Froggies!

With the arrival of summer heat in Seattle (aka above 70 degrees), the frogs have burst on the scene. Today, they seem to be everywhere I look. Jumping out of the grass as I walk, and perched high on broad leaves sunning themselves.

A dry flower garden

The new dry garden has been the most rewarding endeavor in the garden this year. Late July it sprang to life and has been opening up more each week. I keep wondering if it is at it's height now and will begin to fade. But it keeps getting prettier with the sunshine.

My list of plants thriving in the dry garden:
Stargazer Lilies
Agastache
Echinacea
Autumn Joy Sedum
Achellia
Borage
Angels Fishing Rods
Bee Balm (Lavender color)
Hollyhock
Echinops
Coreopsis
Catmint
Lilac
Honeycomb Buddleja
Rosemary
Dwarf Shasta Daisy
Satin Flower
Creeping Thyme



Angel's Fishing Rods dangle their lucious bells on wire near the Lilies.

It's safe to say these Echinacea blooms are hand sized.

Stargazer Lilies

With blooming sedum.

The dry garden turned out to be playful & whimsical, not something I planned, but something I keep noticing...


Echinecea, standing over 4 feet tall.

Angel's fishing rods.

A lavender Bee Balm! The color is even prettier in person.

Hyssop, stands about 5 feet tall now.

Agastache (Hyssop)

This guy was absolutely passed out flat. I walked by 20 minutes later and he was gone.

Mystery Plant

I received this plant as a gift & now that it's in bloom, still not sure what it is! It has cool jet black stems & tiny white flowers.

Mandarin Sour Cream Cheesecake

Kimmie is coming to town so I'm baking her treats.

With raspberry quince glaze.

August Blooms

David Austin rose "Golden Celebration"

Double Red Poppy with black.

Lavender knitting into a hedge around the cutting garden.

Stachys, a gift from Sharon.

A new white Hydrangea...these are amazingly fresh and delicate in the heat of the summer.

Bee Balm, fading a bit. These have been visited many times each day by hummingbirds.

Allium 'Drum stick"

Toadflax 'Pale', another hummingbird favorite, nearly done blooming.

David Austin rose "L.D. Braithwaite"

Hosta blooming and Dicentra dying...a beautiful couple.

I often find something lovely that doesn't translate on camera, in fact it looks like a patch of weeds. But here we have feathery Nigella's ripening seed pods in bronze and brown with hairy tips lying amongst bright orange Calendula, fading Astilbes and lily pad-like Ligularia...it's just beautiful...in person.
Ripening Sage, it sets seed in yellow bracks while still producing new purple spires.
Sunny Gaillardia in the herb garden, the oregano in the background is also in bloom now.

Gladiola. I don't know a flower that rivals this one for the "designer hand dyed silks" effect. We should all be clothed in gladiolas.

Daylily...um, I don't really like it. That is a rare for me to not like a flower!