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

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

June end of the month view.

It's hard to believe June is already over and we're moving into July tomorrow.  It's starting to feel closer to summer, but still we're below in temperatures with many days still just in the 60's and overcast skies.  After reading many blogs from all  over it sounds as if many of us are having either very hot and dry conditions or cooler and wetter than usual.  Many people jokingly say that Summer does not begin in the Pacific Northwest until July 5th, and this year I think many of us are hoping that's true.
The sun broke through the clouds for awhile yesterday so I went out to take some pictures of the entry bed that has been my end of the month view since last September.  Doing this has really helped me look at this bed in a different way and trying to keep year (or most of the year) round interest.

 It's hard for this area not to look good with those huge Hydrangeas blooming!  I haven't done much in here recently, aside for pull some dirt away from the brick along the side of the garage wall.  I did remove some Bleeding Hearts that had started taking over, but I'm sure they'll be back in the Spring since I did leave most of the roots.  There seem to always be some volunteer Bleeding Hearts coming up in this bed.

 Every year I mean to move the one pink Asiatic lily here, and then I forget.  Hostas and Astillbes are beginning to bloom.  Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium) is still blooming and the scent seems to have gotten stronger.

Hydrangea 'Nikko Blue' blooming behind my little girl.  She used to be a fountain, but doesn't work anymore, too cute to just get rid of.  My Mom gave me a division of a big Hosta that I've just planted behind her.  I think it should fill in really nicely here.  The plant to the left is a hardy Fuchsia that should be blooming in the next couple of weeks, although they all seem behind right now.

The end of the month view was started by Helen of the The Patient Gardener's Weblog.  Visit her to see her beautiful garden and who else is joining in.
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33 comments:

  1. The hydrangeas are beautiful. I love your little girl from the fountain. She's sweet.

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  2. The hydrangeas are stunning, especially the pink and blue together. I hope you get some sun and warmth soon so that you ccan call it summer!

    Eileen

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  3. Everything is coming along nicely. My wife would kill for those hydrangeas.

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  4. I love your Hydrangeas! I think mine is getting too much sun.

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  5. Those hydrangeas as breathtaking. They look wonderful with the blue of the buildings.

    Your little garden girl is sweet.

    Have a nice holiday weekend.

    FlowerLady

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  6. I love your front garden. The hydrangeas brighten it up so much. And the low growing hostas and other interesting foliage just add more interest. Something to be proud of Catherine. Hope you have a good day. Becca

    Send us some cooler weather. I am crossing my fingers for some rain to cool us off. Oh by the way the beaches here are a mess especially since hurricane Alex is in the gulf. More and more oil is pushing ashore. This is our biggest fear as the oil is still unchecked and storms will be coming from the gulf. Not a good situation.

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  7. We have had high-90s for about a week in the D.C. area of the Mid-Atlantic, and even back in April it was hellishly hot. I feel like we're on our 3rd month of summer, and envy your cooler temps.

    Your hydrangeas are stunning, always enjoy seeing pics of this bed!

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  8. I love the blue hydrangeas against your blue wall. Hot and humid here still ,feels like a sauna. take care ! Gina

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  9. Hi Catherine,

    I love seeing the differences from each month to the next. Now the your hydrangea are blooming, your eye is drawn right to them. The entire bed is just lovely :-)

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  10. What a welcoming garden for your entry! So lush and beautiful.

    My deer friends would kill to eat those hydrangeas and hostas. I went out yesterday morning and five deer and two rabbits were startled out of the garden. Then, they saw me and calmed down. Too familiar. They just have no fear anymore.

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  11. Thanks for participating in this end of month meme. It is interesting to see how an area develops through the year - I have found it useful to look back to I can see what needs adding.

    Your border is looking fab and I think that hosta will look lovely behind your lady

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  12. Hi Catherine, What a beautiful corner. Yes, your hosta will be great there! (Cute little statue - you Couldn't part with that!)

    I like the "end of the month" view idea. I could start it... perhaps I'd just take the photo now and one in July and one in August and post the three together??

    Your weather sounds wonderful. Enjoy!

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  13. Goodness, that Nikko blue looks very happy in that corner, and goes so well with the wall too! Looking forward to seeing your new hosta fill in behind the statue.

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  14. Those hydrangea are just beautiful. Love the fact that the blooms last so long.

    Cute little girl with the watercan.
    Marnie

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  15. AWESOME hydrangeas!! They sure say look at us! And that's what I'm doing:)

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  16. Love the hydrangeas. My endless summers die back to the ground each winter, so they're only 1.5' tall and without any blossoms right now. That whole bed looks really nice.

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  17. I love how the hydrangeas look against the blue paint on your house! The entire front garden is stunning... but then again everything in your yard is and I always enjoy looking at all the pics! :)

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  18. Hi Catherine, What a beautiful front entrance you have. The hydrangeas are lovely for the July 4th weekend. I hope you and your family a happy and safe holiday.

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  19. I envy you your blue hydrangeas. Beautiful!

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  20. Yum, that blue is delectable. Love it. Just returned from Martha's Vineyard and those are in their full glory.

    Joys!

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

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  21. Your gardens are fabulous, as usual! Hey, I need advice. I finally figured out how to make larger pictures on blogger, but then they run over into my sidebars. Any advice?
    msrobin58@insight.rr.com

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  22. Catherine the pink and blue Hydrangeas are really beautiful together - they just pop out at ya!Love the whole garden. My 2 hardy fuchsias are showing no sign of returning this year. But the 2 small ones up on the doggie graves are coming back. Go figure! Funny you only got one Poppy growing from the seeds because it's the same here. One of yours is still growing, one or two of Di's and one of mine. Don't see any of the Breadseed ones. I agree that maybe it was slugs although I did bait. I don't think they'll get big enough to bloom as this is the third try planting them. Everytime they would grow and then disappear and I'd plant them again. I held back some seeds and planned on doing a mixture of everything and just pitching them. Probably too late now huh? I'm happier with my flowers this year than I have ever been in the 20 years we've been here. Thanks to reading everyone's posts and learning more than ever.
    Enjoy our weather - it has been perfect and I've been able to stay outside ALL day long working every day. I'm whooped and sore but it's a 'good' sore cause I'm getting sooooooo much done. Now with the hot weather coming I won't be able to do that. Maybe I'll get caught up reading everyones posts!

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  23. Hello Catherine

    Your entrance garden is looking fantastic now that the hydrangeas are in full bloom and having the backdrop of the blue from your home too. Its ever so pretty and would make a great photo in a gardening magazine. I think that the weather you have just now is probably what those hydrangeas like the best. I think hostas and hydrangeas compliment each other so well and your new passalong will fit in just nicely there behind your little girl.

    I was really surprised this year when one of my fushia's actually overwintered in the garden and is about to bloom too in the next few weeks.

    I never realised that Jacob's ladder has a scent.

    Have a lovely weekend Catherine. :) Rosie

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  24. weather here in central MI has been perfect. plenty of heat and rain. everything is up, except a few things like carrots and coleus. bloom time has been nice and long too. i too can't believe it's july, yikes! but i'm mostly on target, in terms of planting, weeding and mulching. once the veggie beds are mulched, i should go into cruise mode. i'm going to build a hoophouse this year, if i can, and extend that growing season.

    everything you have is beautiful, Catherine! i totally understand what you mean about that lily. heh. i have a few bulbs that are totally lost and need to be moved, but i never quite have the time to get to them. maybe this year, lol.

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  25. Love your little girl statue. I bet she was a pretty fountain but she looks great just tending to the garden.

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  26. The hydrangeas look lovely and that little girl accentuates it. Lilies would definitely render the scene complete.

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  27. That's a very pretty garden bed, and of course I am partial to blue..

    My cousins in Alberta were reporting -2 weather this morning. So I guess summer hasn't started there either.

    Jen

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  28. Your front garden shows big changes from month to month. Those flowering Hydrangea fill the back of the bed with colour, and give it a completely different look this month. I like the balance between cool greens in front and a wall of colour behind. The scene with the Hydtangea, Hosta and statue is especially sweet.

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  30. Hi, Catherine! I can't believe it's only in the 60's there! Are you guys freezing? Here in CFl, it's been very hot and fairly wet. Love your blue hydrangea against the color of the house. It accents so beautifully. And there is no better garden combo (imo) than hydrangeas and hostas. The whole scene brings back midsummer memories from my old Atlanta garden. I'll have to pull up some old photos now. : P

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  31. What a beautiful garden!
    What a romantic place!
    I love it
    Your photo's are wunderful!
    i wil folow your blog
    i wish you a nice and sunny garden
    Weekend
    Yolanda

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  32. Trying to catchup on my postings. I missed a couple of days away from the computer.|
    Girl your hydrangeas are so beautiful. That blue one against the house looks so pretty.
    How sweet is that little girl with the watering can.

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  33. i love the photo with the little girl slowly spilling out her watering can. and more too, of course.

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