Tuesday, June 8, 2021

A WORRY-LESS GARDEN...





"June is bustin' out all over
All over the meadow and the hill
Buds're bustin' outa bushes
And the rompin' river pushes
Ev'ry little wheel that wheels beside the mill.

June is bustin' out all over
The feelin' is gettin' so intense
That the young Virginia creepers
Have been huggin' the bejeepers
Outta' all the mornin' glories on the fence!"


Carousel, 1945

Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein ll





It will be a little while longer

 before summer

 makes itself known on the calendar page,

 but she is certainly making herself known 

in real time just now.  

If all this heat keeps up 

we are in for a most miserable time. 

 I do love summer, and it is supposed to be hot,

 but it really could back off somewhat in my opinion.

  We had such a dry winter and spring 

and that will make for a lot of time watering. 

 Already, we have automatic sprinklers

 coming on every morning 

and are still having to water by hand 

before the afternoon is over. 

 This is the time that I am thankful 

for being in charge of a 

worry-less garden.





Our old-school summer phlox

is coming on strong, 

It didn't do very well last summer

 and we thought that maybe it was

 starting to bloom itself out

 (after all, 123 years or thereabouts, is a long time). 

 Here it is this summer as boisterous as ever.

  There is no color yet 

but come July/August 

it will seem that clouds

 have fallen from the sky. 






We planted a mandevilla vine

 which is the prettiest, brightest, deepest red. 

 Hopefully, it will make its way up

 and twine around the arch way. 

 If it does, it will make quite a showing.

  If it doesn't we will try something else.







The barrels 

awaiting our old standbys, zinnias, 

are already pushing the coreopsis out 

and a few little orange nasturtiums

 peeking out over the edge.

  Hopefully, this weekend the zinnias will go in.





Last year 

this little lavender looked the worse for wear, 

but now it appears that it is 

healthy once again.




In the evenings, before we go to bed, 

we divide our time evenly,

 sitting on the porches with the

 scent of the star jasmine in the air. 

 As it starts to cool off at the end of the day 

we get the scent from every side of the Cottage, 

such as the one, above, 

over the gazebo in the Secret Garden...





...or as it twines around 

the spindles of the 

dining room porch...





...and as it sits in the shade

 of the crepe myrtle tree.




It even looks and smells beautiful in the parlor,

 but does not last long as a cut flower.





The valerian is winding down 

all along the outside of our fence...




...as it is on the inside...




...but it still offers some shade

 for a little to relax under 

and soon it will get cut back

 and bloom again before the summer is over.




 Every year

 the valerian makes its presence known 

in another part of the garden, 

just the way I like it.


We still have a lot to do to put the garden in tip top shape, 

but it will get done by and by. 

 No worries.






Sometimes there are worries though

 and when that happens just go faux.

Katie from  Let's Add Sprinkles 

shared a beautiful hosta that she had received awhile ago 

and I thought it looked so pretty on her porch 

so I ordered one here

  I wanted something green

 on this end of the screened porch

 and didn't want the added worry of keeping it watered 

so this seemed the perfect solution. 

 I read, and Katie said, that there were six.

 I thought it meant that there was one stalk

 with six stems coming off of it.  

No, there were actually six stalks. 

 What I have in the tin wash tub here is only 4 stalks. 

 I had a real hosta in a barrel under the gazebo that died 

so I stuck the extra two stalks in there.  

Don't know how it will fare with sun hitting it sometimes

 but we shall see 

and I do like what it looks like

 filling in that back corner...





...and while we are in the Secret Garden...





...a lovely little house has
 become available for rent
 in the neighborhood. 
Making room for
 a new family of fairies
 to move in.

I hope you are enjoying

 the way that June is bustin' out

 in your gardens, 

I have seen a lot of them

 and they are beautiful.





The Chinese Lanterns 

are setting buds now and really filling in taking over

 as we were warned.

  But that is how we do things around here 

and what a scene we will have

 come autumn.


A worry-less garden

 may not be for everyone,

as it is bustin' out of its seams,

 but for us

 it does just fine.





A Happy Week to everyone, 

and I hope that June 

is hugging the bejeepers out of you 

with all its glory.


...Judy...

 




Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

Keep In Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles


24 comments:

  1. Oh I love your worry-less June garden! Your plants and flowers are so much bigger and greener and bushier than ours. I can't believe your valerian! I plant some very year, but it doesn't do too well, and may bloom that year, but the next year it doesn't come up again. Hum.m.m. maybe it's a different kind? I loved your Chinese lantern so much one year, that I got me one last year, and it HAS come up again but is very small. I hope it will eventually bloom again, but it is tiny right now. It has been so hot and dry here too, and we have been watering since mid March it seems. I feel "all watered out" already, and it's only early June! I love your fuschia plant in your secret garden too! We can't grow them here as it is too hot and dry, even with lots of watering, and not humid enough. They never do winter over as it's too cold for them. I used to grow fuschia in hanging pots up in SW Washington where it was more humid. Your garden and porch is just enviable! I like a free and wild garden so much. xoox Marilyn

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    1. Thanks so much, Marilyn. I can't believe the garden this year. Things are coming back more lush than ever before. The only new things planted this year was the mandevilla vine and the nasturisms (both of which I can't spell). I wrote this post a couple of days ago and now, today, it is kind of cold outside and windy. It is still sunny though, so that will dry things out even more. I don't have a clue where the valerian came from but it just keeps reseeding itself every place. Jerry just cut the bunch growing outside the fence today so it will bloom again later on in the summer..This is my first time having a fuschia here. I don't think it will last the winter. We grew them all the time in Santa Cruz like weeds..Happy June to you..xxoJudy

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  2. Hi Judy! Oh, I love your gardens - everything looks so beautiful, you can't help but smile. This hot weather has truly been no fun. I am hoping it is not a harbinger of even warmer weather ahead. Jane

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    1. Thanks so much, Jane. Wow, I was complaining about the hot weather and now it has been so windy that even with the sun out it is cold! It never stays the same for long. But we know that the heat will return..Happy June..xxoJudy

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  3. I always love your Summertime porch. So inviting and welcoming! Summer heat has arrived and we are under a drought now. Janice

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    1. Thanks so much, Janice. It seems we are all having the same problems. We are watering while we can because I'm sure there will be rationed water before too long..Happy June..xxoJudy

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  4. Hi Judy,
    I love seeing your sweet garden flowers. It is amazing how old some of those bloomers are and how long they have been around. Nature is such a wonderful thing. Love seeing your pretty cottage home. Have a good week. xoxo Kris

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    1. Thanks so much, Kris. The garden is doing well this spring for some reason. I'm not complaining. It is amazing how some of the plants can keep coming back for years and years. I'm not sure the phlox has been coming back for over 100 years, but I know for a fact that it has been at least 31 years since we've been here. That still is a long time to hold on..Happy June..xxoJudy

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  5. Oh Judy, what a lovely post this is.
    Your plants and flowers look so lovely, I did enjoy seeing all of your photographs.
    Enjoy the rest of June.
    My good wishes.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thanks so much, Jan. The garden has done so well this spring. It is such fun for me to find something just popping out to photograph..Happy June to you my friend..xxoJudy

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  6. Your flowers are beautiful. I love the zinnias. Can always count on them for summer color and this is the first year I did not plant any. I guess I can still throw some seeds on the ground and they will come up with the heat. Beautiful shot of your home with the American flag and that pretty stained glass window. Very pretty.

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    1. Thanks so much, Betsy. The plantings are really doing well this spring. The heat is good for that but after all my complaining, it has now cooled down considerably with wind. Kind of cold now. I haven't gotten my zinnias in yet, but I do not seem to have any luck planting seeds so I need a trip to the nursery if it is not too late..Happy June..xxoJudy

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  7. Your garden is looking fabulous! Yes, I know what you mean about summer -- it might not be summer technically but it sure feels like it here. Things look like they have taken off big time. You home looks lovely from the outside with those lanterns on the porch!

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    1. Thanks so much, Jeanie. The last couple of days it has been windy and cold, although the sun keeps shining! Those lanterns on the porch used to be just a summer thing, but it seems that they are becoming a year-long event. Do I love them or am I just lazy??..Happy June..xxoJudy

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  8. Replies
    1. Thanks so much. I appreciate your kind word..Happy June..xxoJudy

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  9. Judy,
    All of your blooms are gorgeous!! I love hostas as they do so well here in the shade and even in the Sun... June has been a crazy month here with temps. as high as only 50 to temps in the 90's with humidity that is considered "tropical". Since when did NEPA become tropical??? I am no lover of the Summer heat and even though I love the flowers of Summer, it is my least favorite Season.....Thanks so much for stopping by!! Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

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    1. Thanks so much, Deb. I complained because it was too hot, now we are having windy and much cooler days and I am complaining about that too! Most of the time I am happy, believe it or not!..Happy June my friend..xxoJudy

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  10. Judy, you have a true cottage style garden. Just gorgeous...all those blooms. I'm sure it took you a long time to cultivate it and it's paying off now. Wow. I'm pea green with envy over your green thumb!! Stay cool...it's hot here, too! xxoo

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    1. Thanks so much, Kim, and I wish I could actually take the credit for it, but outside of a couple of bushes everything has been in this yard since we moved here and way before. We even had the old lawn removed and new soil put in a few years ago and still most of the plants came back again and every year since. It has nothing to do with us. I like to think that the Cottage is magical and it alone knows what it is doing!..Happy June..xxoJudy

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  11. I love a good garden walk! I've started dividing iris, I sell my extras because I have so many but always share with friends, if you see any you like let me know and I will start setting them aside, your welcome to however many you want. I have 450 named varieties, I've only done 10% so this will change often, so look frequently!

    https://irisonceinabluemoon.blogspot.com/

    Maybe you can come over one morning early for coffee cake in the garden when its not scorching yet to pick up your iris and meet Linda and I 😉

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    1. Thanks so much, Jain. That is a very generous invitation and I appreciate it very much. Let us hope for some cooler weather. Saw it was supposed to get upwards to 102 by the end of the week..xxoJudy

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    2. Just saw 109 this weekend, I HATE HEAT! its ruining my garden time, I don't last past 10 am and trust me I could work 20 hour days and never make a dent in all I want to accomplish outside! Linda and I are meeting for mani/pedi and lunch today, good way to escape the heat! Email please if you like any iris, easy to start a little hold pile for you if any strike your fancy so far 😁

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    3. Oh my goodness. You must be a little ways away from me. It is only 93 so far here today but the house is staying cool. I don't even think about going out in the garden. I just wilt. YOu and Linda have fun today! That is one event that wouldn't do me any good, No toes!!!.Haha at least I can laugh about it..xxoJudy Talk to you later.

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Your comments are so special to me...Judy