Lily Time

Don't know what made me buy this color. I love the color red for blooms but not for lilies. Normally prefer white , pink, or yellow. They're  beautiful though.

They're taller than me.

What am I looking at? Weeds. To me they're delicate native plants that grow in the cracks on my sidewalk. I can identify oxalis a green type and a shiso seedling. Hate to remove them because although tiny, pollinators find them too.

Do you see that shiso seedling?

Look at those delicate purple flowers. I know my neighbors think I'm crazy bending down to see weeds.

The container ate my black sweet potato vine. It may be too late to remove it.

Love vincas but they have a hard time in our climate, or maybe just for me. Many summers they rot. I know summer doesn't start until next week.

It's actually still living.

Took this picture yesterday but it's bloom was open this morning. Bright orange. I'll take a picture tomorrow.

My flower bed is tiny and lambs ear is getting aggressive but beautiful.

One of several sunflowers starting to get some height. Can't wait for them and zinnias. Every time it rains they grow taller. 

Millinium allium starting to open.

Gaillardia. Lets walk to the yard.

Some new guests in the flower bed.

Starting to buy some perennials for the second flower bed in the yard. Broke my promise not to buy anything else but purchased this oak leaf hydrangea, 2 lady ferns, and a bell flower plant.

Lady Fern. When I moved here 27 years ago, the boarders were full of fern. Over time they died out. Don't know why. That was before I did anything with the yard.

My woodland phlox on the left will be 3 years old next spring and I expect a beautiful display. It was beautiful this spring. No blooms from the peony this year. Probably too much shade. I've started to fertilize it in hopes of spring blooms. We shall see.

As soon as I planted it flying insects were drawn directly to the blooms. It's doing it's job already with the first job to develop beautiful blooms for me to enjoy.

I saved the tag and will add the name later. It gets large with yellow blooms. It's not bell flower.

Added fresh water for the birds.

Impatiens and vinca pulled from the flower bed.

Lilies in dappled shade. They look like they'll soon bloom.

Surprised the hosta is still living. By this time it's usually eaten or dried out.

Making use of Norway maple branches when they fall from the tree in storms. Quite flexible when fresh. My plan is to save them and make some type of small fence boarder. If I stop raking up the branches when they fall and throwing them out.

My rose bush has black spot. Have to remove the leaves that have it. This container has eaten 2 anemone. So sad. Was looking forward to fall blooms.

New Guinea Impatiens

Japanese Holly Fern looks like it's developing spores on the other side. Hope that's what it is and not some disease. I'll have to check the underside.

The begonias are growing slowly.

Ligularia the Rocket. I bought 2. Pressing my luck because they like moist soil.

Nicotenia pink and red below. I have seeds for white and they grow well from seed. Since they did well and provided a little color I'll grow my white blooming seeds this winter. The advantage, more plants for little money.

Red Nicotenia

Phlox David in dappled shade. It actually seems to get enough sun and wilts every day. I've learned quickly that they're prone to powdery mildew.

Elephant ear is looking better now.

Raspberry. No fruit this year. Cut it level with the soil. Maybe some berries next spring.

Bleeding heart didn't bloom for me it's first year.

This vinca is doing nicely.

Come visit again.

It's Heating Up

Baking here in Philly today. But actually some plants don't seem to mind. Asters, dusty miller, cosmos, and achillea don't appear phased. While creeping Jenny is showing it's dislike of warm, humid weather by laying down and appearing shriveled I guess to conserve water, what ever is left in it's leaves. Felt sorry for them and gave them a good watering and may again this evening. Showers may arrive tomorrow for some relief and a deep soaking.

Pleased with achillea in it's first year. I bought 2 plants. So far about 1 foot tall and hopefully still growing. Doesn't seem to mind the crowding in the flower bed and one with other perennials towering over it has still growing taller and in bloom. They must not be fussy plants, my type.

Really pleased with my native honeysuckle this year although I don't smell it's scent in the air. Not phased by the heat and humidity either. Wonder if the blooms will attract humming birds?

Gloriosa lily is starting to climb and will not be out shined by honeysuckle. I planted 4 bulbs but so far have only seen 2 emerge.

Salvia planted in the sidewalk containers are the only plant that seems to be wilting from the heat. Dusty miller, cosmos, and seedlings of dwarf sunflowers and zinnias seem okay. Don't recall seeing the green patches on the dusty miller before. Hope that's not a problem. Normally annual vinca is planted here for color but they're needy in the heat and drop a lot of dead blooms which require frequent sweeping so this year, almost care free plants. The problem will be, how many fall bulbs will I be able to squeeze in now that I've added some more perennials.

I love cosmos.

I remember some red lilies last spring but I also had very tall pink ones in a different spot. Don't know what happened to them. Hopefully someone didn't pull them up.

Allium Millenium

Zinnia and sunflower seedlings crowed in. Some insect has started to eat the leaves. Won't apply anything that would harm all the butterflies and bees I've seen in the flower bed already this spring.

Have to cut off the flower stalk from the allium. The head doesn't look pretty and it's bloom is finished.

Thought the aster I moved was dead. This one was the same size when purchased with the other one in the flower bed but hasn't thrived.