Hydrangea Blooms

It was a warm and humid weekend. I had plans to get a lot more done than I did though I was able to spend a couple of hours cutting back the 70+ roses in my garden and the church garden. The big bloomers in my garden this week are hydrangeas. A couple haven't bloomed yet but these are blooming now.

The rose of the week is Wenlock.

This is a bucket of Asiatic Lily's that I cut from the church garden. It was timely that they bloomed for Pentecost when red flowers are needed.

This is one of the arrangements they were used in.

Cool and Wet Week

This week a cool on shore wind kept temperature's below normal and a lot of rain--over three inches. I was several inches of rainfall below normal this spring so the rain was really needed. Here are some of the flowers blooming this week. First the Kousa dogwood is blooming heavy this year.

The Flag Iris loves the cooler weather.

Rose Campion is a good cut flower, has interesting foliage, and a long bloom time.

Missouri Primrose is one of my favorites because the bloom is about 3 inches across. I grow it in a pot since it has never survived in the garden.

Also this week Winterthur Viburnum is finishing its bloom but still looks good.

I transplanted the False Indigo last year so it will take a couple of years to get full again.

These two Yarrows are blooming this week.

A good shrub for shade is Florida Leucothe though it does get tall about 8 feet.  It has a delicate bloom.

The rose of the week is Tahitian Sunset.

These are the cuttings and an arrangement this week.

Mothers Day

Here's a mixed dozen roses for Mother's Day.

 American Beauty

Double Delight

 Golden Celebration

 Hawkeye Belle

 Julia Child

 Midas Touch

 Miss Behavin

 Mr. Lincoln

 St. Patrick

 Teasing Georgia

 The McCartney Rose

Amber Carpet rose

The roses were blooming profusely this week.  I cut five buckets of just roses.

And an arrangement of roses.

Longer days

I spent an hour or more every evening last week in the garden. The weather was mild and the days are longer so it's a perfect way to unwind and reset the rhythms in my life. I'm past the rush of spring so I can just let the sights and smell of the garden blank out the world for a little while. It's been a wonderful long blooming spring. For over six weeks azaleas have been in bloom. This week the Mock Orange fully opened. I did prune this 20+ year old shrub last year and need to cut even more back this year.

A couple more iris varieties are in bloom now.

I usually have volunteer Foxglove each year from bird droppings but this spring I had to purchase plants. I think the heavy mulch I put in the garden last fall probably smothered them. I did start some from seed this spring--not sure if they'll bloom this year or next. These are blooming now.

I always marvel at the waxy petals of sweet bay magnolia. To appreciate it's simple beauty you need to get close to it.

On the other hand this pink primrose says look at me as it pushes and climbs over other plants. It thrives even between the pavers on the patio.

The rose of the week is Golden Showers. I have it trained over an small arbor with the best blooms above the arbor. My neighbors have the best view of the blooms from their second floor windows.

The cut flowers for the week and an arrangement are below.

Garden Peonies

For me the transition from early spring to late spring flowers occurs when the peonies bloom.  Peonies seem to be very long lived since the two varieties that I have are probably 50 years old or older. I disbudded some of the buds and staked them since rain will weigh the large blossoms down to the ground. They were stunning today when I took these pictures.

The white azaleas are finally in bloom. Azaleas have bloomed over a longer period to time this year because of the cooler temperatures in April but the warm March forced an earlier than normal bloom.

For many years I have tried to establish Lily's-of-the-Valley without much success but I think I've turned the corner since my clump is expanding now.  It certainly has not been invasive in my garden.

I pruned the Beauty Bush hard last year after meager bloom. That's what it needed since it is in heavy bloom this year.

Fairy Bells are in bloom this week too. This is the second year for this plant.

The last of the Bearded Iris are in bloom now.

This Gaillardia in the curb garden is a bright spot today.

The rose of the week is Buff Beauty.  It is loaded in bloom.

I didn't have my camera when I cut flowers this weekend so I just have an arrangement to share.