I've loved the sunny days and temps here in Maine in the 70s but we've needed some rain, and today we have it. So far only a quarter inch has fallen over several hours but the air feels so fresh and clean and the plants are loving it. A day for me to stay indoors and enjoy a lazy day.
Both me and the Japanese beetles are enjoying the roses. I'm out there at least twice a day with a jar of soapy water to knock the little devils off the roses and into the jar to get rid of them. Still, they are sometimes more than I can handle. Their season has started.
In the back40 where I'm replacing much of the space in my raised beds with perennials, I'm enjoying the flowers this season. Above are the yellow Coreopsis and the blue Lavender.
In another bed the Barberini Dianthus is blooming well. Its so nice to see color in the beds but better that I don't have to weed and fight insects that are vying for my vegetables. I may have fewer vegetables here, but I'm enjoying the colors.
This bed in the Back40 is my tomato and pepper bed. The Totem tomatoes are growing quite nicely and with their changes in color, from deep green to lighter green, I'm hoping to see red soon. Next to the Totem are the Lizzano tomatoes with many small greenies. The bed also is home to Tiny Tim and Tumbling Tiger tomatoes, all with blossoms or little greenies forming.
As for the peppers, they aren't very large, but there's blossoms.
Here's a view of Hosta Hill from the deck. I have a variety of types and all have different leaves, from lime green to blue-green and super large.
This one above are the purple blooms on Birchwood Parky's Gold that has the small lime-green leaves.
My favorite Hosta is this one, Christmas Tree. Not only does it have the largest blue-green leaves, it has white spikey blossoms that are quite large compared to others.
Among the Hosta is this Dwarf Everblooming Bleeding Heart which I adore because it continues to blossom throughout the growing season til fall. Most bleeding hearts are done for by now, as are my white and pink ones.
Another bit of color in Hosta Hill is this Clematis, Multi-blue which comes back year after year and covers the deck. It spirals up the lattice and moves over the planks when in season.
Let's move on to the flower bed outside my kitchen door. It boasts many Monarda this year. Monarda reproduce very easily and spread thru the whole garden if you're not careful. Even with vigorous removal in the spring, those tubers shoot along beneath the soil and pop up throughout the garden area. This one is a raspberry color and the bees will be covering the flowers when they are in bloom. This one above is just showing the very start of the blossom. Soon they will be huge flowers bobbing on tall stems, from about 4-6 feet tall.
Of course, among my flower bed one will also find several tomato plants. This one, now sporting some nice greenies, is the double Legend transplant I'm experimenting with this year. Its still doing very well, both of them, having been transplanted in one hole together this year.
Also in my flower bed I grow greens and herbs. Above is a Winterbor Kale growing tall and strong. Its leaves are perfect for smoothies.
I took this walk thru my garden yesterday, before the rains began.
Happy Gardening!
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