You knew there had to be a second half… didn’t you? After all the first Anticipation post was before the middle of July. Gardening season lasts so much longer. The Christmas-Eve anticipation continues through the summer as more and more plants grow and come into bloom. The eagerness to get up and see what’s happening in the yard is just as strong as it was earlier in the season.
There are the Lilies:
Day Lilies – So many beautiful varieties and colours. Just don’t ask me their variety name because I don’t remember. Actually, I don’t want to remember. Too much information crowds my brain. I enjoy them just as much visually without bragging about which cultivar they are. They are all beautiful. Even the orange ditch/wild lilies that I love and have all over my garden, although real gardeners will advise you not to plant them.
Asiatic and Oriental Lilies – These can be stunning, but those damn invasive Japanese Lily beetles got ahead of me this season. Keeping them at bay is a lot of work and may not be worth it in the future. I have one last plan for next year and if that doesn’t work, it will be good-bye. I don’t care how pretty they are.
Mid summer perennials make an appearance. Bee Balm and Coreopsis, creating a restaurant and playground for hummingbirds.
Balloon flowers, and Bottle Brush plants
Clematis and Plume Poppies
Maltese Cross and Purple Cone Flowers
Veronica – large and small
Bear’s Breeches and Dwarf Hummingbird Mint. (I had to look that mint one up, or at least find the common name so I would remember it easier.)
The smoke bush blooms and the Hostas present rich textures and colours.
As the season continues, the Joe Pye, both regular and chocolate, (again, don’t ask me their complicated names) and the Ligularia provide new drama through late August and September.
The Snakeroot and the Stonecrop inform me that the season is close to ending.
The Hydrangeas are always show stoppers. They leave a big impression and last a long time
As the season winds down, the garden has some dry patches and wilted plants between the remaining areas of colour. There are some plants that have been eaten by critters such as slugs and worms and other bugs. Yet my excitement continues. Not so much for tomorrow, but for next season when I can experience it all again and see how well all the new plants that I acquired this season will grow in the future. There are new trees planted to take the place of ones that died due to the long-horned spruce beetle. New shrubs planted to fill spaces and create accents, and new perennials to add some more variety. These are all the things that will get me out of the house next spring with that excitement that resembles Christmas-Eve anticipation.
Thank you for reading.
Photos: Jenn Stone
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I am beyond jealous. It all looks spectacular!
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Thanks. The crappy things didn’t get photographed.
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Of course not.
😉
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Absolutely gorgeous! Lilies are among my favorites.
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Thank you. I love the lilies as well.
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You had me at “too much information clouds my brain”, and your garden is stunning, bugs and all. Every time I read one of your garden posts I get an itch to go out and dig. Luckily I usually I read posts in the evening so I forget the next day 😊
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I consider gardening therapy with perks. I like to keep it simple.
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wow – what an amazing garden, such beautiful flowers. I am sure it takes a lot of work to be able to enjoy such a garden…
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Thanks. It doesn’t feel like work when it does, I go do something else.
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a labor of love…
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Wow, how beautiful! So much work and love you’ve put into this wonderland! ❤️❤️❤️
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Thank you. It is one of my happy places. I consider it therapy. It clears my head and provides physical activity.
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Well, now I know what you like to do in retirement. Your place is incredible!
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It does keep me active. I don’t like to spend the day sitting so instead I putt in the garden.
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I get the not wanting to be idle all day feeling. Active mind and body are where it’s at, especially when we get to be our age.
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Wow, that’s all quite spectacular. You could host weddings!
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Thank you. I didn’t take pics of all the weeds that also grow back there, but they may show ip in the wedding photos.
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What a gorgeous garden!! I see why you have anticipation. 😊
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Thank you. It keeps me grounded (pardon the pun).
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Truly beautiful garden but I couldn’t manage it! I think I’ll always be a bad gardener… My lilies last about 2 days before fading (but they’re in pots so perhaps I neglect them), my hydrangeas used to do better. My stone crop doesn’t flower – but somehow the wasps love it even flowerless – not sure why. My hostas don’t flower either for some reason…
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There are a lot of imperfections in my garden. Along with billions of weeds. I just putt around out there to stay sane and fit.
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I just wish more of my stuff would actually flower – or flower for longer!
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I love daylilies and tried to grow them here. The deer ate them, every last colorful one. Yours are beautiful. Also not jealous of your hydrangea bush. Ours refuses to bloom, seems like it’s too much work for it to do so. Ornery thing
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The climate here seems to be perfect for growing so many plants. I don’t have to work hard at it. However I am noticing the effects of climate change as our summers are getting dryer. I don’t water as I think water is too precious for grass and gardens so the future may be a bit more challenging.
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Such an amazing garden. These are all such beautiful plants. So many varieties of daylilies too.
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Thank you. They do say variety is the spice of life.
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