Summertime is here, hot and humid but not yet fierce, delightful and sticky as honey on the tongue.
The old Southern Magnolia across from the house is blooming, its large fragrant flowers a testament to summer in the Deep South.I had my first watermelon of the year last week, along with hot dogs and hamburgers fresh from the grill. This is the season to sit on the patio in the cool of the day, until the sun sets and mosquitos begin to bite. Mosquitos generally leave me alone, while Lou is much sweeter and the bugs zero in on him. Late afternoon is also the perfect time to take a walk through the June garden.
Here is the view from the patio, looking through the arch toward the front garden.I am happy to have a red banana, Ensete maurelii, growing again beside the patio.
The pink flowering shrub beside the red banana is 'Anthony Waterer' spirea.This wonderful plant is one of my favorites for foliage. While it may survive a mild winter, it is not really hardy here. I learned the hard way, so it is in a large pot, which will be hauled inside when frost arrives.
From the patio one also has a view of the arbor garden:
Steps, which are bordered with an assortment of shrubs and flowers, lead from the patio to the arbor garden. Look closely through the foliage in this picture and you can see the steps:
Leaving the patio and the view of the arbor garden, lets walk under the arch and take a turn in front of the house. This will bring us to the parking court and various views around the front lawn. Green is the predominant color of summer. Because of our big windows, even the inside of the house takes on a verdant tint this time of year.
The combination of Calibrachoa and Tropicana Canna Lily will provide a shimmer of color in front of the house throughout the season.
A closer look at Calibrachoa; these look like small petunias but have a tidier habit.
Tropicana Canna Lily has spectacular leaves. It has proved to be reliably hardy in my zone 7b/8a climate.The Tropicana Canna Lily grows beside this birdbath. Behind the birdbath is Nandina 'Firepower,' a noninvasive nandina that does not produce flowers or berries. Beyond here is a parking area that is bordered by shrubs and flowers, part of the large front garden that wraps around the lawn.
Walking through the garden, one sees an assortment of flowers blooming in June, including this purple petunia:
Stella de Oro Daylily:
and more:
Clockwise from top left: Rosa mutabilis; Sedum; 'Tutti Frutti' butterfly bush; Zantedeschia; Nasturtium; Fuchsia; Black-eyed Susan; Gardenia.
No walk is complete without a stroll through the woodland garden. In late afternoon it transforms into a green cathedral with windows of silver and gold.
Snowflake hydrangea
I hope you enjoyed the walk! Have a great week, Deb
You may also be interested in these posts: Summer Proof the Garden and Summer is Here!