4th of July Flowers For a Party

Blue Lacecap and Annabelle Hydranga, Gooseneck Lysimachia,

and red geranium.

Emma and I visited Helen Dimos's garden

Emma and I were invited to a Helen's garden over the weekend. After I took photographs, and she "tended" to details, we sat and watched shafts of light penetrate the deepening shadows. (Emma had been off leash the whole time and no plants were destroyed! I was proud of her.) The day before we went to visit, it had rained. Helen gave us these peonies to take home.

A new pink tree peony and garden neighbors

Memorial Day flowers

As a hostess gift, I brought flowers from the garden. There were alliums, wild phlox, Miss Kim lilacs and Japanese Snowball Vibernum clusters, but they were a bit too floppy and don't show in this photo.

A peak at my front porch and garden

This is what I see when I stand on my front porch and look out over my front "yard." Right now the white and purple alliums are just peaking, as are the mountain bells (blue). Emma is my constant companion. She doesn't look like her normal 84 pounds, though the summer haircut did slim her down a lot.

Paeonia suffruticosa 'Kamatanishiki'

"When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden."

quote by Minnie Aumonier

Iris cristata. Dwarf Crested Iris

As these little iris bloom, so are the lilacs, wisteria, viburnam Carlesii,lily of the valley and two shades of pink dogwooks, also

the wild blue ground cover phlox, yellow celandine poppies and the money plants. The alliums are just moments away from bursting. Soon there will be a fireworks displays of lavender-purple and

clusters of star-like white pompoms.

Hellebores

The magic of hellebores is that they bloom before the other flowers when the ground is still muted with last fall's leaves. These burst forth promising life and color, and remind us that the garden is just beginning to wake up, and to be patient.

Emma with Anemones and Ginger

The "fluff" to the left of the flowers is Emma's butt. Gardening with a dog has mixed rewards.