The garden is blooming still, get ready for a picture heavy post! We are fortunate to have a very long blooming season as the spring flowers fade and the summer beauties show their colors. Late June and early July is the time for the day lilies to shine. I still have several varieties, and will be pulling at least one more up this fall to give away. I’m just tired of them and need more shrubs and fewer bulbs. The ruffled edged two tones are all I have left now.
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Out back looking up the mountain, I missed getting a photo of the mountain laurel and it is done now. The rhododendrons are taking their turn, covered in pure white blooms.
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The veranda is looking lush and green. I moved this geranium to the front as it is getting big.
In the corner, these white petunias are certainly happy. These were bargain plants off the clearance rack that I got for 50 cents for a six-cell container. The dusty miller behind was also on the bargain rack, and these are the biggest ones. I planted a lot of them, but they appear to be happiest here.
In the birdcage, superbelles continue to bloom.
Lots of these little skinks live around the veranda. I often find them sunning themselves on the steps.
Just last week, I finally got a picture of the black-chinned hummingbird. He was here last year too. There is another one that has the ruby throat, but he is fast and I haven’t gotten him in a photo this year.
Speaking of visitors, this guy came by again. Still a small one, but growing.
Continuing our Christmas characters theme, we named our triplet turkeys Alvin, Simon and Theodore. They come by regularly for handouts. No, I cannot tell them apart, LOL!!!
Up on the feeder, business is brisk most days, with this little chickadee taking a turn.
A red bellied woodpecker is a regular guest.
The cardinals have a nest nearby, and visit every evening.
Goldfinches are abundant, wearing their summer colors.
This little Carolina wren has been building more nests in my hanging baskets and in one of the containers on the veranda. The little dickens makes a mess almost every day, and I have had to put spray can lids in those pots to discourage his building activities.
One rainy morning, the fog was so thick that the far ridge is almost completely obscured past the peak you can see in the middle. You can just make out a bit of it on the upper right corner of this picture.
But lovely rains bring even more blooms, as the hostas put on their annual summer show.
For those who follow me on Instagram, you saw the first bloom of the mystery plant there some days ago. It turned out to be a pink echinacea or coneflower. When it finally did bloom, I remembered having it last year.
Tomatoes grow fat on several plants.
The yellow tomato I planted is slow starting, and the Beefeater plants on either side already have fat tomatoes, just starting to ripen.
White petunias and pink calibrachoa spill out of a pot I have in the flowerbed to hold up a lattice accent. Dark pink and red dianthus surround my wedding topper garden art doves.
The hydrangeas were growing through the railing and spilling over the sidewalk, so DH wanted them cut back. I took the blue blooms for the Patriotic Tablescape.
Some of them had begun the shift to lavendar.
So those went into a vase on the kitchen counter.
Back out front, the penstemon is just getting started.
Across the veranda, torenias bloom profusely, giving the front of the house gorgeous color and attracting the hummingbirds.
It is lush and green on the veranda, lovely to sit out here in the early morning cool and have a cup of coffee.
What is blooming in your garden?
As always, I enjoyed seeing your flowers and friends!
Beautiful pictures, love seeing your garden and wildlife,makes me want to move there.
I bet the porch must be one of your favorite spots sit – kick back in a comfy chair and enjoy the scenery (well maybe until the bear goes strolling by) do you have trouble with the little white moths or flies or whatever they are that can clump up on flowers and stems and if you do what do you do to control them?
Carole, I love seeing your July garden. The daylilies are so pretty, the season is over here. It appears you are about three weeks behind me. Love seeing your birds, but the bear is frightening. We have lots of trail cameras on our land, no bear yet but there have been sightings all around us! Happy gardening!
Lovely post! Your garden is so enchanting, with so much variety. Here’s to morning coffee on that welcoming porch!
Carole, I really enjoyed your garden update. Each and every one of your photos are always exceptional. Your flowers and plants looks so healthy and perfect.
I love the hummingbird shot and the cardinals and finches are always beautiful.
Happy Wednesday
Beautiful!! Warms my heart. 🙂
Lovely post! I enjoyed each and every photo while sipping my daily iced mocha coffee after breakfast. Next, I’m heading out to water my gardens on what will be a hot, humid day.
Beautiful, thanks for sharing!
Positively beautiful Carole. You are so talented in many ways, and we get to appreciate and enjoy all the creativity on your blog. Thanks so much for sharing with us. Things at our house are pretty much on hold, since DH fell and injured his back. Lots of tests and doctor appointments, and trying to keep him comfortable. He had a crack in his spine, which they hope will heal on it’s own, so there’s not much he is able to do.
Love the pretty flowers! and your porch is heaven! I too would LOVE to live up your way…..nothing quite like our NC mountains!
Everything is just so lovely there in your yard! You probably aren’t nearly as hot as we are in lower Georgia. I do have lots of luck with plumbago, which must be related to hydrangea, as it is the same lovely purple/lavender and similar in form. Like you, I am tired of the day lilies. They are beautiful when blooming but afterwards the long leaves turn yellow so quickly and look trashy
I have luck with gladiolus but haven’t figured an easy way to keep them from falling over when there are so many. Probably need to devote some time to separating those bulbs this fall!
Love seeing your prolific flowers and the birds that come to visit. Especially love your shady veranda which I’m sure you enjoy for a little rest time. And the Bear – I cant imagine just having a bear wander through!!
I have lots of birds that visit me to drink, bathe and feed but they are not as colourful as yours. For us it is Winter and very wet and cold. Thanks for the visit to your lovely garden.
I always enjoy your garden posts, Carole! Your flowers look beautiful and, of course I love your bird photos. I’m having good success with petunias this year. We’ve had a lot of baby birds this year. They are so fun to watch as they learn to eat from our feeders!
Isn’t it nice when something comes up in the garden and surprises you. Love all your bird photos – how special to capture the hummingbird. Your hanging baskets are lush and healthy – beautiful. Too early for my day lilies to be flowering – I just adore them.
Oh how lovely, Carole! I love visiting your garden, everything looks wonderful! Do you put your feeders in at night? I sure do miss having my feeders out, but my bear doesn’t seem to know he’s just supposed to come at night when the feeders are put away, so unfortunately this is the second summer I had to stop feeding completely.
Beautiful blooms and lovely visitors in your garden. Our tomatoes are a long way behind yours – just a few fruits have set. The nicotianas have started flowering here, great range of colours and heavenly scent every evening 🙂
Carole, it is just beautifulat your house! I love the wildlife and blooms, both in the planters and growing in the beds. Just a stunning display.
Hi I’m new here. You were recommended by Sandy Hilton. Lovely site. Thanks for sharing you beautiful garden pictures.
So beautiful! Nothing is blooming. My hydrangea is growing, but never bloomed, and my fire lilies just bloomed their last at the start of the week. The Gerbera daisies have buds and one is trying to open, but can’t seem to make it. My son bought begonias on the bargain table, but hasn’t planted them yet, so I water them daily and wait patiently. They are blooming, so I guess that counts. Nothing like your beauties!
Wow!!! What a lovely garden you have. We are recovering from a severe drought in South Africa and being winter now the rains have stopped again. Everything is so dry. Thank you for sharing your garden with us. It is a real breath of fresh air.