July Blooms
It’s been wonderfully fragrant in our garden these past few weeks; the lilies are in bloom! That’s Lilium ‘Black Beauty’ seen above.
Lilium speciosum rubrum
Lilium ‘Muscadet’
A tiger lily I planted our first spring. Honestly I think it looks a little silly here by the front porch. It produces bulbils like crazy which I’ve planted all over. No scent on this one.
But look at these flowers!
The lily bulbs I planted last spring have surprised me with lots of flowers–I didn’t think we’d get as many as we did with them being such young plants–and even though I think the scent on Oriental lilies will quickly overpower an indoor space, they are fantastic in the garden. I have another batch of lilies that we put in a little later, still yet to open.
The roses…well…some are doing better than others.
Hot Cocoa. Ironically, not loving the soaring temps.
The heat and continuous rain certainly isn’t helping. Poor little shriveled blossoms and spotty leaves!
Munstead Wood and Lilium Black Beauty
Strawberry Hill
Lady of Shalott
Lichfield Angel
St Swithun
Mme Ernest Calvat
Sister Elizabeth
St Swithun
The Generous Gardener
Many of the roses are not loving the heat and rain and are looking ragged. We have a handful, however, that are still flowering and it’s lovely to see.
I thought I was putting a Belle Poitevine in this container, but it turns out it’s Alba, instead.
The scent is so wonderful. I think for fragrance, of all the roses, rugosas might be my favorite!
The rugosas aren’t fazed by any of this difficult weather, of course. I think there’s a lesson in there!
A few days ago, we were looking at some of the roses in pots that are getting too big for their britches and wondering where on earth we are going to put them in the garden. Ah, plans. There are too many and not enough time or budget to implement them all as quickly as I would like. For example, just this last week we’ve talked about how “we really should…” build our chicken coop/run, put up a perimeter fence, install a line of tall supports for the climbing roses, build a few new beds, pave the gravel driveway, build a stairway up through the rockery, level and grade the second half of the property, put in a proper pond, install our bees, plant a conifer grove, finish the retaining wall, build paths through the wooded area, add pea gravel to three more sections in the garden, etc. Um, yeah. #INSANITY
Coming back down to reality, we’ll probably only get around to one or two of those garden projects before winter because inside the home, we’re renovating the laundry room with the kitchen and a bath still to go. Heavens, I’m exhausted just thinking about it! Instead, let’s take a short tour of the garden and see what’s been blooming this July:
I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour! I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling ready for autumn. Cooler days, no mosquitos, golden sunlight, late-blooming flowers, bliss.
See you next month!
I’m ready for autumn, too!
I could just eat ‘Sister Elizabeth’ up, that pink is so tasty-looking. Those are some fancy cosmos, too. And the cute little bees on everything! I think lilies are the one “exotic”-looking flower that I really don’t mind. I don’t love orange, but tiger lilies are so ridiculous and freckly that I am rather fond of them. Thank you for sharing such sweet pictures.
I just found out that my grandparents in upstate New York have a not-so-Petite Lisette engulfing one side of their house. I was able to identify it from pictures on your blog in conjunction with blurry phone shots and vague descriptions from helpful relatives. I’ll be trying to propagate a little piece of her– wish me luck! She’ll be my first old rose and I’m tremendously excited. I’m sure the size will never be the same as it is Up North, but I’ll have fun trying anyway. I can go half delirious with joy over a twig in a pot with one diseased-looking flower, so at least I don’t have to aim too high. 😉
That is so wonderful about your grandparents’ Petite Lisette!!! I hope you have success with your propagating. I am kicking myself that I didn’t get one of my own before we left Pennsylvania because that’s one of the roses I miss the most. I think you’ll love it!
Sister Elizabeth is a beauty but she hasn’t been too robust for me. I can’t say that I blame her, though, because our soil still has a long way to go. I’m hoping over the next few years she starts looking less like a bundle of twigs. 😉 My neighbors were just telling me about someone they knew, who was a serious gardener, and when she moved house she hired trucks to take her soil with her, too. Isn’t that hilarious?
PS: Those cosmos are the “Double Clicks” that are all the rage right now, and at first I was skeptical but I love them! Thinking next year of getting some of the other colors they come in. 🙂
Oh I’m so sorry some of your roses are disliking the weather! Although to be perfectly honest I’m a little relived its not just mine. Good heavens between the soggy rains, and the insane heat quite a few of mine are displaying fits of the vapors. By “fits of the vapors” I mean they are losing their leaves, forming buds that don’t bloom, curling up their leaves, their color is off, and some were even flirting with black spot. Sigh. My new mantra, to the tune of the little engine that could, is “get to fall, get to fall”.
Your to do list, sounds like the ones we make, my expectations and reality are never quite on the same timeline. Ah if there was only something such as unlimited budget/time or even a magic wand. 🙂
I can’t wait to see all your progress, I’m sure it will be lovely!
Fits of the vapors! I love that. And no you’re not alone, most of our roses look like they’ve had about enough of this extreme weather.—except for the rugosas! We were just saying if any of the roses conk out on us, we’ll just dig it up and replace with a rugosa. Get to fall has been our mantra, too. In fact, I just ordered my firewood stack because I’m just like, let’s do this already! 😉
Goodness, your garden is amazing! All that work shows! Is that an anemone (pink) blooming already? What type is it? I’m on the hunt for a few that will do will with hot summers…
Hello Eve! Yes, the anemone is blooming already, isn’t that neat? It does OK in with this hot weather but I will say I’ve seen several bits burned to a crisp so I’m sure it wishes it was a bit cooler. The name of this particular cultivar is ‘Pretty Lady Diana’. We purchased ours at our local nursery but I believe White Flower Farm also carries it. 🙂
No way! I just bought a Pretty Lady Emily. It’s doing ok in bright shade, where the soil stays pretty moist. It was run over by a lawnmower in the spring (not naming any names… :/ ), but bounced back ok. Still too small to flower, but hopefully next year. I’m always so proud of myself when my plant pallette overlaps with yours! I’m trying out Lady Shallot, Munstead Wood, and Sombreiul this year 🙂
Oh how funny! I think I might try all the “pretty lady” anemones…they’re really nice. You’re going to love Sombreuil. I just got one this spring and it’s got the most beautiful flowers. 😀
Oh, mercy!, Laurie. Your “we really should” list made me laugh. I have one, too, and my husband keeps shaking his head and mumbling something. I grow tiger lilies because my grandmother did, and it’s just the right thing to do. Otherwise, Westerland would be the only orange in my garden. Can’t wait to see where that list takes you next.
Haha those must do lists are neverending, aren’t they? Good grief, we made another one last night–this list was supposed to be the “pared down” version and it’s got 43 items on it. Aaah! I totally know what you mean about the tiger lilies and orange and the “right thing to do” made me laugh! 😉
You guys are crushing the renovation projects. I feel your pain, there’s always something else to do. The garden looks great, thanks for posting pictures of lilliim “Black Beauty” – I’ve been thinking of adding that this fall. How is the fragrance on that lily? Have a great weekend!
Hi Cole, thank you for the encouragement! 🙂
I like the fragrance on Black Beauty. It’s sweet but not too strong like, say, Casablanca or Stargazer. I’m impressed with how many flowers I got on it’s first season in the ground. I think you’d like it, too!