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

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Some of the July garden

 It's hard to believe we're already this far into July!  It has been a fun and busy summer, seems like there's barely been a day without something going on.   The temperatures finally warmed up in July and the watering has begun, nothing like what many of you other gardeners are going through though.  We've had quite a bit of thunder and lightening, not very usual for our summers.  It's kind of fun listening to the thunder rumbling while the doors are open.  It's also finally been warm enough to sit outside in the evenings.  Recently we heard an owl up in a tree right by us.  I knew there were owls around, but we've never heard one here.  We also found a small fire pit for the front yard and had fun roasting marshmallows and making s'mores.

Here are some pictures of what's been happening in our garden:
 Asiatic Lilies have already bloomed, at least the ones the squirrels didn't steal the bulbs of.  This one was my favorite.  Purple Canterbury Bells are blooming behind.

 I planted several Astranias last summer, some were on a clearance table for just a couple of dollars.  They are the coolest flowers!  I found a light pink one this year to add to the garden.

 Campanula 'Samantha' is covered in flowers for months.

 The path garden is mostly filled with green this time of year, except for the Hydrangea 'Pia' in the container on the deck.

 This is the back corner behind the pond.  The Clematis 'Ville de Lyon' is finally blooming.  To the left of it is a very tall Bugbane (Cimicifulga or Acataea).  It's probably close to 8 feet tall, I had no idea it would get that big.

 Echinacea 'Sunset' or 'Sundown', I can never keep it straight.  It has reseeded and I'm so happy to get more of these flowers!

 The front Butterfly garden which is more full of territorial hummingbirds than butterflies right now.  They are busy fighting over the tall Monarda 'Jacob Cline'.

 Daylily 'Strawberry Candy'

 Gernaium 'Rozanne' is now my go to plant for any area that needs space filled in quickly and something that blooms for months.  I planted this as a gallon plant about a month or so ago, it's huge now!  To me it is worth every penny.  I have some climbing up in and around roses and they looks so pretty, especially the lighter pink roses.

 So many Sweet Peas!!  I planted them months ago and after thinking the first set of seeds rotted, I planted more.  I think both sets germinated and it's so pretty and smells delicious!

 A new Echinacea 'Hula Dancer', I love the skirt.

 Gracie is plotting her next escape here.  Originally we had climbing roses in the blue pots on either side of the gate, they hated being there and were moved elsewhere.  I now have a Clematis in each and they are doing great.  I think they grow a few inches every night.

 Gladiolas are starting to bloom.  The Clematis texensis on the fence has only been there one year.  It has been growing and blooming for months, I love the bell shaped flowers.

 The Hydrangea 'Preziosa' that I moved last year when we did our front garden is looking the best it ever has.  It's difficult to see the flower color here, it's a light lavender that continues to age to a pinkish color.  I think it was in too much sun before and seems to love being under the Dogwood tree.

 Daylily in the backyard.

Sweet Pea with Sunny.  Sunny is a Brown Leghorn and seems to be the only chicken that doesn't mind being picked up.  She is also the one that sneaks into the blueberry bushes every time they are let out.  We are hoping we'll seem some eggs in the next couple of weeks.  They are almost 18 weeks and that is the early side of when they can start laying eggs.  As a new chicken owner I can still say they are so much fun, not much work and really one of the best pets I've ever had, and believe me we've had them all - dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, fish, hermit crabs, hamsters and gerbils.

Hope you are enjoying your summer!
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress. Pin It

43 comments:

  1. I'm amazed by your sweet peas!! I've never seen that many in one location! I'm curious what brand they are. Did you fertilize them? I blogged about my garden recently.

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  2. Everything looks lovely! Especially love the Glads on the fence!

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  3. Your garden is looking so good, especially that spider-type daylily, with the big bright eyezone! I've never done sweetpeas, I really should. Maybe next year. Hope you get some eggs soon!

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  4. Gorgeous at every turn! It's nice to read that you have been enjoying summer. Sweet Peas is growing into a beautiful young lady! How's the Littlest Gardener and The Muscle?

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  5. Your garden is so beautiful. Everything here is wilting due to the heat....can't wait for September to get the winter blooms ready...I live in Florida ;)

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  6. Oh Catherine ~ I love, love, love your beautiful gardens. So much to see and enjoy. What a delight it must be to see in real person. To take in all of those glorious colors, shapes and scents.

    Thank you for sharing.

    Have a great week ~ FlowerLady

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  7. Your gardens look so wonderful. I can tell you have plenty of rain and it is summer at your house.

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  8. Your garden looks beautiful! I especially like the photo of the 'back corner behind the pond' - so colorful! Your stone pathway is something I hope to make through my back garden one day once all the shrubs and trees fill in. Love the Echinacea as well ... I've never seen 'Hula Dancer', but I'll be looking for it now. The Butterfly garden is gorgeous too! Loved my tour of your garden today, so many beautiful plants :)

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  9. I love your garden, it's what I would love to have....but then reality turns up and says, water, water, clean, tidy, plant, lol.

    So I will walk through your photos, enjoy your colorful plants, and sit back and plan mine.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

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  10. Everything is looking beautiful. I envy your growing season. I love strolling down your garden path. Bonnie

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  11. Beautiful pictures from your July garden darling......love love love Ria...xxx..

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  12. So nice to see a lush garden with all the flowers!!! Those Astranias are nice. Your sweet pea vines are amazing though. Enjoy those eggs when they start. Yummy!

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  13. Your garden is doing wonderfully well. It is a treat to see. Valerie

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  14. Your garden is absolutely beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing.

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  15. Beautiful! And I'm happy to see you have chickens even though you don't live in the country. Alas, our HOA forbids them.

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  16. I spent the whole day out in the heat weeding, moving and dead heading, but your gardens make me want to go back out and do some more work on mine. Gorgeous pictures of beautiful gardens.

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  17. Catherine, Your flowers are looking beautiful, as always. Do you know what variety that Astrantia is? I've been wanting one that color for my garden, but the three I've tried so far have been either too purpley or barely tinged with pink. -Jean

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    1. ThanKs Jean! I'm pretty sure that one is 'Ruby Wedding'. I'll have to double check though next time I'm outside. It's definitely more red than anything.

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  18. Catherine, your garden looks beautiful. That Rozanne is a real workhorse and the astrantia is stunning. I have some in my front garden but they have never done very well, time for a move.

    Eileen

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  19. I was so happy to catch up with your chicks and garden. I cannot get over how lush and all the blooms you have....we are in a drought so we do not have the blooms you do but should....I just love how the gardens have grown in.

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  20. I have Strawberry Candy too, it has been blooming for a long long time!! You have really created a wonderful garden area with the raised beds and the pathways. Love your white picket fence...oh to have a fence to have vines to grow on!!
    Know you have enjoyed the chickens a lot.... know you will love the eggs!!

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  21. Your garden looks gorgeous. I like the way you have your sweet pea growing! And the gladioli are really eye catching. Summer is a real joy!

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  22. Wow! Those blooms are really breath taking! I love looking at each of them. They are really pretty! Great job on the garden Catherine.

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  23. Oh what beautiful, beautiful gardens! I absolutely LOVE your path. And chickens to top it all off ~ my kind of place.
    'hugs from afar'

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  24. I like your combination of the orange Echinacea and the agastache next to it. Very nice. Everything looks outstanding. I think the hydrangeas have enjoyed all the extra water this year. I love the little bell-shaped clemmy too. I've got several different ones but I think the one you have might be the best. Mine grows into a rose and a 'Polish Spirit' purple clemmy.

    Love the chickies. I too hope they start laying for you soon. Sweet Pea looks like a farm girl now.

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  25. Your garden is to flowers what Hanauma Bay is to tropical fish, absolutley breathtaking. Do you do tours?

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  26. Hi Catherine! Your garden is so floriferous and I am so jealous! I love, love, all the brilliant beautiful blooms. The hot sun over here washes out the blooms pretty quickly. I love Echinacea and have 'sundown' and 'sunset' but have never seen 'hula dancer.' That is going on my list! I also love the 'Jacob Cline' monarda. I wonder if it would stay that nice and bright over here. Thanks for the beautiful photos, always love seeing your garden!

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  27. So many gorgeous pictures! I'm just starting out and still in the dreaming and learning stage. I'm adding your blog to my daily reads because you're in the same area I am, and I hope to learn lots! Thanks for sharing.

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  28. Beautiful garden. Makes me want to ask if I can come over with my book and just sit and enjoy for a bit :-)

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  29. It's so interesting to see your garden, Catherine. I'm quite enamored with the fact that you have Campanula, and Echinacea, in the garden blooming together. Even both of our gardens are relatively coastal, we're definitely drier, and (sometimes) warmer than you. I'll be looking for that 'first egg' post! Should be any day now! Now all you need is goats ;)

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  30. You have such a lovely garden, so full of colour. I like the campanulas, so pretty. I recently bought 2 chooks, don't know why I didn't do it earlier, we are getting two eggs a day right now, it's great!
    http://onemotherhen.blogspot.com - I have a garden link up if you ever want to pop by and add your garden, its beautiful :)

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  31. Beautiful indeed! Makes me want to ask if I can bring some iced tea over and sit in your garden with a good book!

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  32. Your garden is colorful and beautiful as usual! Nice job. Glad your chickens are doing well. Glad to hear you're enjoying the summer.

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  33. Catherine, once again I am in awe of the beauty in your garden. Everything looks wonderful. Hopefully, when we have been here, oh about twenty years, our garden will look as lovely!

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  34. Catherine what a lovely garden you have, the photo of Echinacea Sunset? is absolutely gorgeous, please send some over here. The front butterfly garden is very pretty too.

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  35. Hello, I came on your blog...becouse I'm a gardener too, and I want to follow you.
    But I see you have the problem with the followers also. I had it also a little while ago.
    I find out, that when you do exactly wat she: ** http://rebecca-gatheryeroses.blogspot.no/2012/03/is-your-follower-gadget-missing-if-sodo.html **hase done, than the followers are back.
    Have a good weekend.

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  36. Your garden is so enchanting. I enjoy your post.

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  37. your garden photo charming my eyes and heart. When I see these flowers, i trust paradise is. When i see you, my imagination is that a moon among twinkle star in night sky. I can recognize your work from your providing garden photo. Best gardening tools helps to maintain garden with stunning beauty.

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  38. your garden photo charming my eyes and heart. When I see these flowers, i trust paradise is. When i see you, my imagination is that a moon among twinkle star in night sky. I can recognize your work from your providing garden photo. Best gardening tools helps to maintain garden with stunning beauty.

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  39. Oh how I wish I was your neighbor. I would love to look over the fence and see your beautiful garden everyday. We just recently moved from the Pacific Northwest (Mukilteo to be exact) to Salt Lake City and sure miss the zone of Seattle and all the good stuff you can grow in addition to all the rain that helps keep it alive. Learning to garden in a dryer zone but it's coming along. I'll keep coming back for more inspiration. Would love for you to stop by by blog, http://WicklessinSeattle.blogspot.com.

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  40. Your front garden is an inspiration. I want to do something similar with mine. I loved what you did with the sweet peas too.

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  41. You have some wonderful blooms here. I like seeing at least one hen is a pet. I hope the eggs have come by now. I actually have hummingbirds this year for the first time in years.

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  42. I can't keep Sunset and Sundown straight, either. Have them both. Your photos are some of the best of all the blogs I read. Seriously....they are excellent and make me feel like I've toured your garden in person.

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