Rainy garden.

I was finally able to get out and walk around the garden yesterday while the rain stopped falling for awhile, it's been pouring since then though.  Things are looking really good and I'm so glad that there is still so much happening since I didn't really enjoy the garden as much as usual this summer.  There is quite a bit of color and I'm really anxious to start doing some fall planting.

The hummingbird resting on the Dogwood tree had been enjoying the Monarda 'Jacob Cline'.  I've said it before, but really if you want hummingbirds to visit, plant 'Jacob Cline'.  Even as the flowers are drying up they still cause the hummingbirds to fight over them.  The Littlest Gardener, the neighbor cat and I stood within 5 feet of this one while she was sipping the nectar, not bothered in the slightest by us standing and talking.

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is turning red now.  I plan to buy more of this (even though I know it's very easy to divide), and add it to a few spots that could use a little color now.

The front view of the house is one place I plan to add some, right behind the Lamb's Ear.

Verbena bonariensis is really popular with the hummingbirds too now.  They rest on the long stems and reach their beaks towards the flowers.  Each year I love this flower more, it's coming up everywhere.

The newest David Austin rose in our garden is 'Lady Emma Hamilton', she's finally blooming and is covered in beautiful buds.  It smells as good as it looks too!  Right after this picture was taken I cut the two open flowers to bring inside to enjoy.

One of Lady Emma's buds resting in some Cosmos foliage.  The Cosmos have suddenly decided to sprout, wonder if they'll make it to blooming?

I collected seeds from Veronica 'Lilac Fantasy' last fall and they are already blooming.  They are a bit darker than the original plant.  Tina are yours blooming?  I promised seeds to some other bloggers, but the first ones molded, I'm hoping to get more seeds soon so I can share them.

The pink Flower Carpet rose is making it's way across the walkway.  It's too pretty to cut right now and luckily it hardly has any thorns.  There's a lot blooming along this walkway.  The sick Japanese Maple leaves have all turned brown and are really hanging on for dear life.

I found a "new" old watering can this weekend at an antique store in an extremely cute town called Port Gamble.  I was having battery issues so didn't end up with many pictures.  Port Gamble is a historical old mill town on the Kitsap Pennisula founded in 1853.  Most of the old homes and buildings are surrounded by old white picket fences and beautiful gardens.  We rode the Kingston Ferry across the Puget Sound to get there.  Definitely a fun day trip.

As you can see by the last picture I'm beginning to accumulate plants for containers and the rest of the garden.  Today I plan to visit one of my favorite nurseries for their 2 for 1 perennial sale if it ever stops raining.  Then the next sunny day I'll have lots of fun getting  all my newest additions planted.

Some things to be happy about!

Thank you to everyone who gave input and suggestions about what could be wrong with our Japanese Maple tree.  I love that there are so many knowledgeable gardeners out there willing to help.  I'll keep you posted if I'm able to find a way to save the tree, but it doesn't sound too promising for now.  I'm pretty sure it is Collar Rot or Phytophthora.  It sounds like there isn't a lot that can be done aside from pulling soil away and treating with a fungicide, but that seems to be only slightly effective.  I guess we'll just enjoy it while it's here.  It surprising how fast you can get attached to a tree.
But, luckily with one disappointment in the garden there are usually several things to help cheer you up.
I found that there are some Zinnia seedlings, not many but a few at least.  I discovered that a Dahlia has sprouted, I had given up on them but one has decided to send up some foliage, so maybe there's a chance for a bloom.  The Pink blueberries ripened but the Littlest Gardener and her little friends couldn't wait to eat them before I could take any pictures.  My Hollyhocks seeds from Tina are starting to grow too!

 The Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) has started to bloom and the bumblebees are very happy about that.

 Some of the Oriental Lilies are blooming.  They are smaller than usual this year, but I'm just happy to see them.

 The driveway garden has a row of Lavender blooming right in front of this area.  It is covered in just about every type of bee possible.  A very strange bee looking insect was "attacking" the other bees, it even came after me.  I tried to get a picture of it but it wouldn't land long enough.  I think it was a drone fly, which is a honeybee drone mimic.  It's interesting how many insects you can find just watching one small spot in a garden for a short time.

 Caryopteris 'Wocester Gold' was moved during the heat of the summer last year and survived.

 My very first Calendula which was grown by seed sent to my by Laurie.  This was another seed I had given up on ever seeing grow.  I was very happily surprised while out watering to see this pretty flower.

 Nicotiana 'Limelight' was something I saw in a seed catalog last year.  I ordered the seeds, started them by wintersowing and waited and waited and waited for something to happen.  Once the heat started the plants started growing quickly and now are blooming.

 Sedum 'Autumn Joy' always reminds me of broccoli when it's at this stage.

And this pretty flower was visiting from the neighbors yard.  It's hidden behind a Hydrangea in their yard and I guess thought peeking through the fence it would be admired.  I'm guessing it's a Crocosmia.  Maybe it knew that just a few feet away is the Crocosmia that Darla sent me is growing, although I don't think it will bloom this year.

Now today I need to get out and do some watering.  I've been very lazy about it this summer.  We started off so wet here and it hasn't been that hot so the ground hasn't really dried out.  But the poor containers and newly planted things still need regular watering.  It seems like when I'm standing there watering with the hose is often when I notice the new things happening in the garden.