"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Summer's been here!

While most of the country has been suffering with record breaking heat and lack of rain, we've continued to have a very cool and mostly gray summer.  But, we had a great three days of sun here this weekend, feeling like real summer weather.  It's pretty fun to see how the garden responds to some sun and heat.  The garden continues to be behind by about 2 or 3 weeks.  The Butterfly Bush and most Clematises are just some of what are taking their time to bloom.  On the days the sun was out we've realized just how hot our front garden is to sit out in.  So we found a nice table, chairs and umbrella to give some shade for us to enjoy the front yard more.  We spent quite a bit of time out there over the weekend!

 These Hollyhocks behind the pond have got to be at least 6 or 7 feet tall, no rust and growing straight up.  Something I've never had happen in my garden and, they are all self sown.

 A Daylily I planted last year, I don't remember the name but they look very pretty.

 It was very bright in the front yard when I took these pictures, but I wanted to be sure to show a few of mine and the hummingbirds very favorite plants.  Monarda 'Raspberry Wine' the tall flower in the back, Agastache 'Raspberry Summer' on the left and Agastache 'Apricot Sunrise' is right in front.  They have all done so well this year and grown like crazy.  Hummingbirds and bees are at them all day.

 A new Tiger Lily which isn't too tall, but still pretty.

 My first Gladiola bloom EVER!  I planted them on a whim and they are now just opening up.  Why haven't I tried them before?

 Clematis texensis - I finally found one this year after looking all last summer for one.

 Daylily 'Pardon Me'

 Sweet Peas are very late this year, but so worth the wait!  They are doing so well.  Normally they are long finished by now.

 My girls and I went to the local farmers market on Friday where the sweetest older gentleman was selling homemade birdhouses.  I absolutely loved this one.  I dug the hole for the post and my husband poured the concrete - team work!  I love how it looks with the Monarda 'Jacob Cline' by it.  I also planted Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium) 'Phantom' in front.  It is a smaller variety that only gets to about 3 feet tall.  The 'Jacob Cline' has been the hummingbirds absolute favorite, and they really are territorial about it.

 Our new little seating area.  The umbrella is a blue stripe pattern and looks perfect against the blue of our house.

I also wanted to thank all of you that left such nice comments on my previous post where I mentioned feeling the urge to possibly quit blogging.  Between such nice things you all said as well as having the pleasure to meet a some of the garden bloggers that were in town for the Garden Bloggers Fling I just know I could never completely stop blogging.  Thank you all again!
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress. Pin It

43 comments:

  1. Greeting Catherine, nice to see you back again. A little sunshine after some rain really rallies the garden doesn't it. I had a Malva in my VA garden and it had rust every year. Glad your Hollyhock is doing well.
    This is the first Glad for me this year too! Mine are falling over, next year I need to get some tomato cages or something.
    Glad you got to visit with some of the bloggers.

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  2. Catherine, I am happy for you that you and your family got to spent some sunny days outside in the garden. I like your new sitting area in the front yard a lot and I think it is great that you put it there, since most people don't seem to sit in their front yards at all, but why not enjoying it this way, too? I love your hollyhocks and hope that next year I sow some myself. Last but not least I am so glad that you decided to not quite blogging. That would have been really a big loss in blogland :-)!
    Christina

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  3. Catherine I like that little bird house too, and the flowers around it are postcard perfect.

    I also like your new seating area, too cuuute!

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  4. Envy here!, Catherine. Your gardens are gorgeous ... heat getting mine terribly. Sniff-sniff!
    Have a great week ~
    TTFN ~
    Marydon

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  5. Hi Catherine, You and the girls must have enjoyed the Farmer's Market and choosing the bird house. I love your new seating area. My favorites in this post are the sweet peas and the glad! Wishing you all a very nice week.

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  6. Seeing your garden gives me a bit of envy. Your plants are doing wonderfully, even without a lot of sun. The sun here is baking many plants, others are basking in it. My Monarda is already on a second flush and sweet peas are going to seed. Your new patio set is a nice one.

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  7. Your garden looks so beautiful! I wish I could get hollyhocks to grow. I completly forgot I didn't plant my glads when I saw yours! Dang. Where did I put them. The photo below of the beach is wonderful. I wish I was there. Thanks for sharing the great photos.

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  8. Your garden looks great! The Hollyhocks are gorgeous, so straight and tall and rust-free. I have to plant some sweetpeas next year, I had no idea they smelled so wonderful. Love all the flower close-ups.....Ah heck, love everything! LOL

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  9. Well good. I'm glad you're not going to stop blogging. Your Clemmy texensis look fabulous and I love the little birdhouse on the post. I'm sure it will be inhabited soon. My sweet peas are also still blooming. Ya gotta love that beautiful PINK Gladiolus. And those Hollyhocks are to die for. I'll just enjoy yours from afar since mine aren't blooming yet.

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  10. A lot of blooms seemingly look happy there. If i were you i just want to sit under that umbrella with a cup of coffee, a magazine or a book and savor the scent of the air. Oh how wonderful life!

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  11. Oh wow, those hollyhocks are phenomenal Catherine! Makes me want to self sow some and see what happens. Probably not what you've got going on!! I bought 'Jacob Cline' monarda last year (after seeing it all around blogland) but it sure hasn't gotten as tall as yours. Maybe I don't have it in enough sun?
    Love your new seating area ~ I think that was a great idea ~ that way you get to enjoy your new beds.
    Also so glad you found a texensis clematis. I love their bell shaped blooms. I'm looking for a few more to add to my collection!!
    ps I don't know why these comments get so lengthy but good news you're going to hang in there with blogging. Just make it work for you. I'm so sad I didn't get to go to the fling. Maybe some year I can meet you when I ever get out to see my brother. I hope so!

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  12. Wasn't the weekend glorious!? Everything is bursting out all of a sudden.

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  13. Your seating area looks lovely! And the hollyhocks-gorgeous. I've noticed a lot of times the self-sown stuff is so much hardier and trouble free. My hollyhocks leaves look like lace, they're so eaten up by bugs.

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  14. Your garden is looking marvellous...yet it sounds such an overused phrase! Perhaps I should say it is always full of unexpected surprises and delightful pleasures? Your hollyhocks, the sweet peas, the gladioli are all gorgeous and I absolutely love your new seating area in the front. It has become so private now that all the plants have grown and you are immersed in and surrounded by their beauty and perfume! What a wonderful haven you have created for yourself and your family and all the birds that regularly grace you with their presence!

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  16. Please send the summer to Holland...we have no summer yet...only rain......love Ria....xxx...

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  17. Hvor har du mange smukke blomster og en dejlig siddeplads.
    Tak for kigget.

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  18. Good morning Catherine, Wow-summer indeed. Your garden is looking happy too. It's summer here but we aren't so happy because summers mean extreme heat and no water. Plants don't like it either. I might have to move to the northwest someday.

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  19. Everything is so lovely! I am absolutely green with envy. The heat and lack of rain have taken my garden to its knees. I know, I sound like a broken record....hum, may be my blog of the day! I am so happy you are still here. I so enjoy watching your garden grow. Bonnie

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  20. It's amazing what a little bit of sunshine can do for the spirit. Your gardens are the perfect image of summertime! Cheers, Jenni

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  21. Well first of all I am glad you are not leaving us.
    Love the new setting table and umbrella. I can see the girls working there on projects. I love the new rustic birdhouse in the Butterfly garden.I like the knob on it. LOL! That is sure a pretty glad bloom too. I wish I had been closer to get to the Fling. Would have loved seeing some of my gardening friends.
    Hi Girls! Hope you both are enjoying your summer!

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  22. Even though my garden is one that is baking away in the heat and drought - it is always nice to look at such beautiful garden photos and imagine. Your garden is just absolutely beautiful. I especially like the hollyhocks and sweet peas.

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  23. Your garden is beautiful! I really love the hollyhocks :)

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  24. Oh my your gardens are beautiful! You are going to get addicted to the glads...take it from me. I love, love the hollyhocks....what a cute sitting area you have created. Glad you are hanging in there with the blogging, sometimes we just need a break.. :)

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  25. I love the new little seating area! Adorable, and how great to be able to enjoy the garden right there.

    Glad you've had some sunny days - your garden may be late in blooming, but everything look terrific!

    I'm in love with that gladiolus - more details, please!!!

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  26. Fabulous! It does look like summer dropped by for you. I love your Clematis texensis, the flower shape is charming, and I love the rich color! I'm not really sure what to make of the weather this year. Our marine layer has been so thick that it's practically been raining some mornings, and we've only had one weekend in the 90s all summer. If we don't get a good run of heat soon, I'm going to have to dig out some green tomato recipes!

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  27. What beautiful blooms! Love your birdhouse. When you get to meet the person making things like that and you see the pride they put into it, it just makes it that much more special! Love the gladiolus blooms and your sitting area! Happy Gardening!

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  28. I too am from Washington and glad to see that summer has finally arrived! I love the new seating area surrounded by your gorgeous flowers. Keep up the gardening!

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  29. Sorry about the weather but it sure looks like your garden is happy. The lilies and hollyhocks really caught my eye.

    Tomatoes do like the heat. Wishing you luck.

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  30. Catherine, It's nice that you finally got some sunshine so that you could sit out and enjoy the garden (too hot, even!). I love the way a garden can just pop into bloom when the plants finally get some condition (sun and warmth or some rain) that they've been missing. Your flowers look beautiful. -Jean

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  31. Awesome florals, Catherine ... & warm sunshine to enjoy! Love the walk with you ... I need to do some hollyhocks.

    Have a lovely weekend ~
    TTFN~
    Marydon

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  32. Stunning photographs! you have some amazing colours there!

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  33. Hi! Love the Tiger Lily and Hollyhocks. Have never seen a tiger lily that color before. Haven't grown hollyhocks either but they are on my list for next year!

    Definitely don't quit blogging, just take breaks! I'm pretty new to blogging but your blog is one of the ones I see most often on other bloggers pages/links. You have a great following, many people would miss you!
    p.s. love the sweet pea too....

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  34. Your garden is incredible! The hollyhocks are so impressive, and a beautiful colour combo. I also planted gladiolas for the very first time, still waiting for blooms. :)

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  35. I'm drooling over your hollyhocks. I spent a pretty penny on hollyhock plants from Annie's Annuals (why? I do not know since I have easily started them from seed in the past!) and in their second year this year they were just dismal, floppy and ugh.

    My sweet peas never bothered to bloom this year, I finally ripped them out and gave up.

    I also grew gladiolas for the first time this year and they were show-stoppingly gorgeous! I hope they don't take over the bed where I put them, I hear they are prone to multiply and go nuts. I guess we'll see! They were worth it this year though.

    Love the pics, you have such a lovely garden.

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  36. Those hollyhocks are wonderful! I love the birdhouse on top of the post.

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  37. Those hollyhocks are wonderful! I love the birdhouse on top of the post.

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  38. I grew hollyhocks one summer, they looked beautiful for about a week and a half, and never came back. They do not like the Deep South's heat and humidity ( darn ). Wish I had yours in my garden ! take care, Gina

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  39. Congratulations on the aubergine Catherine ~ I hope you enjoy eating it ~ I have never got past the flower stage :)

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  40. Oh! It's all so beautiful! I particularly love the Monarda 'Raspberry Wine' and the Clematis texensis - just gorgeous. And I'm sure your sitting area provides you with a lovely, fragrant vantage point for surveying the busy comings and goings of all your little garden visitors ..

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  41. Your first glad bloom is stunning! I love the coloring. I'm just getting caught up on my reading...been under the weather with an allergic reaction to an insect bite!!! So, your lovely photos of the garden are reminding me NOT to stay away so long!

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  42. I think your daylily is El Desperado, but I may be wrong. Your garden is looking wonderful - I hope you don't decide to quit blogging -- look at all the followers who would miss your blog!

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