Garden writers often call out the infamous July gap in the garden. This is the down time after all the classic perennials have finished their show. Admittedly, my garden usually has a gap from about July to February! But this year, it feels like there are just enough things blooming to avoid the “gap” term altogether.
This is a happy sight! I received free gift seeds with a bunch of other seeds about four years ago–Agapanthus praecox. I planted them, thinking they would never grow. And here is the result, blooming for the first time this year.
Another view. The color is remarkable–a little deeper than sky blue with darker stripes down the middle of each petal.
Here is Europeana rose blooming near the Jeff Tangen arbor.
Better lighting in this close-up. The color is darker than what his show here–somewhere between scarlet and crimson.
A glorious mix of clematis and rose on the Jeff Tangen arbor near the front door.
Another view…
And another…
I always find it interesting that some of these gorgeous flowers have four petals…
While some sport five.
Some carry-over geraniums from last year near the driveway, blooming their hearts out!
Daylily near the driveway.
Here are some of the year’s seedlings grown for patio pots. I love the salvias–they have cheery color and graceful form.
A little fuzzy, but these are snapdragons I grew from seed.
More patio seedlings–the Cola series geraniums have nice color on their leaves.
Crocosmia “Lucifer” blazing bright in the orchard bed. These are from sister Cate.
Close-up of “Lucifer.”
These are almost too bright to be true!
I think this is Verbascum olympicum from a seed mix a few years ago. This is the queen of mulleins–extremely showy and long-lasting. I should have staked it, though, but it has held up okay, with just a graceful curve.
One of the oldest plants in the garden, this came with me from our previous rental house, so is at least 22 years old! Richly fragrant, this beauty is lighting up and scenting up the orchard garden.
The berries have landed! This is an unripe Tayberry.
The black-cap raspberries are providing dessert every night!
Close-up of one of the Lathyrus vines growing through the Goumi in the orchard garden.
Brother Tim came by last weekend and brought some fruit stockings. I put about 25 of them on the apples and plums. Some of the fruit is still naked. We’ll see which ones fare better.
Here are the plums–they are just starting to show some color.
Unprotected plums. I’m so anxious to finally taste some of these “Beauties.” The squirrels got all four of them before they were ripe last year.
More patio seedlings–these impatiens are extremely impressive. The flowers are huge and they self-clean and just keep blooming!
My long-time friend, Begonia boliviensis, blooming on the patio. The plant came up really strong this year in the same pot it’s been in for three years!
More Agapanthus pix.
A little blurry, but you can see how big the flowers are and how graceful and intricate.