Summer Has Arrived Early

I think summer has arrived early. The temperature has been between 95-100 degrees daily for the past couple of weeks. I may start posting less and less as the heat takes it toll on the garden. I usually go out and work in the garden around 7 a.m. and try to finish up by 9 a.m. It is just too hot to be outdoors much, unless you have a swimming pool. It is sad to see all the beautiful blooms melt by afternoon. I will try next year to incorporate a larger variety of drought tolerant plants.  I have been planning ahead for fall already - digging more flower beds and trying to decide where to put new shrubs and trees that will be purchased in the fall. I moved one of the Junipers to an area along side the fence by our gate. My aunt gave me a daylily from her garden about 20 years ago. I call it a "wild" daylily and named it "Ella" after her. This particular one multiplies like crazy and can withstand the heat. I am planning on planting a whole row of these along the outside fence along the road. They look beautiful in large masses. My husband picked our first tomato this morning. Delicious! I think it was "Celebrity" variety. The tomato plants have gotten SO large and couldn't find the tag under it.

These are so beautiful in the morning I just can't walk by them without
snapping a photo. "Janice Brown" daylily

One of the zinnia beds left side of photo. This one will have purple
and lime green zinnias.

The same goes for "Navajo Princess" daylily- so beautiful in the morning.

"Abraham Darby" David Austin rose with the Evolution Salvia.

Big Blush sunflower

Beautiful Queen Elizabeth grandiflora rose with daylilies.

A turtle visited the garden.

Juniper in another new spot.

Area outside fence that I will plant the row of "Ella" daylilies.

"Ella" daylily

"Orange Vols" daylily

"Chamonix" daylily. The color on the petals I think has been attacked
by thrips

Golden Prize daylily

Russian Rhapsody

Another shot of "Ella" daylily