My goal this year is to actually take pics of my garden in the summer, instead of just the spring. Join me, and let's see your pics.

The shasta daisies didn't flop over this year!

Does a patch of Shasta daisies "poop out" after several years?

I have a patch under some trees and bushes that was profuse and dense for the first 3-4 years I lived here, but lately fewer and fewer have been coming back.

The soil is poor, tree and bush roots are very thick in the soil, and I haven't fertilized them much in the last few years. Also, I never deadhead them.

I can't give them more sun or soil where they are, but would they be likely to come back if I fertilized and watered more often? We have very dry summers.

My patch under trees in moderate shade died out. But the ones in full sun seem to do great for years and even self sow here and there. these have been given a topdressing of compost every year x 4 years.

Phlox 'Nicki'


Mixed perennials + tray of coleus I haven't planted yet, oops

That might not be Nicky, actually. I think it's 'Laura'

Rats - just uploaded 3 photos only to hit some random key which took me somewhere else on the Internet and lost it all. The light was really harsh anyway, so I think I'll wait on posting. My comment was that so far my Shastas have not yet flopped either, although they tend to do so when I least expect it. I am trying to be diligent about cutting them off at the base when they threaten to encroach on other plants, hoping to keep them better behaved. It appears to be a 'yellow' year for me - all my new plantings are in the yellow/gold range. Funny how that works out.

>> My patch under trees in moderate shade died out. But the ones in full sun seem to do great for years

That sounds like my problem. Too much shade (and maybe tree roots).

>> these have been given a topdressing of compost every year x 4 years.

And my other problem. I have more beds than I have compost, so only the most valued beds get compost. All the beds were happier when I filled my car's trunk with bagged manure/compost mix several times per year - I had better go back to doing that.

Better pictures this morning before the sun hits full stride. These honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum 'Belgica') absolutely overwhelm me with their sweet fragrance in the morning/evening, and I like the feverfew at their feet. Bird feeder on the fence, with elecampane in the background, Crocosmia 'Lucifer' peeking in at the right.


Lucifer at center stage, with Shasta daisy, a masterwort, and veronica side-kicks. Oregano will bloom later, and my friend Fens Ruby cheerfully fills in at their feet.


This is my under deck bed which I am still stewing about. I left the Shastas in and have been cutting them back to keep them in bounds. I had a couple different coreopsis, but it appears either 'Baby Sun' or 'Golden Gain' (I'll have to figure out which one) won out. I believe my intent when I went to the nursery was to get a couple purple accents for between the coreopsis, but I ended up with a golden rudbeckia. I may switch that out if I can figure out where to move the rudbeckia. More Lucifer.

The boss coreopsis is Golden Gain. I was rather hoping that Jethro Tull would have been more prolific, but it disappeared.

Deb and Stephanie your gardens are fabulous. Jethro died on me too Deb. Coreopsis route 66 is good for me. Love Laura phlox!

A few things are blooming









Tricyrtis formosana (Toad Lily)

my roses love the heat, just picked this, one big branch

Very nice ya'll!

Great pics!!! Jewell, I love that little cottage----what do you use it for? It's adorable.

We've been gone for a week on vacation. Came home last night and found the yard full of many needs---including a ton of deadheading, weeding, and berry picking. Trying to motivate.

Here is my master blueberry picker. We have 40 highbush blueberry bushes, 1/3 Dukes, 2/3 Berkeleys. tons of picking to do today.


So much looking good right now. But I'm most thrilled with these old fashioned Climbing Petunias. I ordered these seeds from Heirloom Seeds, I believe. These long preceded modern day wave petunias. I'm impressed and am in love. I have two of these planters. Each only have 3 or 4 plants in them. I gave them fresh potting soil and fertilizer, but I don't recall giving them miracle grow or anything.

Wow, those blueberries are impressive! And what a good picker you have there.

That's adorable! So many berries you must be going to freeze. Yum!!!

Stephanie, Wow! That is a lot of berry bushes. I have trouble keeping up with just a couple of bushes and a single short row of raspberries.

The shack is my sweeties' smoke shack. it's only 8'x8' but has room for a couple of chairs. We spent time wiring for light, and insulating it so the tin roof won't drip in the winter. It's a great place for me to relax and he can have his cigar and whiskey out of the rain.

I love that smoke shack! Very cool.

Deb, the smoke shack was our solution after a quick wet snow took down the last of for garden tents.

Here are a few more things blooming around the yard. blaze rose
clematis
very early fall anemone1st gladslug nibbled? dahlia

Have you ever ordered plants and forgotten? These mini bearded iris arrived yesterday. They are supposed to be fragrant. I'd forgotten I had this July order coming (ordered in the spring). Still waiting for my heirloom daffs to come although I am not sure yet where they will go in the garden.

Looks awesome! That's a good reminder that I need to put in some bearded iris. I don't have any for some reason.