The Heat Is On

As June begins to wind down, I feel as though I am just getting started in the garden now that the heat is on. 90 degrees today. (Sunday) We get out early to work in the cool of the morning, but it warms up pretty quickly. While the Head Gardener goes about working on his projects, I set to planting the perennials that I purchased in the last couple of days. I am trying to fill in the flower bed at the back of the house. I have waited too long to purchase perennials, for I am finding the selections at my favorite garden centers pretty well picked over.

I have a collection of mostly new plants that I have not grown before. (I don't know why I continue to take photos under the pergola for they never turn out.)

A touch of blue, Forget-me-nots to off set all of the pink.

I love the color of this bell flower; it will be a nice compliment to the coral bells.

This shade loving coral bell will go in another garden where there is more shade.

Dragon's something will be added to the succulent garden.

Lewisia goes in the succulent garden, too, with luscious pink flowers.

I need a better photo of the gorgeous pink lupin and her companion, also new here. I  am hoping that lupin survive the night for it looked really droopy yesterday despite the fact that it was well watered.

As July approaches, the iris have finished, the peonies only have a few viable blooms left, the roses are in full flush, the tiger lilies are still quiet along with the daisies and echinacea.

There is a profusion of pink in the garden. I know that I probably spend too much time photographing the pink, but I can't help myself.

I picked most of the Sarah Bernhardt peonies because the heads were so heavy that they fell to the ground. I had several bouquets throughout the house, making it smell sweet with their perfume.

I put these four in a pink depression glass serving bowl with a spiky frog to keep the heavy blossoms in place. I found two frogs in a local antique store. My grandmother used to use them in her flower arrangements. They certainly do keep flowers from flopping around in a vase or bowl.   

     

 

For the Monday's Mosaic shared at Lavender Cottage, I took a few shots in the front courtyard. While the roses are half as tall as they normal would be and the blooms are smaller, they are blooming profusely. Gertrude Jekyll looks wonderful. Even my bargain cheap supermarket miniature roses are full of blooms. The clematis has gone crazy. I never imagined that it would grow so large. I may have to do some pruning. 

I am feeling guilty now because I rather bad mouthed Gertrude a few posts ago, saying that I didn't replace her because she was so moody. But look at her; can't get enough of her pinkness.

It will be a quiet week here as I continue to scour the garden centers, hoping to find some plants on sale. I have more bare spots to fill in both in the back and out in the center circle. 

Thanks for taking to time visit. I do enjoy your sweet comments as I try to get back to each of you in response.  Sometimes it takes me all week. I do a lot of reading from the iPad, so some of the blog photos don't load very fast, so then I have to use the computer, so I don't get around as quickly as I should. Most of the time I end up at the bottom of your long list of comments. I hope you find me at the end of the week or before you publish your next post.

And so the sun sets on another Sunday at the Garden Spot. Life is good. While the tree is half dead, the ponies graze contently.  As the outside world rages, here we give thanks for peace and quiet, and we pray for the same for everyone else.

Have a wonderful week.