July Blooms

This is the day we arrive in NH and take position of our new apartment.  No time yet to blog so

I'm going back in time to repost blogs from my past. 

This one appeared six years ago today.  [Tried to go back 7 years and couldn't open those posts to edit.]

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The stargazer lilies opened this morning!  I've been patiently waiting for this day.  Soon their fragrance will fill the perennial garden.

But they are not the only bloomers at present here are some of the others who are adding colors other than green to my gardens.

In Mom's Garden (formerly the Front Garden):

black-eyed susan

hydrangea - a smaller version of itself after the hard winter

lamb's ear

crepe myrtle

In the Pond Garden:

phlox

daylily

In the Glen Garden:

hostas

astillbe (I think)

In the Perennial Garden:

shasta daisies

purple cone flower

another day lily variety

another day lily

another day lily

and this lovely day lily that has been blooming for weeks

knock out rose

liatris

As I was posting this, a heron landed in the backyard directly outside my window.  I grabbed my camera but my movement startled it and it flew off.  I wonder if its looking to come gold fishing in my pond?

Winter Begins!

Below freezing temperatures have frozen the pond.

The wind and floating leaves make interesting patterns in the ice.

Winter is here!

Weekend Reflections

June Garden Tour - The Pond Garden

Here's the pond full to the brim because of the inches of rain we have had.  Love that the cattails are gone (for now).  The water iris have mostly finished blooming.

The fish and frogs are active.

A water lily that has never done much is now showing some life.  It's confined to a pot in the pond.

Joe Pye weed is adding height.  I have pulled some volunteers from spots around the pond but I know there are still some from self seeding.  They don't seem to transplant very well.

On the house side of the pond the stella d'oro day lily is just opening blooms.  The hosta behind is a nice contrast to it.

Look at this color combination.

Close up it's even lovelier.  The orange is the butterfly weed that is food for monarchs.  The blue is ?  I can't recall what it is called.  It blooms in the morning.

Pots of sedum on the pond deck.

A view of the pond from the deck.

The garden tour will continue in future posts.

Cattails Gone

The pond looks totally different with the cattails gone.  A handyman named Bill came on Tuesday and spent an muggy hot morning pulling the cattails old and new ones and cleaning it all up.

Here's the pond earlier this spring with the new spikes of cattails just beginning to show.  The green spikes around the pond are water iris.

Here is the week or two before the deed was done.  See how tall the cattails have become?

Here is the pond after clean out.  Water full of the silt that got churned up.

Amazingly enough the goldfish survived.

Here's the pile of cattails in the woods edge.

The iris are now in full bloom around the pond.

I'm still drawing a blank on this plant (below).  Anyone know it's name?

Here's the pond two days later after  a good rain.  I don't know if the water will get clearer.

I know the goldfish are more visible which may mean a visit from a heron.

I couldn't have completed this job on my own.

Loving These Color Combos

Don't you just love this time of year?

The colors are just so lovely.

Let me show you.

On the south side of the pond the weigela is in bloom.

The one lilac to its left is also blooming but not as profusely and the purple Siberian iris are just opening here.

The ostrich fern is a soft green with the Joe Pye weed sprouting in front.

Forget me nots with pink creeping phlox.

These Siberian iris on the east side of the pond are farther along.

Look at these three colors of green.

Sedum of different types loving their spot.

Along the glen the hosta and ferns in complimenting green.

In the perennial garden the deep purple iris have opened.

More Siberian.

A lavender shade to these iris.

The only heron I keep around is this stone one watching over the birdbath and miniature blue hosta.

Stop by again to see the yellow iris at the pond in full bloom in the week ahead.