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

Monday, July 5, 2010

Garden surprises.

It's July 5th which means Summer should be officially starting here ☀  The forecast for the week calls for it to reach up into the 80's, I'm so ready for some real heat.  Our July 4th was a lot of fun.  We walked down to our town's parade and then home for a barbecue with my family.  Unfortunately it wasn't very warm again and a bit drizzly, but we just ignored it. 
While I was outside earlier in the day doing a little cleanup in the backyard, I made some nice discoveries. 

 We have an apple on our tree!  I thought we wouldn't have any, so maybe there are a few more hidden amongst the leaves.

 This may not look very impressive, but just below the water's surface are TWO water lily buds.  They normally would have been blooming for a good month by now, they are really behind this year.

 The slugs left me a few Daylily buds!  These were planted this year, but the slugs have continued to chew the flower stalks off.

 The self sown Larkspur are now taller than me and starting to bloom!

 I didn't plant Peony Poppies here, must have been Sweet Pea... no matter how it got here, it's about to bloom.

 A favorite Hydrangea whose tag is so faded I can't read it anymore is starting to bloom.  The reason I'm so happy is that it hasn't bloomed in several years because of late freezes.  This year was it's last chance to bloom or it was going to be moving on.

 Sweet Pea 'April in Paris' is actually going to bloom.  A couple of days ago the two pots of these were looking very yellow, and I was debating just dumping them in the compost.  I'm sure glad I didn't.

Behind the Blueberry bushes and under Clematis 'Etoille Violette' is a decorative birdhouse that has been hanging here for many years.  We discovered a few days ago that a pair of Wrens have started building a nest inside.  If they decide to stay I hope they'll let us pick Blueberries when they ripen.

I've decided not to give up on anymore of my plants this Summer, and I'm not giving up that we will still have Summer weather.  I'm going to believe that we will have sun and heat and that Zinnia, Cosmos and Sunflower seeds will all begin to sprout.  It's still not too late!
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36 comments:

  1. Oh Catherine your Larkspur are so pretty and BIG! Wow. Maybe I should sow those seeds in winter too?? So glad this is a good year for everyone's hydrangeas. Isn't that Sweet Pea so dainty looking. Pretty colors. Your Clematis is what is really gorgeous!

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  2. Oooooh your apple looks yummy. And your Larkspur are huge. I see the wild sweet peas are blooming too and they are so beautiful but love that one of yours - it looks different from most I've seen. Another cool day I can stay outside all day long in. If this keeps up I'll never get back to visiting everyones posts. Have a hard time even getting one of my one on here and there.
    We just had a squirrel run into the house. The little critters are starting to get on my last nerve. LOL

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  3. that is TALL larkspur! Mine makes it to about 4 feet and was finished a month ago. My zinnias and cosmos are struggling...we're in another heatwave streak 95+ for 5 days and no rain. You want to come here and I'll go there? :-)

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  4. Wow! Those Larkspur are so tall! I love reading your blog and looking at your photos because you always have things blooming that just don't do well down here. You're very welcome to some of our heat!

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  5. I enjoy your pictures again today !! they are amazing !!! what a beautiful garden you have !!! like to be here on your blog.....happy summer days..............love Ria......

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  6. I won't give up on my plants either! Surely it's not too late!! :) What a treat to find a little apple and some unexpected blooms...makes it all worthwhile :)

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  7. How cool and I'm sure if you have one apple, there are many more you just don't see. I also love those water lily buds. Thanks again for sharing your gorgeous garden with us.

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  8. Catherine I hope you get some warm weather for all of those blooms ready to pop, but not in the 90's like we have now.

    Your flowers are so pretty right now they would fry in our heat.

    Eileen

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  9. I find as soon as I declare a plant is headed for the compost it blooms or starts to grow. They just need a stern talking to, LOL. WE have been cool up until this week and now it is too hot, 40C with humity. But your garden looks wonderful.

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  10. Great finds in your garden. Larkspur taller than you!?
    Wow!! Mine usually top out at 4' with most of them more like 2' to 3'.

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  11. I love most surprises in the garden. How cool that you have volunteer larkspur...I just love their cool colors in the garden :-)

    PS. I will send some warm weather your way if you like ;-)

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  12. Pretty Larkspur, Hydrangeas, and unexpected Peony! I love all the colors! Our weather has been hot and dry, my garden needs constant watering.

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  13. The Larkspur are beautiful! I've never heard of them getting that tall before.

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  14. I've just been given some Daylilies by a friend. They've been out of the ground for a while, so they won't flower this year, but I'm hopeful for next.

    Your purple clematis is a very similar colour to one I spotted on a walk a couple of weeks ago. I posted a picture of it today. I was trying to identify the species, but couldn't find the exact one. Any ideas please? It's here

    http://h-little-sealed-packages.blogspot.com/2010/07/clematis.html

    Thanks, H :)

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  15. Wonderful surpeises. Don't the squirrels eat the apples?

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  16. Hmm. Are wrens berry-eaters? If so, I think you may find that they consider the blueberries part of the lease arrangement! -Jean

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  17. What a joyous riot of colour, Catherine! Interesting that you're behind in some ways--we're ahead with some of our plants. Getting some real heat here. I hope you had a great 4th of July.

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  18. Do you think the hydrangea might be "Ayesha"? It has blooms that look thicker, waxier, and more cupped than others and the leaves are thicker, more textured, and glossier than those of other hydrangeas.

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  19. A very sweet and tender apple surprise in your garden, dear Catherine... and oh, we never know what wind or birds would bring to our garden, lovely surprises!!!!!
    cariños,
    maria cecilia

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  20. Thanks for identifying my clematis photo :)

    For some reason, your comment hasn't appeared on the blog, just an email alert to me, but I've added a postscript to the post, crediting you as the identifier.

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  21. I know what you mean about seeing a water lily just under the surface. I get so excited about that. Your garden is looking absolutely wonderful. I wish our temps would go back down to the eighties, not the other way around!
    Brenda

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  22. Love that larkspur! And the hydrangea bloom is lovely. Hope you have summer soon, though many Floridians would be quite jealous of your prolonged spring weather. I would trade a few degrees with you if I could.

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  23. So much going on in your garden. I am excited for you about your apple and the blooming hydrangea. May Summer bring even more excitement!

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  24. My water lily started to flower last week - they are so beautiful so I'm looking forward to seeing what colour yours are Catherine.

    Threatening plants with the compost heap always seems to work!

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  25. Hang in there as I'm sure summer must reach you all. I'll try to send some of ours your way. Lovely flowers! Especially your whole garden! Even without lily flowers the water lily pads are way cool.

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  26. How nice to find such wonderful surprises as opposed to the bad ones... like fungus and bugs! The larkspur is gorgeous! Mine are just starting to bloom too.

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  27. That's exciting that you have an apple. Also, the clematis looks really pretty all in full bloom like that. Happy gardening!

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  28. Reading your post made me nostalgic for Spring! Most of the flowers you have just beginning to bloom are past their peak here due to the heat. We would love to have some of your cool air - but I do hope you have enough heat for those zinnias and other summer bloomers. I have a wren family in my bird house right now. I think their diet is mostly insects, so maybe they'll spare your blueberries.

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  29. Everything looks beautiful, Catherine! So nice to begin to get fruit even if just a few. The larkspur are lovely and how nice that they self-sow. I grow them too but mine are almost done now. We've had a lot of hot days. The peony poppy looks interesting. I've not had luck with poppies so far but I'll try again next year. Hope you and the girls are enjoying your summer!
    Hugs, Beth

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  30. Hi Catherine, You have so many pretty flowers. I wish we could trade some of our very intense, dry heat for your weather. We just need a compromise!!! Sounds like you enjoyed the holiday with family. I know you and the girls are staying very busy this summer. Thanks for your visit tonight. Larry and John did indeed see a bear while at Bridal Veil Falls!

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  31. Hopefully worms won't find your apple. Do you spray at all? My Dad grows apples and has to spray A LOT to get worm free apples. It is depressing.

    ON a happier note, your Delphs are such a beautiful blue!

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  32. I think the reason the Larkspur is so tall this year is because if all the rain. It seems like many plants grew extra tall this year.

    Lotusleaf - The squirrels usually leave the squirrels alone, sometimes they take the ones that fall on the ground though.

    Rosey - Yes, we usually do get worms. Of course this was the first year I put traps up, but now there are no apples so see if they worked. I've tried spraying with natural pesticides but never noticed the helping.

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  33. Apples already! It will be a while before we'll be able to pick apples here. Your photos are beautiful, especially with the blue sky background.

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  34. Every thing is so pretty and healthy looking... " What a nice surprise to find apples when you weren't expecting them as yet..

    It will be interesting to see if those wren allow you to pick those berries... Do post the story I'm curious to see what happens..

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  35. Everything is so beautiful. I like thinking a secret gardener could be out there planting things for you.

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  36. It's nice to find surprises in the garden. Your apple is a good looking one.

    For some reason, the larkspur and bachelor buttons come back in the vegetable garden every year, but they haven't come back in the flower beds.

    I am thinking about trying some more hydrangeas, now that I have one growing well. It only had one set of blooms the first two years, and now it is loaded.

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