July 18, 2017
The garden progresses quickly and it feels like summer is flying by. This garden is heading into its prime season, so the next month will be delightful for viewing.
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) have started flowering, attracting fritillary butterflies and a single female monarch this week, which was a thrill to see. Hoping for a male to help her procreate. Three varieties of Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa, incarnata & syriaca) await their progeny elsewhere in the yard.
The huge clump of Globe Thistle (Echinops ritro) is about to open up for bee business and spires of pink/purple Astilbe taquettii are opening as well. I’ve trimmed some of the Lamb’s Ears (Stachys byzantina) blossoms in front, but as the bees are still visiting, I’m holding off cutting them all down until the Thistle comes into bloom.
Hemerocallis ‘Happy Returns’ is finishing, as are the Sundrops (Oenothera fruticans). An orange Asiatic lily, forgotten for several years, put in a showing on the left and a solitary Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ blooms on the right. That side of the bed gets morning shade and between the voles and lack of sun, it isn’t performing well. The corms need to be moved to a sunnier spot, but isn’t high on the endless to-do list.
Surrounding the Japanese Blood Grass (Imperata cylindrica) in front, a sea of Love-in-a-mist (Nigella sativa) is ready to open. I’ll try to catch a photo of it at its best, but I’m vacationing next week, so I may miss it, alas. Small Zinnia ‘Double Cherry Profusion’ plants are struggling to gain a foothold against the nightly onslaught of slugs. It’s been a good year for those pests.
Thanks to Cathy at Words and Herbs for hosting The Tuesday View, a meme showing the view of one or more of our gardens over the course of a growing season. Visit to see links to other garden views from around the world.
Eliza Waters 
The Tuesday view is looking lovely Eliza! 🙂
Thank you, Julie!
Delightful peaks at your garden, Eliza. The globe thistle are really cool looking, even before they open. Have a fun vacation.
Thank you, Jet. 🙂
It’s a wonderful view and, although I’m probably well known as a flower freak by now, I love the overall green-ness of it – and the fact that it appears utterly and completely free of any pink fuzz!
Thanks, Kris. Yes, no pink fuzz here. 😉 With all our spring rain, things really are super green out there.
Lovely, thistle is my favorite, though Lamb’s Ears and Echinacea are in the running. Waiting for the next view.
Thank you, Amelia. This garden really shines in August.
Eliza, I am waiting for your photos. Sweltering.
Oh, so lovely and romantic! 💖🌸💖🌸😊
Thank you, Trini. Hope your summer is going well!
So many of my favorites are in your garden! I think you’re about 6 weeks to two months behind us, which makes for delightful deja vu. My nigella blossomed in May, I think…
Yes, about two months I’d say. We extend each other’s seasons!
That’s about right!
So much promise of more beauty to come in that first image, Eliza – I look forward to seeing it!
Many thanks, Lynn!
It has really filled in now Eliza and looks so lush and green. Love that big clump of Globe thistles and can imagine it buzzing once fully opened! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Cathy!
Coming along very nicely
Thank you, Derrick.
There is so much growing in your lovely garden. No Monarch(s) yet, on all my Milkweed. I’ve only seen about 5 slugs, which is surprising after all the rain. You don’t use anything to try and deter them? A first was a very small snail, which I let continue on it’s slimy journey. Multitudes of earwigs, though 😕😬 If I lived closer by, I could take your “Tuesday View” photo! Enjoy your vacation.
Thank you, Alice. I hand-pick slugs every night. They are going to enjoy my being away. 😉
Handpicking…😮🤐 I gathered a real lot of white female gypsy moth caterpillars, 1/2 layed egg nests & unhatched cocoons into a bottle with soapy water, at a neighbors, today, from a Japanese Maple Tree………she was there…. it’s either that or the trees & poopy & chopped leaves mess.
Here is an DIY earwig trap. I’ve seen one previously that keeps the lid on and you cut holes just below the lid for entering. Keeps the dirt out that way. http://premeditatedleftovers.com/gardening/how-to-make-a-homemade-earwig-trap/
What a beautiful garden you have providing gifts for so many months. I love thistle but we have the invasive kind here … I am always at odds whether or not to pull it. I am looking forward to your prime season postings!
Thank you, Denise. This thistle doesn’t blow away on the wind spreading all over. Its roots increase quickly and needs frequent divisions, however. The bees adore it.
It’s all looking so fresh and green and with lots of blooms to come. Do you have to do a lot of watering?
Thankfully, with the mulch, I seldom water even in dry years. This year, we’ve had ample rain.
I love the Tuesday View posts – particularly knowing how amazing everything is going to look soon. I’m already excited about seeing the garden in full bloom!
🙂 The next month will be wonderful. I have other gardens, but this is the one that I see the most as it is below the deck where I spend much of my day in the good weather. It’s all too fleeting!
That’s for sure!
Looking great! Your cone flowers are ahead of mine. The summer does seem to be flying by!
Thank you! It sure is, I wish it would go a bit more slowly – I love the warm weather!
You have so much on the way, the globe thistles and nigella look very promising! My zinnias are also suffering from slugs. I put some bait down a few weeks ago which gave them the break they needed, now they’re on their own. Strangely enough they are also under attack from lace bugs. I think they come over from the azaleas next door, but I can’t be bothered to do anything about them. Hopefully something will come along to eat them.
I really can’t sow seeds in my garden anymore. Everything is going to have to be started indoors. Though even transplants get nailed until they get big enough. Cursed slimers! 😦
Love “love in a mist” – I keep it in a wine barrel along with morning glory and it is reseeding everywhere much to my delight. I have big snail trouble in the Potager this year! I put down chicken grit which seems to have helped and keep putting my coffee grounds in the beds. I can’t wait to see your garden next Eliza! There is goldenrod blooming at the lake and my Susan mob is about to get rowdy. Makes me realize just how short this season really is! Short and sweet!
I’m trying to relish each and every day – summer really is too short! But then, you get two summers every year. 😉
I’m breathing in the beauty of nature as I look through your marvelous photos!
🙂 Thanks, Christy!