is lovely and the little blue blooms are a nice bonus.




The stars are back! I think my petunias are recovering from their rocky start, at least the star pattern has returned, I thought they might stay solid all summer. Now they just need some sun and 20-20-20 and should get back to normal.


This is a picture of my absolute favorite tree. I know it is a little 'Charlie Brown', but that's what I love about it. It didn't bloom for a few years and I thought it was a crazy volunteer something that would have to go. Then it produced clouds of white blooms and I relized it was a lilac lol! It may have been to short to get some sun over the fence until 3 years ago, it has bloomed ever since. It is tucked (squished!) between the houses, a fence and a gigantic spruce. I really can't imagine that it was planted here on purpose, it can't be viewed from the road or the house, and it's shape is twisted and slanted, trying to get away from the monster spruce just left of the photo. But here it is, and I'm very attached. I'm quite sure it is a Beauty of Moscow, the buds are pink and open to white with some faint pink hues.


And then there is the peony in the shade. I'm sure this one was planted on purpose, it is right between the lilac and spruce (lilac leaves at the bottom of pic), it gets NO direct sun whatsover, but produces about 5 or 6 large dark pink blooms every year. I finally put a ring on it this year so it wouldn't flop. Odd place for a peony, but kind of a nice suprise. It is too large and well established to move, so here it will stay. There is on in even deeper shade nearby which doesn't bloom at all, but surprisingly makes for a lovely foliage plant, who would have thought?

No open blooms yet, but I've pretty excited about my first Iris Germanica, this one is the almost black Superstition. Provided nothing catastrophic happens to it, I should have some blooms to share with you soon.

I finally got my Cosmos planted a few days ago, there are seedlings in the tulip bed as well, but I planted a dozen plants, just in case. Most of the tulips are gone, only a few remain. They look lovely together, it's too bad there isn't more of an overlap.

My planters of odds & ends are blooming quite well. I hadn't really noticed the little yellow centres of the blue lobelia, but it really stands out with thse snapdragons.

My potted strawberries seem happy enough, can you see the little blooms? It has been quite cool here so far, hopefully the dog days of summer will bring them along nicely.

I purchased a Pink Beauty Potentilla last fall, but it didn't survive the winter. Fortunately it was still under warranty so I brought it back for a replacement. Here it is, hopefully this one fares better. These blooms appear rather shy, but aren't they pretty?

The story of my Robin continues. He has mellowed considerably, I suspect the chicks may have hatched. Now when I'm out In The Garden he stays in the nest and doesn't move. It's better than getting dive bombed.

As a result, I was able to take a moment and get some pics of my little plants under the birch. This is the little Dianthus 'Firewitch'.

And my icelandic poppies. Of all the colours in the mix, this is probably the last I would have chosen, but now that it's here I rather like it.

The blue flax just started to bloom, as you can see, I like the background of the white birch behind the blooms.

The weather has been very predictable lately. An evening thunderstorm followed by a sun shower and rainbow. I took a few pictures the other day and they turned out quite well.

And I don't want to forget the dog's container, the petunias are blooming well even with only a little late evening sun.

I can hardly wait for the blues, white and yellows to return. The shastas, false sunflowers and various bellflowers are are growing well and should bloom quite soon. Stella d'oro is setting buds as are some of the other daylilies. I'm pleased that my H.F. Young Clematis made it through the winter, it is growing well and rapidly, but no signs of flowers yet. It feels like a slow start, but I'll take it!