MY SUMMER GARDEN

Even though it has been an unbearably hot summer, my garden doesn't seem to mind.  I guess we've had enough late afternoon thunderstorms to keep the flowers happy.   

  

DOG IN MY SUMMER GARDEN

My French Bulldog sheltered on the porch this winter then rejoined the Vinca in the garden once the weather improved.

FRENCH BULLDOG IN THE VINCA

I always mix annuals with my perennials.  Their advantages are that they add color and bloom until frost.  I use Vinca and Lantana because the deer don't eat them.   They also don't seem to mind that I totally neglect giving them any care.

VINCA AND LANTANA ALONG MY GARDEN WALKWAY

Once I discovered Vinca, I never bought Impatiens.   

DEER RESISTANT VINCA

I like my Carly Rose grass, but it really grows quickly.  I have to divide it every other year.  If I had a do over I'd choose Fountain Grass instead.  It looks the same but stays more compact.

CARLY ROSE GRASS

Recently I wrote about my Dragon's Eye Pine and how its spikey branches contrast with the softness of the flowers and add texture too.  The Big Blue Fescue that outlines the stone wall adds sharpness and color.  You can see the Dragon's Eye Pine in the foreground.

BIG BLUE FESCUE FOLLOWING THE LINE OF THE STONE WALL

My Russian Sage never disappoints.

RUSSIAN SAGE

What's blooming in your garden?

To see my post about the Dragon's Eye Pine go here or click on the image below.

DRAGON'S EYE PINE IN MY GARDEN

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MY OTHER GARDEN FEATURE

I've written many posts about my absolute favorite garden feature, my Limelight Hydrangea.   My Dragon's Eye Pine is another centerpiece in my garden.  Its sharp spikey branches are the perfect contrast to the soft blooms of the hydrangea.   The texture and the color variations on the pine more than compensate for its lack of flowers.   Its branches stretch to the left over the slate walkway and create an appealing asymmetric design.   You can see the limelight hydrangea peeking out from the left corner of the image.  It's very close to full bloom.

 

DRAGON'S EYE PINE

ANOTHER ANGLE

AGAINST THE LAMP POST

CLOSE UP

ANOTHER CLOSE UP

Do you have a favorite garden feature?

Link to my post about my Limelight Hydrangea here.  Click on the highlighted word or on the image below to be directed to the post.

MY LIMELIGHT HYDRANGEA

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COTTAGE GARDEN SUCCESS PART TWO

I recently wrote about my cottage garden.  The post got so long that I had to divide it.  You might want to take a peek at Cottage Garden Part One before you start this post.  Just click on the highlighted words and you'll be directed there.

I think you'll  agree that my Limelight Hydrangea stole the show.

I've found that ornamental grasses are a perfect way to add texture to your garden.  

They're very low maintenance too.  

CARLY ROSE ORNAMENTAL GRASS

I planted another variety of ornamental grass around the lamp post.  

I repeated this grass along the fence on the other side of the house.

ORNAMENTAL GRASS MIXING IN WITH MY PERENNIAL HIBISCUS AND BLACK-EYED SUSANS

My perennial begonia likes shade, so it fills in a bed in the shady back yard.

I'm looking forwarding to enjoying my blooms until frost.  My garden is sparse during the Winter.  It's a totally different and more tailored landscape.  The boxwoods, pines, lirope and nandina are the new features.

Reds and Yellows in My Fall Garden

This summer we had to remove a large Bradford Pear that shaded our front yard for many years.  I've been working on my new full sun garden and I still need to do some tweaking, but it's coming along.   All summer I have yellows and blues accenting the green in the landscaping.  In the fall though the garden is transformed when many of my green shrubs decide to change to their new red wardrobe.  Here's a peek into my evolving landscaping.

I re-used  as many of my original plants as I could.   My big purchase was a large Dragon's Eye Pine that is the focal point in the garden.  Its needles are yellow all year long.  I added a low curved wall and tucked a dry bed with bluestone into its curve for my lady statuary.   

New Landscaping

This is a better look at my Dragon's Eye Pine

My New View From the Front Porch

My Fire Power Nandia changed from green to red once the weather cooled.  I use the Nandia in the summer for bouquets and in the winter I tuck it into my holiday wreaths for a pop of color.

Fire Power Nandina and Festuca on My Garden Wall

I love the contrast of the yellow and red.

Red and Yellow Color Combo

Another View of the Low Wall

Bluestone Dry Bed

My Japanese Maple has always been part of the landscaping.  I was worried that it wouldn't adjust to the change from shade to full sun, but it survived and became a deeper red.  It will eventually lose all it's leaves and be a gnarled mound of branches in the winter.  I added a slate walkway between the wall and the Japanese Maple.  It's my new shortcut from the back yard.

Japanese Maple and New Slate Path

The Pieris have grown along my driveway for many years.
 They have lovely white flowers in the spring and cascading red tendrils in the fall.

Pieris Along My Driveway

This is the bed where the pear tree used to be located.  It's on the opposite side of the sidewalk. 

 I added a small low wall.  My buddha is resting under another Nandina.  I've had the large pagoda for many years.  It just changed its location.  I'm not sure if I like it there or not.  

The landscaping is still a work in progress that will have to wait until spring.

If you'd like to see my front garden before the Bradford Pear was removed, go here.