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?!

June Walk

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!