Hot and Dry Flowers in the House

If Jane had assembled her merry group for flowers two weeks ago, it would have been an abondonza!  Then the rains disappeared and the heat and humidity moved in.  You might have noticed.  It seems to be that way everywhere.

From the cutting garden - zinnias, marigolds, liatris, and Shasta daisies.

Hard to complain when I last watered in early May, tho.

In the dining room garden phlox with a bit of Jacob's Ladder.

Fortunately, there are still some stalwarts in good shape.  And, they are predicting a cooler week, so maybe the next round of blooms will come soon. 

And in the kitchen a few left over dianthus that a friend gave me last week.  The have the most amazing picotee edge.  Glad they lasted.

If you haven't dropped over to visit with Jane and her other friends, please do.  There should be lots to share!

It Just Keeps on Keeping On!

It seems like the last bloomers are blooming way early this year, altho I have to admit that I don't keep records - well, not written ones.  It's in my head ... sort of.

The clethera sweetspice is usually the last shrub to bloom and sometime in July seems about right.  Mitchell always thinks it's not going to, but it's always last. 

The last summer flower is always the hibiscus, but it's in the very back of the border - on purpose.  The blooms are nearly twice as large as usual this year.  Guess it's all the rain. 

And the last tree - at least in our yard - is crepe myrtle.  They bloom over a long cycle here and mine happen to be late bloomers, altho other varieties have been in bloom since early June.

So, now we have 60 days of late perennials and annuals before the fall change-over.  Can it really be the middle of the summer already.  Yep!  it definitely is.  Slow down, already!  I am not ready.

Rain, Rain, go Away!

What is this Seattle?

Nearly every day we have gotten rain for the past week.  Oh, and this is Virginia.  With rain comes humidity - you know like 90 degrees and 95%.  It hasn't been that bad all day, every day, but late afternoons are pretty bad right now.  

And we aren't even half way thru July.

West side of kitchen, late afternoon.  It really was not that hot!  Felt like it, tho.

Welcome to summer in the South!

Of, course the garden just keeps on keeping on.  It seems churlish to complain.  

Am I churlish?  

Certainly not ... well, maybe a little.

This is absolutely the most gorgeous double lily.

Hope things are going well in "your neck of the woods".

It's my First Time ....

Honest. 

I've wanted to for a long time, but I've resisted.

You all said it would be good ...

But I wasn't ready.  Until now.

My very first David Austin rose. 

Her name is Sister Elizabeth.

She's doing well and flowering.

April 18, 2013

I think the second time will be easier.