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| July 2016 Garden |
Welcome to my Long Island garden! The arrival of July has prompted a succession of colorful blooms throughout the landscape. While June temperatures had remained in the upper 70's to lower 80's, the month of July has delivered a warming trend with some days reaching into the upper 80's and low 90's. The perennial borders are bursting with an array of color, along with the arrival of new blooms daily. Come take a walk with me in my July garden.
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| (Coneflower) Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' |
July marks the appearance of Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' blooms in a multitude of colors, all on the same plant. I never knew I could get so much enjoyment from a single species of coneflower. Now that this one has become established in the garden, it has become a focal point at the entrance to the front beds.
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| Pollinators love Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' (Coneflower) |
As an added bonus, the pollinators love it and the blooms are often visited by a multitude of bumble bees and butterflies.
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| Alium Mont Blanc Seed Head |
Another plant which has given me much pleasure is Allium. This dried seed head from Allium 'Mont Blanc' even offers interest once the flower is spent, so I keep the decorative stalks in the garden bed all throughout the summer months.
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| Montgomery Globe Spruce and Stella D' Oro Daylily |
As we walk around to the back garden beds, Montgomery Globe Spruce and Daylily 'Stella D'Oro' make an excellent combination of foliage and blooms. The brilliant blue of the globe spruce with the bright yellow blooms of the lilies complement one another perfectly.
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| Backyard Long View (North Side) Perennial Border and North Garden |
As we follow the gardens to the north side of the property, here is a better view of the perennial border as it wraps around from the patio area to the north fence garden.
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Backyard Long View (North Side) from Garden Tour 2010
Funny...I was just looking at some photos of the garden tour from a few years back and the photograph is of the same identical spot. The upper photo shows the new Arborvitae additions to the left that were planted just last summer. All things considered, the garden has remained pretty stable. |
Perennial Border
Here is the perennial border as we get closer up. It has gotten to be very established over the years with a combination of Allium, Salvia 'May Night', Astilbe 'Fanal' and 'Pumila', Lamb's Ear, Hosta, Echinacea and Daylily.
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| Perennial Border Lamb's Ear and Astilbe |
The white of the Lamb's Ear and shocking pink of the Astilbe provide contrast to one another.
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| Salvia 'May Night' and Sedum 'Brilliant' |
Salvia 'May Night' has become a stable in the gardens. providing bright purple blooms. It companions nicely with just about anything...
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| Add a little Heuchera 'Caramel' to the Mix! |
including this combination with Sedum and Heuchera 'Caramel' in the south garden bed.
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| Backyard Left Long View |
As we travel along to the southeast gardens, there is a mix of evergreens and flowering shrubs. The blue evergreen to the left is a grafted Montgomery Globe Spruce and the golden evergreen is Hinoki Cypress 'Verdoni'. It wraps into the island bed which is home to Crape Myrtle 'Sioux' (which will bloom at the end of this month and into September).
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| Backyard Right Long View |
Here is a view from the back island bed to the western corner of the property. Prior to 1996 this entire backyard area consisted of all lawn and just a few maple and cherry trees. It was when the pool went in that year that the property started to transform, which was also the time I had started a second career in garden designing.
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| Lampost Planting |
The lamppost seen at the end of the driveway is surrounded by Coreopsis 'Zagreb', Nepeta 'Walker's Low, Weigela 'Wine & Roses' and Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' with more of a cottage style look.
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| Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' (Mix) |
The blooms on the Echinacea never cease to amaze me!
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| North Border |
Around towards the western side of the property is a combination of Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, Gold Mop Cypress, Purple Salvia 'May Night' and Dwarf Butterfly Bush (which will bloom in August). There are also Nepeta and Knock Out Roses to the right.
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| Heuchera 'Caramel" Blooms |
Heuchera 'Caramel' is blooming in July. The blooms are just an added bonus to the fascinating caramel colored foliage, which is also semi-evergreen. Heuchera 'Caramel' is a personal favorite of mine, as the foliage varies throughout the seasons with hues of caramel, peach and orange, depending on the sunlight and temperature.
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| East Perennial Border |
Here is another view of the east perennial border...
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| Nepeta 'Walker's Low' |
along with some Nepeta blooms and a visiting butterfly moth.
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| Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' (Peach) |
'Cheyenne Spirit' displays more blooms...this time peach in color...
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| Hosta Blooming |
and the Hosta 'Patriot' are producing blooms on long graceful stalks.
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| Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' (Orange) |
Here is one last stroll by the coneflowers sporting their multi-colored blooms...
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| Birds Loving the New Feeder |
and views of the new feeder, which has been a haven for birds visiting all day long.
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| Birds Loving the New Feeder |
I can't seem to keep it filled enough and the birds are loving it!
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| This Year's New Succulent Planter |
Last, but not least, I have a new interest in creating succulent planters such as this one here for the summer of 2016. It is about as low maintenance as you can get and the various species of sedum are producing blooms.
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| Hens and Chicks Blooming! |
This Hens & Chicks planter which I made up last year is blooming profusely, which actually came as a surprise. They are thriving in the full southern exposure and the blooms are magnificent!
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| In a Vase on Monday! (Pardon Me Daylily, Stella D'Oro Daylily, Heuchera Blooms, Hosta Blooms, Salvia May Night and Coleus Bloom) |
Cut flowers from my July garden to brighten your day!
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| 2016 July Garden |
For more gardening information, you may be interested in my newly published book, A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer (Gardening in Zones 3-9). You can see a preview here on Amazon.
Links:
As Always...Happy Gardening!
Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2016. All rights reserved
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you Endah! I am glad you enjoyed the gardens.
DeleteMagnificent!
ReplyDeleteYour close-up photos of single blooms are wonderful!
Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!
I try to get an assortment of close ups and long shots when I am photographing. Thanks so much for visiting and for your kind words! Happy Bloom Day!
DeleteYour garden is fantastic and I love the photos
ReplyDeleteThank you Carol! I enjoyed reading your story about the vinca you planted...so sweet!
DeleteYour July garden is stunning, Lee. I loved this virtual tour -- cannot pick a favorite scene or plant. I'm enjoying your book. Happy Bloom Day, Pam x
ReplyDeletePam-it is always a pleasure visiting your gardens and watching them mature over time. Your cottage style garden is absolutely gorgeous and the structures give it that added charm. Also thank you so much for letting me know that you are enjoying my book. You truly made my day!
DeleteGorgeous! Loved every photo! Thanks so much for sharing, and providing such inspiration to all of us! - Jenny, www.harmonyhillshomeandgarden.com
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting and leaving such kind words Jenny. I just took a stroll in your lovely garden and loved your Zinnias and Dahlias...so pretty!
DeleteWow! Vibrant colors and shapes!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Glad you enjoyed your visit!
DeleteI always love looking at your blooms. My astilbe have really suffered in the heat this year. And why did I not think to take a picture of my salvia when it was in full bloom? thanks for sharing your pics.
ReplyDeleteThat is so nice to hear Denise. I am glad you enjoyed the photos. Your gardens are looking lovely despite the heat and I love your selection of Daylilies!
DeleteWonderful garden. Thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dorothy. I enjoyed my visit to your gardens. Happy Bloom Day!
DeleteA very lovely garden. Like your photos a lot.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting and for your kind words. Have a great week!
DeleteBeautiful garden and beautiful photos! I'll just bet your book is beautiful too!
ReplyDeleteThank you Electra! I am glad you enjoyed visiting!
DeleteWhat lovely sultry evening colours in your vase - they work really well together Lee. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteThank you Cathy. I am enjoying In a Vase on Monday. Thanks for hosting!
DeleteLee it is always a pleasure to see your garden, and I just loved the views in the back garden....just gorgeous....as is the vase!
ReplyDeleteThank you Donna. It's always a pleasure visiting you as well. Your collection of vases is gorgeous and the delphinium and oakleaf hydrangea combination is both elegant and stunning!
DeleteYou have a gorgeous garden! The colors are awesome. I like alliums a lot, too.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you enjoyed the photos Betty. You have so many wonderful blooms and it is winter for you. Your winter looks more like our spring or fall!
DeleteOh, I so envy you all being able to grow echinacea, I didn’t have much luck in my previous garden, and I have just killed 5 out of 6 plants (roots) this year. Not sure why they are not happy, but the lack of sunshine and incredible amount of rain we had could be a clue. Now, however, the temperature is soaring high and very much ‘echinacea weather’, I would love to grow 'Cheyenne Spirit'.
ReplyDeleteI do the same as you with the alliums, leave them until they practically fall out of the ground on their own, the seed heads are such statements in the borders. Thank you for letting me visit your beautiful garden again, I so enjoy coming here every month :-)
Echinacea do like a lot of sun. Mine are in southern exposure. It did take a couple of years for them to get fully established and really take off. Maybe try again. The Cheyenne Spirits are a lot of fun with all their different colors, all on one plant. I enjoyed visiting your lovely gardens and will look forward to next month!
DeleteAs I'm looking at your beautiful photos of the wonderful variety of Summer flowers, Lee, the rain is falling outside my window and it's a bleak Winter day here in Melbourne. Lovely to be in your virtual garden!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your participation in the Floral Friday Fotos meme,
Thank you for your kind words and for hosting Nick! Your meme makes it possible for us to enjoy lovely blooms at any time of year. Hope your winter isn't too harsh, and I am glad my flower photos made your rainy day a little bit brighter!
DeleteWonderful bees and blooms. And pretty collages. Such a happy summer post!
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting Sharon. I very much enjoyed your photos of Sedona!
Delete