June 3: Two plants of climbing hydrangea have spread far and wide and now cover the front and sides of my house with green leaves and lacy white blooms. Meanwhile, flowers that I'd forgotten I planted are turning up in the perennial beds, like the bright red dianthus and the deep purple veronica (shown here with pink geranium and coral bells). The white dictamnus is taking forever to establish, but I have hopes that someday I'll get more than one spire of blossoms. Finally, the dainty pink blooms of shade-loving mountain laurel.
June 10: The huge blooms of peony Festiva Maxima don't last very long, but they're spectacular for a few days. The early summer perennials, yellow achillea (yarrow) and purple nepeta (catmint) will last quite a bit longer.
The first rose to bloom is the lovely Peace rose - pale yellow tinged with pink. Mountain Laurel 'Freckles' is much brighter than the standard variety, with almost florescent pink blooms.
June 17: The honeysuckle growing up the side of my back porch is in bloom, and it perfumes the air of the whole backyard with its wonderful fragrance. The creamy yellow bells of digitalis ambigua are popping up in the shade garden - this is a plant which spreads a bit on its own, but is not invasive.
June 18: Bright pink Betty Prior rose is one of my favorites. It doesn't have a fancy flower, but it has a lot of them, and it keeps blooming right until frost comes in late October.
Blue Amsonia next to a variegated hosta.
I pick a handful of Sugar Snap peas every morning and bring them to work to munch on during the day. Even the most hardened vegetable haters eventually break down and admit that they taste good! (That's my hammock behind the peas.)
June 24: The Shasta daisy blooms in the sun, while the delicate flowers of Itea (Virginia sweetspire) persevere in the dense shade of the spruce trees.
June 26: Blue Billow lacecap hydrangea makes a nice combination with white daisies and yellow achillea, and a bright red clematis climbs up the back fence.
