A Very Red July

 

The Northwest corner has featured bold red lilies and roses this month.  Vigorous tetraploid 'Red Velvet' Asiatic lilies continue to multiply by the year.  Upward-facing 'Forza Red' Orienpet lilies are still going strong in their second summer.  Not all lilies survive in my crowded perennial beds (I'm thinking of you, wimpy Oriental lilies), so I'm very pleased to see these types returning well.

The 'Florentina' climbing roses have been spectacular this year.  I have them tied up to teepees from Gardener's Supply, which has been working well.  I keep recommending this rose to my gardener friends.  The charming old-fasioned blooms last forever on the plant or in the vase.  The only drawbacks are the lack of scent and the tendency of the deeply colored petals to get brown with sunburn on the tops.  They'd do better with afternoon shade, I guess, but I have no plans to move them.  

The second flush from 'Caradonna' salvia adds some violet spikes to the color scheme, and a few 'Purple Prince' lilies (also vigorous Orienpet hybrids) add a deep pink.  The 'Royal Purple' smoke bush is finally leafed out and filling its space.  It certainly took its time waking up this spring, as did the 'Berry Awesome' hardy hibiscus that will bloom next month.

Last year all my dahlias were blooming by this time, but our chilly, wet spring really slowed down their growth.  Not that I'm complaining - with much of the Western United States in severe drought, I'm very happy that our water supply is plentiful this year.  Even though I waited to plant my dahlia tubers until the end of May, some of them rotted in the ground during our rainy June weather.  The ones that survived have sprouted and some have even formed buds, so I'm being patient.

The back side of the NW corner currently features 'Blue Sapphire' sea holly, 'Summer Beauty' alliums, 'Visions in Red' astilbe, drumstick alliums, a few lingering spikes of 'Caradonna' salvia, and more of the 'Red Velvet' lilies.  

In the background you can see the 'Incrediball Blush' hydrangea I transplanted here this spring.  I think eventually it will be happy with the part-day sun, but so far it wilts unless I water it daily.  These hydrangea flowers last for ages on the plant, remaining attractive even as they age to green.  So I'm willing to keep nursing it along until it gets established.  

Mid May Garden

 

I am finally posting these photos from mid-May, with 'Purple Sensation' alliums and 'Excelsior' Spanish bluebells in bloom above.

By the middle of May the 'Royal Raindrops' crabapple trees had dropped their petals and taken up their summer maroon color.

'Early Emperor' alliums in the foreground were a lovely contrast with the chartreuse leaves of a 'Sutherland Gold' elderberry at left and the 'Red Dragon' contorted filbert at right.

This chair has been a favorite place to sit and take in the view down both sides of the path.

The last of the tulips included 'Blue Spectacle,' 'Black Hero' and these unknown coral-red lily tulips.

In the white garden, 'Spring Green' viridiflora tulips bloomed along with the 'Popcorn' viburnum at back right.

The west garden was full of leaves if not color, with a few clematis flowers opening on the trellis.

Tulip Time in Early May

 These photos of the backyard are from early May when the tulips were in full bloom along with the 'Royal Raindrops' crabapple trees.

'Margarita' pink double tulips were blooming at front along with lily-flowered 'Merlot,' 'Orange Princess,' 'Negrita' and 'Black Hero.' 

As the 'Spring Snow' crabapple trees finished blooming, white petals covered the ground.   

These double red 'Palmyra' tulips might have been my favorite this year.  In the background you can see one of two newly planted 'Primo' dwarf arborvitaes.  Eventually they should grow four feet tall by one foot wide to add beautiful evergreen structure to this main sunny bed.

A shot looking west shows the back northwest bed.  I've been giving extra water and love to the two 'Green Tower' boxwoods at right.  We transplanted them out from the very back of the bed last year, and they're still a little stressed.

Speaking of stressed plants, my two 'Thoweil' false cypress shrubs (just left of center and far left) are both struggling.  I'm not sure if they have tip blight or if they just got too dried out last winter, but they've had a lot of dieback and just don't look good.  I have been making sure the soil is moist at their bases and have treated them with fungicide.  Every time I walk by I send them good thoughts for recovery.

The tulips in this area came back nicely for a second year, including pink 'Aveyron' and creamy 'Verona.'  Newly planted 'Bowles Golden' carex echoes the chartreuse blooms of cushion spurge.

In my tiny white garden, the 'Exotic Emperor' tulips have multiplied over several years to make a good showing along with variegated white aubretia and the 'Spring Snow' crabapple.

This photo doesn't do them justice, but the 'Exotic Emperor' tulips have interesting green flames coming up their sides and lovely full blooms.  

A view of the east back garden reveals the new hot tub at far right.  We bought it for my husband and I swore I would rarely get in, but it turns out that I use it more than anyone else in the family, especially after a long day of gardening.

This is the view from the best seat in the hot tub.  It has become another way to enjoy the garden!

More Midsummer Garden Views

With temperatures hitting the 90's this week (upwards of 32 degrees C), it really feels like summer.  It has been a slow process to get more midsummer color in my garden, but I feel like we are finally reaching that goal.  In the front yard a few daylilies are blooming along with 'Walker's Low' catmint, but most of the interest comes from different leaf colors and textures.  

The long-blooming 'Walker's Low' catmint is ready for a trim to get rid of the spent bloom stalks, then it will keep producing flowers until frost.

I posted lots of pictures of this area last week, but I can't resist a few more.  The 'Red Velvet' lilies are at peak bloom and I've fallen in love with this new addition to the garden.  

'Arabian Night' and 'Purple Haze' dahlias are blooming behind fragrant 'Purple Prince' lilies.  Despite the name, this trumpet-shaped lily is actually a deep pink.  The color plays well with the second round of blooms on 'Caradonna' salvia and the main flush of blooms on 'Millenium' allium.

This is the best July ever for this section of the garden.  The lilies are such a special addition.

In this view the 'Fujian' Orienpet lilies are opening behind the 'Red Velvet' stalks.  'Fujian' is a show-stopper with large flowers that are strongly fragrant.  Both types were ordered from B&D Lilies last fall.

The 'Big Smile' daylilies are opening next to the swing set while the 'Lady of Shallot' roses in pots take a break from blooming.  The honeysuckle growing on the frame has hosted several Pine Siskin finch nests this year, and at least two of those nests have been taken over by bumblebees.  

A view toward the northeast corner of the backyard is very green and calm.

The area right behind the swing set is full of floppy 'Chantilly Peach' snapdragons (they'd like more sun) and several types of Veronica.

I just planted a 'Thoweil' Hinoki cypress in this area and have another in a pot to plant in fall after I transplant a viburnum.  The dark, wavy texture will be pretty all year.

The white section of the garden features an 'Annabelle' hydrangea and 'Meidilland White' rose in peak bloom.  Dahlias, anemones and more lilies are set to open soon.

I replanted another white clematis at the base of the arch after the first one died last summer (I think it had fungal wilt), and it's slowly starting to climb up the side. 

Just past the arch are 'Purple Candles' veronica and a young 'Invincibelle Blush' hydrangea next to the birdbath.  

I'll finish with the view of the east side of the house.  Short 'Maggie Dayley' and tall 'Purple Candles' astilbe are in bloom in front of a 'Comtesse de Bouchaud' clematis.  I love the chartreuse leaves with the mauve flowers.

Early May

The tulips are finishing up and the Royal Raindrops crabapple trees have passed their peak.  Although I've been enjoying the cheerful yellow of the cushion spurge (Euphorbia polychroma), looking at this photo makes me wonder if they don't look out of place with the other colors.  Perhaps I could transplant the spurge elsewhere.

We've been picking thousands of baby crabapple seedlings.  They just keep coming.

I sure love the pink flowers, though, and the birds love the tiny crabapples.  This spring we've had more songbirds in the backyard than ever before.  We've delighted in the robins and several types of finches.  Pine siskin finches built a nest in the dead honeysuckle twigs on the swing set, but we saw one of the parents get eaten by a hawk.  Peeking into the nest revealed a lone egg which might never hatch.  So sad.

Some of the poppies and peonies have fat buds that will open soon, depending on the temperatures.  Highs in the 60's and rain are showing in the forecast for the next week.

The last of the tulips are blooming in shades of purple and deep pink as the Purple Sensation alliums begin to open.  Lily flowered Merlot has remained in bloom for a long time.

A pair of windstorms knocked the heads off seven or eight of the Blue Spectacle tulips, but the ones that survived are looking gorgeous with Merlot.

Black Hero and Menton Exotic join Merlot, Blue Spectacle and Margarita in this shot.

This view looks different from last year since my husband graciously dug out one of the giant Katherine Havemeyer lilacs.  It was quickly replaced other shrubs from overcrowded positions.  Although I love lilacs, my six KH lilacs send out endless suckers up to ten feet away from the original shrubs.  They require a lot of pruning to remove dead wood, and their form is messy.  The two weeks while they're in bloom is glorious, but I'm happy to have more room for other plants in my small garden. 

The slightly crooked broken fountain is planted with Pacific Ice sempervivum (hens and chicks) this year.  It's been difficult to keep other plants watered in its shallow bowl during the past few summers, so I'm hoping the hens and chicks will require less supplemental watering.

Although shrubs and perennials are still in the process of leafing out for spring, there's a lot more green in this shot than there was a few weeks ago. 
I've been dreaming up new projects and figuring out how to squeeze more plants, especially new evergreen shrubs, into the landscape.  But projects will have to wait as I gave myself tendinitis in my hand after pruning too much.  Gardening teaches patience in many ways, eh?

Passionate Tulips

The backyard tulips have been in peak bloom for the past week, and the blend of dark pink, purple, deep red and rosy-orange has felt bold and exciting. 

It has been fun to see the mix of different shapes.  This tulip at front might be 'Purple Pride,' and it has matured into this vase shape right before dropping its petals.

Double pink Margarita is a great performer for me.  The bulbs from two years ago have multiplied and rebloomed well this spring, and the blooms last a long time on their tall, sturdy stems.  Lily-shaped Merlot is blooming at right of Margarita.  It is supposed to be a good perennializer as well.

Double Orange Princess has also come back for a second spring of bloom.  I wish I had done a better job of planting it at the front of the bed, as its short stature is sometimes blocked when it's growing behind taller tulips.  Single purple Negrita was planted perhaps five years ago and continues to bloom each spring. 

Palmyra is a big favorite, and it has come back well for the second spring.  I didn't catch a good shot of the blooms of double Uncle Tom, but that tulip is even darker than Palmyra and blooms earlier than Black Hero.

Here's another cluster of Margarita tulips . They're so fluffy and pretty!

Margarita with Merlot at the base.  A windstorm last weekend snapped the heads off several of my Blue Spectacle double tulips, but  Margarita was unharmed.

Here is a final view of the bed, with yellow cushion spurge (Euphorbia polychroma) happily blooming along with the passionate tulips.