June is National Rose Month.
This is a photo that I took a few mornings ago of a Royal Amethyst bloom. In hotter weather than we have been having, the flowers on Royal Amethyst can be a bit lighter-colored. This one, though, is a rich pinkish purple, literally dripping with color – probably due to a rain the day before. Oh, and it is so fragrant!
Wishing you a rose-filled month! Of course, I’ll be sharing more photos of roses from our front garden. I hope that you enjoy them.
While working in the garden early this morning, I noticed a patch of toad stools growing beneath my lamb’s ears and thought that it looked like something about which a storyteller could spin an amusing children’s yarn. (By the way, in case you were worried, I wouldn’t try eating these. I have no idea what they are; but they are fun to see.)
Of all of my roses, Cinco de Mayo seems to be the most variable, ranging in color from deep maroon to coral to hot pink. (I read one catalogue’s description of the flowers as being anywhere from smokey lavender to rusty red.) While a gardener working with a strict color scheme might find that frustrating, I find it fascinating. From one day to the next, this floribunda can be almost unrecognizable except for the ruffled form of its flowers. Aren’t those ruffles wonderful? These are pictures that I took early this morning. Just a few days ago, the roses appeared to be a deep red-orange. The bush is a pretty consistent bloomer – apart from color – producing lightly scented flowers all summer. My rose bushes had more than normal die-back this winter, so they are all a little small right now. This bush should get to be about three times the size that it is now in the bottom picture below.
Have a lovely day!
Just in the past few days, my roses have started to bloom. They are about a month late this year. Fortunately, they still overlapped with the irises a bit. I just love the combination of irises and roses – really what’s not to love there? Over the next week or so, the irises will finish off for the season, but the roses will keep blooming into next autumn. The sky has been overcast this afternoon, which always makes the colors in the garden seem all the more vibrant. So I stole a few minutes during check-in time to catch some quick photos.
Have a wonderful holiday weekend!
Iris season is relatively short, so one has to enjoy them while one can. For me, that means getting out and taking lots of pictures … which is wonderfully fun both because the flowers are so beautiful and because they are so fragrant!
Have a lovely day!
My mid-season irises are in full bloom. With yesterday’s rain and this morning’s heavy fog, I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to get any photos today; but the flowers put on quite a show! I had a difficult time deciding which shots to share.
(FYI, the iris in front in the photo above really is that dark, making it a challenge to photograph.)
Have a wonderful weekend!
Here in Manhattan, it is graduation weekend at KSU and at the local high school, so spirits are pretty high. Once again, congratulations to the new graduates. May your futures hold wonder!
This is a photo of our Brown-Eyed Susans that I took last summer. Unfortunately – and to my great surprise – none of them came back this year. That’s the first time in fourteen years that I’ve lost our rudbeckia trilobas. Now, it is decision time. They were in a stretch of garden that is difficult to maintain because it is hard to reach with the hose and also difficult to weed. Do I replant or try to find some other way to landscape that area? There are still irises, yarrow, purple coneflowers and lambs ears in that bed. So that area still requires maintenance, but do I take the opportunity to start down-sizing that strip? Hmmm …
Have a wonderful day!
It looks like it is going to be a lovely day!
Some very nice guests from Oklahoma gave me a bunch of fresh asparagus from their garden. What a treat! Now, I am trying to figure out how to incorporate it into breakfast this morning. As I write, I’m thinking that my special of the day will be Scrambled Eggs Primavera. The dish is still taking shape in my mind, but I am thinking fluffy scrambled eggs served atop a bed of baby yellow potatoes with sautéed asparagus, Vidalia onions and cherry tomatoes, garnished with a dollop of crème fraîche and chives from my garden. I had better get back to work. It’s a good thing that everyone is have a late breakfast today! Have a wonderful weekend!
Maria, Anne and I spent hours working on the yard today. We’re gettin’ there!
Have a lovely weekend!
A Taste of Morning 