I still can't believe the weather we've been having. It hasn't rained other than a little drizzle in weeks. As much as I love all the sun, the garden really needs a good soaking. The good part is that the flowers keep coming.
'Sioux' doesn't care if it rains. It gets plenty of water. I filled the pond really full yesterday because it's been evaporating quite a bit and the fish loved it. They swim all along the edges looking for bugs that are hiding in the cracks of the stones.
Penstemon (unknown) and Catmint (nepeta) 'Walker's Low' both seem to be thriving in the dry sunny weather. Their colors are so vibrant together.
Here's more of a long view. The giant Clematis 'Jackmanii' is just beginning to bloom.
I wish I knew the name of this Penstemon, it's the prettiest color of dark pink. The bees are busy going in and out of each flower. Right now I can practically hear buzzing as soon as I walk out from all of the bees in the flowers.
I know I showed Toadflax (linaria) a couple of days ago, but the pictures just didn't capture the true color. It's been a bee magnet.
Deutzua 'Pink a Boo' is about 5 feet tall and covered in these flowers. It always blooms later than my other Deutzias, I think because it gets more shade. Right now it brightens up an area where most everything is finished blooming.
It's supposed to be in the 70's again today and no rain is forecasted until the weekend. Guess I know what I'll be doing today!
I will gladly send you some rain Catherine! It's been non-stop raining here for weeks which is highly unusual for us. I really think we've switched places! (I may have said that before??) Anyway, your garden continues to be beautiful. Love the penstemon ~ I don't know which one it is either.
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous colours in your photos Catherine - that Deutzua is fabulous!
ReplyDeletePlease have some of our rain - it took Himself two hours to get home last night because so many roads were flooded!
All of your flowers are stunning. I enlarged the photo by your house with the winow boxes, it's so pretty around there. I wish my husband would let me plant closer to the house..All of my gardens are throughout the yard....
ReplyDeleteWell after we were slightly spit on Sunday, scaring off our Hayman, and another early morning spitting yesterday, the girls and I came home from rainless town to the tune of thunder and raindrops, now I only have to haul hose to the containers. But obviously you have caught me being slow to get to work today! (shhh don't tell)
ReplyDeleteI'll hope for rain for you. I know how painful it is not getting any because here in the SE we suffer it all the time. Unusual for the northwest though.
ReplyDeleteLove the deutzia. And of course the toadflax. I've not noticed butterflies but the bees for sure. Your catmint and toadflax on the long shot is wonderful.
Such pretty blooms. We're having a real dry spell too after a very rainy Spring!
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine! I love your nepeta. I always wanted to have it in my garden, but I'm afraid that it could attract all the neighbirhood cats. Do you think I am right, do cats really like it?
ReplyDeleteWow! The Sioux's getting more beautiful! The toadflax! Whoa! Looks like fragrant beauties!
ReplyDeleteI love that Penstemon. The Deutzia too -- the white and pink stripes on the petals are so striking.
ReplyDeleteIt is so hot and the plants here are requiring the garden hose. It has been at least 10 days since it rained. It's too hot to work outside.
ReplyDeleteYou sure have some nice flowers in spite of the lack of rain.
I love the Catmint and Penstemon together too. My 2 favorite colors to have by each other in my flowers. I love your Pink A Boo Deutzia too. I might have to get more now that I have that one. Do they bloom long?
ReplyDeleteThe weather has been wonderful - not miserable hot and a bit of rain.
Love that Deutzia 'peek a boo'!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to look out for one this Autumn.
What is it about blue flowers and insects? They love 'em
Your garden astounds me every time you post...you always have a ton of things blooming at once.
ReplyDeleteWell done!!!
just love the colors in your garden...I hope you will join my Fertilizer Friday meme!
ReplyDeleteKathleen - I rarely wish for rain here, usually June is cool and wet, but not this year. I wonder if it's one of those years with weird weather patterns for all of us. It seems like lots of people are having strange weather.
ReplyDeleteNutty Gnome - You have been having a wet spring there. I hope the flooding isn't bad and you dry out a little.
Darla- That's one of two beds by our house, most are throughout the yard too. I know the dirt and plants against the house can cause siding damage. Your flowers seem to be very happy where they are anyway!
Lanny - We missed the thunderstorms, glad you got some rain though. I won't tell anyone you're late to work :)
Tina - We had a few summer like this years ago and everyone started planting drought tolerant plants. Of course the next two summers it rained above average. The weather here has gotten so unpredictable.
I love the color of the Catmint and Toadflax, it's such a nice shade of purple.
Mildred - Hope you get some rain too. Just enough to water everything thoroughly and then the sun can come back out.
Tatyana - The next door neighbor cats do like it, but they only use one to roll in. Luckily it happens to be under a shrub and it grows back so quickly it doesn't seem to bother the plant.
Chandramouli - The Catmint has the best smell of all. I think some waterlilies smell good, but I can't get close enough to ours to check.
Sweet bay - The flowers are almost the same as the 'Pink Minor', although this one always has way more blooms than the smaller 'Pink Minor'.
Becca - I'm taking a watering break right now. It's not too hot here luckily, just dry. I know you get much hotter weather there. Maybe it'll cool down a bit for you.
Linda 'Pink a Boo' blooms for about 2 weeks, not too long but they are so loaded with flowers it's worth having.
We still haven't had any rain. I think we're supposed to get some this weekend, at least it isn't in the 90's too like a week ago.
Rob - I hope you can find one to plant. It get a fair amount of shade and still does great.
The Retired One - Thanks! It seems to have it's times with lots blooming and not much happening. Things are starting to really happen now though.
Tootsie - Thanks, I'm going to try to get some pictures so I can join in. I have to admit I'm not good about fertilizing though :)
ReplyDeleteThe blooms are so bright and colorful they look like they are ready to jump off the page. The linaria is especially pretty.
ReplyDeleteYour photos of your flowers are beautiful. Like your blog nicely done
ReplyDeleteYour flowers are beautiful. I love the water lily - it must be nice and cooling to have water in the garden.
ReplyDeleteHere we have had torrential rain - it brought down quite a lot of my azalea flowers yesterday!
Susie - They really do "pop" :)
ReplyDeleteOge - Thank you!
Phoenix - Yesterday I just sat and looked at the pond for awhile, it is relaxing.
I hope your rain stops so you can enjoy the rest of the azaleas. The rain usually knocks the peonies down, this year they've had a chance to keep blooming which is nice.
Yes you do need to go and get the Torenia. That is actually Milkweed behind the Blackeyed Susans. It's very tall!
ReplyDeleteYour gardens are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteCatherine, that penstemon might be Red Rocks - mexicale. It sure looks like mine!
ReplyDeleteKim and Victoria - I think you could be right. I searched it online and it does look really similar. I remember they came with no tag, but I like the color so much I bought them anyway.
ReplyDeleteI
ReplyDeleteam
so
sick
of
watering!
Bring on the rain!
There, I said it.
I have been looking for a clematis Jackmanii to climb on my daughter's new playhouse but keep striking out. I wonder if it will have to be for next year? I have a mystery pensetemon too, I think, it just showed up in my parking strip. Didn't know they could travel like that!
We're getting dumped on by rain every day, and you're going through drought. Here's some rain for you! *sprinkle, sprinkle*
ReplyDeleteI can't complain too much because my roses look fantastic, but everything is so soggy around here. We just need a good dry up time. At least my water bill is low...
Everything is beautiful out where you are! Kudos
Karen - I never thought I'd want rain so bad in June. This could be a long summer of watering.
ReplyDeleteHeather - It seems like lots of people are having unusual weather. I hope it dries out for you!
I love that deutzia! I don't know it they grow here, but I don't really have room for another bush. I wonder if it would grow in a large container.
ReplyDelete