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.

Now I'm really getting excited!

Part of the fun in reading other garden blogs is being reminded of what I will have blooming in my own garden soon. June is usually my favorite month in my own garden, many of my very favorites bloom then. Many of those favorites have already begun blooming in other parts of the world. Since the garden still seems to be running ahead by a couple of weeks I've been excited to see some of these flowers just getting ready to bloom.
Roses are probably my most looked forward to blooms right now. I added a few new ones last year and have already managed to find a spot for a new one this year. I think at this point unless I remove more grass I may be out of room for now.

'Abraham Darby' - is loaded with buds, unfortunately it is also loaded with blackspot. I'm trying an organic spray for it, and hoping it will help.

'Gertrude Jekyll' - even open only this much the fragrance is wonderful.

'Tamora' - my newest rose has the most beautiful buds. I think if it didn't open any further than this it would be fine with me.

My unknown pink rose that came with the house. It had been in a rather shady spot in the backyard. Since moving it to the sunny front yard few years ago it has just gone crazy. It's over 5 feet tall already.

Another good smelling flower are these daylilies. They grow near white Lupine and look beautiful together. The Lupine is just starting to bloom too.

The newly added Allium 'Purple Sensation' seems to be much taller in the full sun places that I planted it. I know I'll be adding more this fall.

I think the Alliums look pretty with the Iris. Cameron of Defining Your Home Garden had this combination on her blog last Fall and I thought I'd try it here since I had no idea where to plant the Alliums.

Something I've noticed in the last couple of weeks are just how bad the aphids are this year. They are on everything. I would be out there everyday with the hose trying to spray them off and I've been to busy to use the dish soap and water spray method (which doesn't always seem that effective to me). A few years ago we released ladybugs into the garden and within about a week the aphids were GONE! The Littlest Gardener and I are going ladybug shopping this week so we can get rid of the aphids the natural way.