Summer Solstice, Almost

One day until the Summer Solstice, but it's warmth and humidity has already arrived. The last 2 days I've been hibernating indoors away from the heat and it appears the neighbors are also. Out front.

Shade window box. When will you see the box in the sun? Can't be photographed from the street. I'll have to open the window one day and show you how it's doing.

Ornamental Onion

Flower bed out front.

Coreopsis

Hard to see but a red honeysuckle vine is on the trellis. Plant catalogues show plants mature and in bloom but I think it'll be next summer before it starts to move up the trellis and bloom. As it's said in gardening, the first year a new perennial develops roots below ground, sleeps and appears to be staying the same above ground. The second year it creeps. And the third year it leaps. So, I have a couple of years to go. In this space where tulips were and sunflowers and zinnias were supposed to go is coneflower, coreopsis, lantana, and angolenia. Maybe it's not too late to start zinnia and sunflowers from seed that bloom by fall. I just have to start them. Now on summer vacation, lounging in the air has been more enjoyable than gardening, but it's only the first whole week. I'll get moving soon. The last 4 summers weren't the best with the loss of my mother one year followed by my father the next. The next 2 next summers I was sick. The first scheduled to be hospitalized to have my heart shocked, and the second hospitalized until the start of school. Praying that this summer is healthier and blessed.

Looks like it's time to deadhead the lantana so I can get more blooms. Planted some natives for the pollinators. I had coreopsis before but another type. It did well for several years then didn't return.

I love angolenia.

The ornamental grass must have known it was going to be pulled this year and decided to try a little harder this year. It was raggedy last year. I cut it as low as possible and pulled as much dried areas, and removed old grass from the center were it had died out. That seemed to help. Maybe this fall I dig it up  and fill the center back up to see if it'll do even better next spring.

Have grown to love dahlias.

One of 2 planters on the side walk.

I know it's side ways.

The flowers are doing good and pretty in this container with the hibiscus. The other container not so pretty.

The plants are usually low growing but either it's that 3rd year or all the rain that's made them shoot up. Going to cut the daisies all the way down in the fall after they bloom. It's killed my lambs ear and other perennial planted under it this year.

Veronica

Don't know why I ever bought this color red lily since I don't like this color. But they've been her for 3 years and provide color so they'll remain.

Can't wait to start more foxgloves if they do as well as these seedlings and can't wait till spring to see them bloom.

They're big and actually haven't been eaten. I picked a white caterpillar off a plant this week. Although I planted 1 milk weed plant for the pollinators didn't expect that other types of butterflies would lay their eggs.

Waiting for pretty blooms of balloon flower to open. The buds don't look large enough yet.

Dahlia from Homedepot has done well although it hasn't yet started to form buds for blooms. They're thirsty plants.

Montauk Daisy

This container not so pretty. Will probably remove the broom bush. It did bloom this spring but I think I'll try it in a separate container and see if it lives then plant it some where else.

Coral Bell

Sluggo added to the container but insects are still eating the coleus. They're not eating the salvia.

Sweet potato vine is also being eaten and has not started to grow yet. The plants were sprayed with Dr. Earth's organic spray but it's not helping.

Jenny is thriving.

Lets see what's living or dying on the sunporch.

A few new leave on my pelargonium seedlings since I planted them.

Chives and rosemary surviving.

Basal and oxalis. We've been eating the basil.

What's going on with m lemon. Haven't washed off the stains to see if it's water or something else.

Still haven't planted nicotiana seedlings. Not a good plant parent.

On the table to be watered. New Guinea Impatiens require too much attention and watering. Every time I see it, it's looking wilted and dead.

Poor impatien. It may survive if I give it water today. Let's see what's happening in the yard.

In the ya

Will the cabbage head up or only leaves?

Looks like it's doing something in the center doesn't it?

Waiting for tomatoes. Sorry I forgot to turn the picture around.

Forgot I planted 1 cucumber and it looks pitiful.

Removed all the strawberries and they're looking more robust.

There will be no Johnnie Seeds Sungold tomatos this season. I'll try again this winter with seedlings.

Chives don't seem to mind some shade.

The second cabbage.

The 3rd cabbage seems to be more tasty.

Lilies. Usually squirrels eat off the tops. Maybe the bird feeder helped.

Added variegated box woods to the container. How can hosta not do well? I pulled 2 plants from each container. When I planted them they were huge with lots of plants. They must have rotted from all the rain this spring.

Will mulch the beds before the heat of July and August arrive.

Rhododendron an tiarella below still doing well.

Planted 6 foxgloves and this is what the ones left look like, Maybe the root survive and they'll develop new foliage. I'll start more from seed and wait until fall to plant them.

Wild ginger and how can I forgot the name of the grass.

I've read that slugs don't like this type of hosta with the ridges. I need to plant more.

Hellebores still living and 1 nicotiana although it hasn't thrived but didn't do well in full sun either. I'll try the seedlings I have out front.

Sad planter out back this season. Vinca rotted, what weren't dug up by the beast and coleus don't look good. Maybe they'll do better. Three of 5 canna still surviving. The other 2 eaten.

Filled the feeder yesterday and can see they've been eating.

Sweer Autumn Clematis sleeping but alive.

Seeds dropped from the bird feeder have formed a green mat.

Hardy Begonia

Left these 2 foxglove seedlings in a pot on the steps. Hope you're enjoying your beautiful gardens. I've been viewing your blogs.

In the house. For me from me last week. They were beautiful.

Tried this technique demonstrated in a flower arranging class at the flower show this year and it actually helps to keep the flowers in place.

Our Father's Day arrangement. We had a beautiful dinner and fellowship with family.

Garden Reading

It's exciting to come home to a package. I usually go to the book store to buy books but some have to be ordered. As was this book. Don't own  a greenhouse but I do have a sun space so I was curious if this book would give me any information I haven't learned about this type of gardening. The reviews of the book on Amazon are appropriate but I thought there would be more information for those who live in houses with sunporches. Unfortunately the book was water damaged. It came in a priority mail envelope with 3 packages of ordered seeds and nothing to protect it from the elements. Everything was dry but obviously at some point the package had been wet. Hopefully the seeds weren't damaged. I called the seed company, Pinetree Garden Seeds and was greeted with a message requesting the caller  leave a message and phone number which I did. But I think e-mail is even better so I sent one notifying them of the damaged book. This was the first time ordering from Pinetree.

I've skimmed through the book and unfortunately it motivated me to maybe try some cool season veggies and herbs on the porch this winter. Those that can tolerate really cold temperatures. No rest for the gardener! At the end of summer I usually look forward to resting from gardening outdoors but last winter the plants that I choose and kept on my porch did well and I loved going out and seeing the blooms in winter while snow was falling. Hellebores lasted all winter and I planted them this spring in the yard. Hopefully to bloom again this winter. I look forward to what will be growing and blooming on the porch this winter.

Something I've never read was that the nitrate content may be higher in winter grown vegetables. Soaking them for a period of time, the time of day picked, and picking the outer green leaves was discussed. A list of different seed varieties that had lower nitrate content was recommended. I'll see what else may be helpful while I wait for them to contact me because a return label was not included.

The foxglove seeds are supposed to be perennial. We shall see. The banana tree seeds are huge and unfortunately the few pansy seeds spilled out when I opened the container. I'm used to seeds I order on line being secured in an additional package but they were not. So, I only have a few seeds to sow. That was a waste. Thankfully I only paid 2.95 for them. I saved about 7 seeds out of 15 seeds. I wasted them because when I looked inside the package it didn't look like 15 seeds. In my effort to put the seeds in my palm, they spilled out. I'll take their word that there were 15 seeds but don't know....

What else am I reading, Shade Glorious Shade from Barnes and Noble Book Store last Saturday. It was a hot but beautiful day to visit the book store, farmers market, and Reading Terminal Market. Jenny Rose was the speaker at the gardening class I attended at the Flower Show this year. She talked about shade gardening and autographed copies of the book if you purchased one. Didn't think I would like the book but I do and I bought it Saturday with my gift card from Christmas. It's nice not to have to spend any of your money. Saving cards and going on a shopping spree is fun. Also bought the 2 magazines below. Beautiful eye candy and I'll look at them over and over, but best to get a subscription for the price of one.