Summer Goes On

This summer is warm and sticky, as usual, but not nearly as hot as expected. And we've had lots of rain, which is totally different! So with the better weather, my flowers are having a great year in the garden, as are my veggies. The veggies are actually quite amazing. The last few summers have been so dry that the vegetable garden just limped along, barely producing. This year we are having a banner year instead. I always say that I only grow enough vegetables to eat, not enough to can and freeze. Well, this year is different. I'm keeping busy finding ways to use up all this produce besides just eating them immediately.

 I've written many times about my love affair with Queen Red Lime zinnias. This is a must have at my house. I've never seen them available as plants, nor have I ever seen the seeds in stores. I always order the seeds online, and I have to order early because they often sell out. The plants get large and full of blooms, never get mildew, the flowers last a long, long time, and their coloring is unique. 

But this one is funny, because it came up with only the lime coloring. This came from the same pack of seeds for Queen Red Lime. I thought it might just be the one flower, but the whole plant is like this. I like it, it's different.

 Speaking of green, I always like how this corner turns out be a study in greens. This is the first year I've grown white coneflowers, and I like them almost as much as the purple ones. Almost. 

There are plenty of plain pink zinnias around here too. Plain, yeah right. They are gorgeous, and floriferous!

Even the traditional black eyed susans look better than usual this year.

 Anyone who likes to see hummingbirds visiting their garden should grow this hyssop. It grew easily from seed, which were labeled sunset hyssop. I've also heard it called hummingbird mint. This is the busiest corner of my butterfly garden. Maybe it's a little wild, but the rest is pretty orderly, so I mostly just let it be. Can you list how many different flowers you see?

 A few of my dahlias have popped out, and they are just as lovely as ever. I was noticing how similar the flowers look to zinnias.

The roses are also having a banner year. Black spot is less bothersome than usual, and there has not been a single Japanese beetle to bother them.

 There was one week with terribly hot, dry weather, and of course that was the week I was on vacation. Some of my annual pots did not survive, so I had to replace them. I thought these trailing type vincas wouldn't mind the hot sun. The huge geranium is a beautiful deep wine color, much darker than it shows in the picture.

I did NOT plant purple morning glories this year. However, this little guy had different ideas.

I am a big fan of using coleus as color in my shady areas. Love, love, love the look of mixed coleus! Did you know they are very easy to root over the winter? Just root and use as house plants till next spring.

And so it goes. Summer may be a little sticky, but it's still my favorite time because my garden loves it so much!