Front yard pictures.

Another gorgeous day here yesterday.  It felt like summer!  I didn't get to spend as much time outside as I wanted today, but that's okay.  A few hours is better than none. Right now it's mostly just columbines blooming out front.  There is also the weigela 'Minuet', choisya and the lilac in bloom.  A lot is getting close to blooming now though.  I found buds on roses, lupine, peonies, daylilies, persian cornflower and more.  June seems to be the beginning of the front yard's bloom season.  It was so bright while I was taking pictures I had a hard time not getting shadows or having the sun wash out the color. 

Here is a view looking down the front border.  The plant at the very front is a pink Carpet rose.  It blooms all summer, lots of buds are on it now.  It doesn't have a scent but behind and to the right of it I've tried to plant lots of good smelling flowers.  Lavender, roses, oriental lilies and nicotiana are a some of what grows there.

This is part way down looking the other direction.  The spirea 'Magic Carpet' has gotten out of control.  I plan to prune it after it blooms.  The tall plant on the left is an 'Iceberg' rose.  It is the easiest rose I've ever grown.  I wish I could find more roses this easy in other colors.  In the back you can see my car in mid wash.  My oldest daughter spent more time spraying her sister and everything else with the hose.  She offered to wash the car to help earn a book she's been wanting to buy.

The iris that my sister gave me last year has a couple of buds.  I was beginning to think they weren't going to bloom this year.  I have a couple more clumps spread throughout the bed as well.

My new Foxglove 'Virtuoso Red' (digitalis purpurea).  I just planted it, I think it must've bloomed early in the growers greenhouse.  The tag said it should reach about 3 feet.  I've found a few seedlings of the Foxglove that usually grows here.  They get to be at least 6 feet tall.  I think the winter must've been to cold for the plants, but at least I've finally found some seedlings that will hopefully bloom next year.  

Hydrangea 'Preziosa' has quite a few blooms on it.  I planted it the summer I was pregnant with my second daughter.  It was a hot summer and by the end I was too tired to care about watering and it really suffered.  Luckily the last couple of years it seems to be recovering and should be very pretty.  Gardening while 8 months pregnant in the summer is no fun!

My unknown peony is covered in buds.  I finally put a grid out for it to grow through this year instead of the ring.  I hope the blooms will stand up a little better.

Part of the:  Used to be shady, then sunny and now getting shady again flower bed under the Japanese Maple.  I'm going to have to move several things soon.  The Jacob's Ladder (polemonium ) are scenting the whole area with their grape fragrance.  Soon Red Coral Bells (heuchera) will be in bloom.  Lots of hostas, fuchsias, hydrangeas, bleeding hearts and even phlox all grow together here.

 Update:  Mystery solved by Anonymous who left me a nice comment.  It is trientalis borealis or 'Starflower'.  It is native in North America and is a woodland perennial which blooms May - June.  It does spread by rhizome.  It is one of the few flowers with 7 petals.

 

Today a little more weeding needs to be done.  I'm wondering if it's too early to plant the zinnia seeds that I have?  I'm anxious to get them in the ground.  I'm trying 'Envy' this year and really hope it looks as good as I think it will.  I also am going to check to see if my clematis 'Josephine' arrived at the nursery.