Late June in the Garden

We are having some rain this afternoon. The air should cool down into the 70s, though the rain is alternating with bright sun. Today is the first day in several weeks that the temperature has not reached into the 90s. The humidity will remain close to 100%, so the air will still feel summertime heavy. Nevertheless, I am grateful for small, if temporary, changes.

I continue to enjoy my late afternoon garden walks. Here are some photos taken within the last few days. 

The view across the front garden is taking on the mellowness of mid-summer:

More images around the front garden, clockwise from top left: Pink birdhouse backed by the purple foliage of loropetalum and lush green witch hazel (Hamamelis). The orange flower is a daylily. I am not one to be offended by an orange and pink combination; Lovebirds nestle in a small bird feeder; A small potion of the walkway that wraps from the front around the side of the house. Foliage of azalea, rosemary and 'Blue Star' juniper is in front, while boxwoods edge the far side; Burford holy berries will turn red in the fall; Variegated Carex, maidenhair fern, red impatiens and leopard plant in a tomato-red pot; Common ajuga and creeping jenny make a pleasing combination of two ground covers.

A few summer flowers around the front garden:Large photo at top is crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia), then smaller images, clockwise from top left: 'Coral' drift roses; 'Lady in Red' hydrangea; Daylily; Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle.'

Walking into the woodland garden in late afternoon is always a delight as shadow and light play amidst the foliage:Larger photo at top is a view toward one of the moss paths with the dark outline of a Japanese maple in front. Plants in the smaller images, clockwise from top left: Hardy begonia; Flowers from Heucherella rise up in front of a Bird's Nest fern; Calla lily (Zantedeschia); Stromanthe 'Tricolor'; Hydrangea 'Lady in Red'; Toad Lily (Tricyrtis).

More views inside the woodland garden:

Additional woodland foliage highlights:Clockwise from top left: Variegated ivy grows in the lady head pot, moved this year from the arbor garden into the woodland garden; Carex 'Everillo'; Cast iron plant (Aspidistra); Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora); Hydrangea 'Snowflake'; Houttuynia cordata, an invasive ground cover - only plant this where you know you can keep it under control.

I found this fallen feather beside a woodland path. It is about six inches long:

A friend gave me some Agapanthus earlier this year. I was not sure if it would settle in enough to bloom this year, but look what is happening:

Finally, my Voodoo Lilies (Amorphophallus konjac) continue their weirdness. After they finished blooming (inside the house!!) several months ago, I planted the tubers outside in their garden pots. Now at last each is putting up its speckled stem, or petiole, which is topped by spokes of a deeply divided leaf, much like an umbrella.Isn't gardening grand?!

For the Birds

I am always adjusting things in my garden. Recently I decided to move the cabin style birdhouse in the front garden to make way for a new birdbath. I had not seen any birds around it, so I was confident it was empty. It is on a freestanding cast iron stand (originally in my dad's workshop with a piece of equipment bolted to it). It was way too heavy for me to pick up, but I was able to move it by 'walking' it, tilting it this way and that and swinging it forward. I moved it about fifteen feet and decided the new location was perfect.I noticed some mockingbirds in a nearby Japanese maple but thought nothing of it.

Well, the next day Lou heard chirps coming from the house! And, yes, the parents are the mockingbirds, who must have watched most nervously as I turned their formerly stable abode into a mobile home! I can imagine what the babies must have thought: Earthquake! Tornado! Or something like that.

Fortunately, no harm seems to have been done, and the mockingbirds continue to care for the babies. In fact, the mockingbirds love the new birdbath, so the neighborhood improvement project was well received despite the forced relocation.

I have an assortment of birdhouses in my garden. I have featured most of them in previous posts, but I thought it would be good to show them all together as a collection.

The following two bluebird houses are both occupied by bluebirds, despite that they are only about twenty feet apart. I have read that bluebird houses should be at least 100 yards apart.

Here are more birdhouses in my garden:

For those wanting some great ideas, Aldridge Gardens in Hoover has a fabulous collection of birdhouses. It was fun to examine their charming details as I walked though the gardens on a recent visit. The following rustic birdhouses are located near the entrance to the Gardens:For those unfamiliar with Southeast USA geography, the birdhouse in the lower left photo is shaped like my home state of Alabama.

Some more rustic birdhouses with interesting details:

I love the rustic birdhouses, but I also love these colorful houses, located near the main house at Aldridge Gardens:

I hope the birds are welcome in your own garden. If so, they will bring you nothing but joy.