Gypsy Romance Iris And Roses

I paired the Gypsy Romance iris with Evolution Blue Sage-Salvia farinacea.
In my garden here in Texas it is a perennial. It is more
full and colorful than last year. It doesn't
require much care nor does it need deadheading. 

It is also planted in front of Abraham Darby rose.
I just love the color combination.

Blooming onion in the foreground.

New addition to the shade garden -
'Variegated Mariesii' Bigleaf Hydrangea, Lacecap
It is suppose to have silvery blue flowers. 

This is the rose I started from a cutting last fall.
The bush is so small, but the flower is so big.
This is the first time I have tried this. 

Unknown rose paired with Variegated Privet.
 The flowers on the shrub are
in bloom and they smell wonderful. I'm thinking this
rose is Tropicana, not sure. It was here
 when we moved to this house.
I moved it to this location last summer. It is just
 loaded with blooms. The picture below
is a more true to color photo.  

Tropicana???? I guess I'll
never know for sure.

The Queen Elizabeth rose is beautiful. I recommend this
one for your rose garden. 

Up close of Elainealope iris. It looks
as if someone splattered a darker shade of
purple on it.

Still Trying To Obtain The Cottage Feel

And The Winners Are...

I thought I'd mention a few top performers in my garden
that still look pretty good considering we've
had around 30 days of 100+ degree heat
and no rain since mid May.  This is a photo of the
Catnip Nepeta cataria.
I read though, that it can become invasive. 

Of course, lambs ear and alyssum.

Happy Returns daylily

It's not blooming now but the foliage is nice on the
Queen Elizabeth rose and next to it is the
coleus Electric Lime.

Miss Muffett caladium.

Candidum caladium

Another shot of Electric Lime coleus. It has done better
than the red coleus.

Coneflower - Echinacea
I started these from seed. They haven't bloomed
yet but are still growing and may yet.

Mystic Spires salvia.

Bell Pepper. Earlier in the season this plant produced
one bell pepper, now it has 3 pretty good
sized ones on it and more flowers.

Sunflower started from seed dropped by the
birds from their feeder. This is the really
large variety.

Happy July 4th

I brought this geranium plant in a pot from my
old home last October. It sat in the
garage all winter and it finally
has come back and bloomed. It looked
dead when I brought it out
of the garage in the spring. I
re-potted it with new potting soil.

July garden scene.

July garden scene of Firehouse dwarf Nandina's
with some of the last daylily's in this bed.
Some of them will rebloom. I would
eventually like to plant a Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) tree here.

Cast Iron Plant - Aspidistra Elatior in the background
with Burgundy Glow Ajuga and Purple Oxalis.
The Cast Iron plant has grown alot
since I planted it in the spring. It
makes a good filler plant and is
evergreen.

You know summer is here - sunflowers make me smile.

July garden scenes.

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