July 19, 2016
This week’s garden view shows quite a difference from last week (see last photo below). The orange daylilies (Hemerocallis) are rioting at the center and just to the left of it the pink phlox (P. paniculata) has started. Yes, I put pink and orange together!
On the lower right, behind the lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina) the yellow daylily (Hemerocallis ‘Happy Returns’) is almost done. Bright red Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ is on the right. Normally, there would be a long border of it, but Peter Cottontail helped himself and ate the row down to nothing. I spread blood meal around, but it is a bit late to save C. ‘Lucifer‘ this year.
White and pink flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata) and dots of yellow and orange calendula (C. officinalis) are in bloom (lower front left and across path) and sweet peas (Lathyrus odorata) are going gangbusters in front of the sunflowers (Helianthus annuus), which have grown yet larger and are beginning to show yellow petals.
The blue of the globe thistle (Echinops ritro) in the center is intensifying and the coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) have begun to bloom. The white dots along the front are love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascene) which reseeds every year, but this year all I have is white. I will have to buy fresh seed next year to get blue back into the border.
I had to move the blue globe again as the jungle was engulfing it. I don’t think the calendula will threaten to overrun it and it can stay put for the rest of the season.
View of the back of the border
At the rear, there are rose daylilies and pink and white cleome (C. hassleriana). Spikes of pink Astilbe taquettii have replaced the sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa), of which a few gold dots still can be seen.
I’m linking up with Cathy at Words and Herbs, joining participants taking weekly photos of the same garden over the course of the growing season to note its evolution.
Below are some of the previous views for comparison:
April 1, 2016
June 11, 2016
June 28, 2016
July 5, 2016
July 12, 2016
Eliza Waters 
One or two plants coming into flower can make such a difference to the look of a border, and your Crocosmia and Day Lilies do just that. My orange day lilies are nearly over now but the sunflowers need another week or so. Thanks for sharing, Eliza. And have a great week! I’ll be posting mine later (just drinking my morning coffee now. 😉 )
Thank you, Cathy. I’ve been away so will have to wander over to check it out. 🙂
What a difference a week makes! My sweetheart has a good response to people who think that pink and orange don’t go together: ‘I hope they never see a purple coneflower’.
That’s right! Good point!
I love pink and orange together. The border looks fab and I enjoyed seeing the progress of it over the last few months
Thank you, Anna. 🙂
Hee hee
What a beautiful garden! I am curious as to what you are using for the pathways. Is it straw? I am such a novice gardener, and I lose control of every garden by this point in the season! I just can’t get out there enough to weed. I used straw in the vegetable garden and it’s helped a lot. I’d like to try it in the flower gardens… not that they’ll ever look as amazing as yours do!!
Hi Judy, nice to hear from you! Thanks for the compliments. 🙂 In this bed, there are three mulches: shredded leaves for the flower bed, straw for the veggies and wood chips for the paths. If I mulch by early June, it greatly cuts down on the need to weed. Any weeding that has to be done is a breeze.
The growth around here is at its fullest now. Soon, we start a heat wave. We will see a lot of wilt and droop soon. Something to watch. 🙂
I love high summer – even with the heat. We know it will cool off all too soon. 😉
I love the excitement pink and orange together can bring to a space; I’ve been wanting to use those colours together for a vase for a while now. Everything grows so quickly so I imagine it is warm and the ground is still damp – perfect growing conditions. My Echinops is still not blue yet, interesting that it is behind yours and Cathy’s.
Thank you, Christina. Our climates are so different, but this year has been much drier than normal. A little shower or two can make a big difference, when things really take off.
Just glorious, Eliza!
Thank you very much, Melissa!
So pretty – I love to see the changes over the course of the summer.
Also? I like pink and orange together! Perhaps you’re just ahead of the curve on that particular combination.
Thank you, Sarah! Depending on the hues, it can work. 🙂
Your garden has changed in such a dramatic way over such a short period, Eliza! My own seems to morph at a much slower rate.
It definitely keeps us waiting a long while – but the wait is worth it!
Super gorgeous! Your eye for color & hard handy work & Mother Nature work well together! Maybe Peter Rabbit is not all to blame! Flopsy, Mopsy & Cottontail might have encouraged him or joined in the feast. Hope they all got some Chamomile tea!
Thank you, Alice. 🙂
Always beautiful.
How kind of you to say, thank you.
Beautiful Eliza!
Thank you, Karen. This one is finally putting on a show. 🙂
This border is full of fun plants. I like pink paired with orange also, and it was interesting to see the previous views for comparison.
Thank you – a week made a big difference.
So beautiful!! I am a breast cancer survivor who also happens to have had 7 years experience working at a nursery, perennials being my domain. Now I am compelled to turn one side of my driveway into a pink and white “cancer garden”. Your border is much like I envision mine becoming. It’s going to take years, but it’s a labor of love!!! And survival! I’ll keep watching for inspiration.
Thank you, glad to inspire. Wishing you all the best!