Happy Thursday sweet friends. I hope you are having a wonderful week!
“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Ephesians 5:2 ESV
Grab a glass of iced tea and stay inside where you are cool. I will brave the heat and humidity to share a walk in our July garden!
July is when Hydrangeas Paniculata or panicled hydrangeas are the stars of the garden! They are the easiest to grow and most adaptable of all hydrangeas and there are many varieties to choose from. They also bloom on new wood meaning they create their flower buds for the year only after they have begun to leaf out in spring. This means that they can be pruned without negatively impacting their bloom. Not only are they a beautiful addition to a garden or landscape, but they grow from chilly USDA zone 3 through balmy USDA zone 8. We live in USDA zone 8a.
This photo and the one above and below features ‘Vanilla-Strawberry’ hydrangeas that were planted in spring of 2015. Three of the five plants have grown to a mature eight feet in height with a mature spread of five feet. When we planted our garden in 2015, we had no shade. Three Japanese maples and two crape myrtles were planted at that time, and as they have matured, we now have some shaded areas. One of our vanilla strawberry hydrangeas needs relocating because it is too shaded.
The large flower heads begin as a creamy white but will turn pink. With cooler night temperatures they will turn a strawberry shade. Because of our warm nights, ours never turn the red shade.
A smaller variety of panicled hydrangeas is ‘Little Lambs’. It is more compact and great for smaller spaces. The two little lambs at our garden entrance have bloomed profusely this year. High winds have beat down the branches, but the blooms are still beautiful…
…this one strong branch refuses to bow to the wind!
Little lambs in the foreground and vanilla strawberries in the background highlight the varying shades of green in the garden!
RM’s favored ‘Adagio Maiden Grass’ is low maintenance and prized for its showy plumes and silver-green color. If you remember, we had three of these planted behind the garden table. Only one remains! Last fall, critters (armadillos?) decided overnight to live in two of them and wreaked havoc on their appearance and roots. RM had no alternative but to dig them up. We reached a decision not to replant grasses, but to leave the space open so we could see the cottage garden. I will share more of the cottage garden in a future post.
‘Limelight Hydrangeas’ bloom a little later than the vanilla strawberry. We have three limelight’s that are being crowded by the Sunshine Ligustrums. Our plan is to move them next spring!
A new hydrangea, ‘Pink Diamond’, was planted in early spring! When it matures it should reach a height of six to eight feet and a spread of five to six feet. Its blooms have been sparse and immature this season. It reminds me of an oak-leaf hydrangea.
The tuteur is almost covered with vanilla strawberry blooms!
A few blooms are turning a shade of light pink!
‘Blue My Mind’, a dwarf morning glory, matches the garden chair. Resting on the chair is a large pot of chocolate mint. Vanilla strawberry hydrangeas are in the background.
It appears that hydrangea blooms have joined the ‘Candy Corn Spirea”!
‘Dizzy’, an exotic Oriental lily has just started blooming. It is bright white with intense raspberry-red stripes down the middle of each slightly ruffled, red speckled petal. The fragrance is amazing. The lily is overshadowed by the large blooms of ‘Luna Rose’ a rose mallow hibiscus!
In the rear corners of the garden, Vanilla Strawberry hydrangeas make a stunning show in front of the Bloodgood Japanese maples. This photo shows the right side where the maple is not impacting the hydrangea. However, on the left side (not shown) is where the hydrangea is shaded by the maple and needs to be removed!
A snippet of the cottage garden with zinnias in front and sunflowers behind the fence. If you missed the sunflower post last week, you can view it here.
This is where all the tablescapes are photographed! We have babied the apricot drift roses and given them a chance, but I have decided they will be pulled out when it gets cooler. They make a nice show in spring, but the rest of the time they just take up valuable real estate! Update…I looked out late yesterday afternoon to discover the drift roses were history and a smooth layer of bark was covering their former spots. I suppose RM thought low 90’s was cool enough and chose to get it done!
We love how the color of the red mounding mandevilla plays against the Superbells ‘Lemon Slice’ with hydrangeas in the background!
I decided to end our walk in the cottage garden as the sun began to set!
As always, thank you for your visit and taking time to comment! Wishing you a joy-filled day!
Linking with: Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
What a labor of love to maintain such a garden. What joy it brings you and we are the lucky recipients to “walk through” the garden rooms with you and learn the different names of plants and flowers and appreciate their beauty.
Thank you, Ruthie. I am so glad you visited the garden!
Wow! It is all so beautiful. I know how much work it is to maintain a garden on acreage. This time of year it is water, water, and water for us!
Thank you, Rachel. Yes, it is water, water, and water for us.
I love hydrangeas, and yours are so beautiful, Pam. What a delight your garden must be. What a gift to share it with us! Lots of love to all of you.
Thank you, dear friend! It is my pleasure to share.
Thanks for sharing! My post-covid self longs to start a backyard garden that has been put off for far too many years. You’ve given me great encouragement about gardening in our heat!
Luann, I am so glad you visited. Gardening isn’t easy and heat doesn’t help. Gardening is a pleasure, I hope you plant that backyard garden!
I love hydrangeas. We have them all around the condo building and they are just gorgeous here too this year. Thanks always for the tour of your lovely gardens.
My pleasure and thank you for visiting, Kris!
A comment / question on your decision to pull out your drift roses . . . we have them and love them, except tall weed/grass grows in them and it’s impossible to weed with all the thorns! My husband wants to pull them out, and we need something colorful to replace them in their full-sun spot. I’d love hydrangeas, but don’t think the full sun spot will work. any suggestions? I wish I lived in a world of hydrangeas!
Thank you, Leslie Anne. Our drift roses would be pretty in spring, but they would never have another flush of blooms. They looked ragged and they weren’t adding any beauty where they were. I don’t know whether the paniculata hydrangeas would work that far south. I will think on what might be a good choice for you.
A beautiful array of hydrangeas, Pam! I always want to see MORE when you do a garden tour that shows various shots of the garden (looking forward to that cottage garden post coming). A mature garden definitely requires continuous editing. You & Butch seem committed to doing that as the various factors impact the garden.It’s sometimes sad to have to abandon a plant for whatever reason, but it’s always encouraging to find new plants that thrive. Thanks for the July tour.
Thank you, Rita. I have a hard time letting a plant go, but sometimes that is the best solution! We have done a
lot of editing this year. Butch took a bunch of drone shots this week, there will probably be one the the Sunday post. We had another wind storm last night with rain all around us, but we didn’t receive any. Happy Friday!
Wow! What beautiful gardens. Your hydrangeas are amazing. I so wish I had not planted so many hydrangeas that grow on old wood. I have ten of these that was hit by the cold weather. Gardening takes learning by experience as well. Can’t decide what to do..the plants are so healthy. Thank you for such a beautiful post.
Thanks so much, Dianne. I have two French hydrangeas that did not bloom this year. Several late freezes impacted them, but their foliage is beautiful. Happy Friday!
Each photo is prettier than the last, your garden is truly gorgeous! I know it is a labor of love, and all of yours and RMs hard work pays off in so many incredible blooms! Thank you so much for the wonderful stroll~ Keep cool!
Thanks so much, Jenna. It is definitely a lot of work. Happy Friday!
What a spectacular and pretty garden, wow it gorgeous.
I visited you via That’s Crafty and TFT Blog Hop
My entries this week = 28+29.
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You will find the linkup information (1) In the Top bar under Blogging: Weekly Senior Salon Pit Stop OR 2nd image In the sidebar.
We hope to meet you there virtually.
Thanks so much for your visit! Happy Friday, I will try to link up.
Oh, thank you Pam…it was such a lovely visit!
Thank you, Sue!
Heat or no heat, it is so refreshing to wander through your beautiful gardens. Alas, farewell dear apricot drift roses…I still cling to mine for the joy of their early spring blooms and your inspiration to add them to our garden. I am now hunting down the David Austin Crown Princess Margaret
apricot rose that is spectacular and sold out. Our Oakleaf hydrangea will ultimately be replaced
by the vanilla strawberry which always makes such a grand statement in your garden, as does
the red mounding grandevilla. All so breathtaking, with a sip of iced tea to recover….
Thank you, Mary. The last couple of years, our apricot drift roses were looking so weary and nothing that Butch did to help them was working. So, it was time to say farewell. I always loved their fragrance! I hope you find your rose, dear one!
You have made me fall in love with hydrangea but I’ve tried and tried to grown them here with no luck. My grandmother had beautiful oak leaf hydrangea. I have trouble pulling out plants that don’t do well. I admire that Butch beat you too it!
Thank you, Alice. Yes, it is hard pulling out plants that just aren’t adding much. Butch agreed they needed to go!
What a beautiful garden, what love you have put into tending it and it shows.
You are so sweet. Thank you, Nonie!
Stunning hydrangeas! Balm to the soul… Blessings.
Thank you, Maristella!
I just love it when you take us through your garden, Pam! It’s exquisite!
My pleasure and thank you, Jeanie!
Wow! Wow! Wow! Your garden is spectacular!! Will those hydrangeas take full, broiling sun…”cook eggs on the sidewalk” full sun? I sure would love to plant some. Pam, I wish you were here…my sister is coming up for a long weekend, and we’ve planned a road trip to Highlands with Mickey. The high on Saturday is 75 up there (20 degrees cooler than down here at the bottom of the mountain!).
Thank you, Roxanne. I think you can grow the hydrangeas. A trip to Highlands sounds fabulous. It hit 100 today. Enjoy your weekend my friend!
Lovely…absolutely beautiful! Such hard work, I know. Thank you for sharing the beauty of the season. It is a work of art! Truly a gift from the Creator, with TLC enhancement! 🌼🌸❤️🌺🌹
Thanks so much, Sherry. Your comments warm my heart.
Thanks for a lovely stroll through your dreamy garden full of blooms! The hydrangeas are so dear to my heart!
Thank you, Mary! I have always loved hydrangeas!
thanks Pam…LOVE THE TOUR! The hurricane took out many plants so the choice was not left up to the Captain and Me…so I have been making new plans an designs in our gardens. Getting tips from you and Butch…so helpful. Hugs and Blessings
Thank you, Kari. I know it will be beautiful when you finish!
God’s beauty surrounds you! Your gardens are a delight to see. Our stroll with you was breathtaking.
Your hydrangeas are a joy to see but I am swooning for your zinnias! So far ours have survived the rabbits now we pray the deer stay away! Praying the blooms begin in a few weeks!
I thank you for sharing your beautiful gardens with us.
Stay cool my sweet friend!
Thank you, Nancy. I hope the deer don’t eat your zinnias. They are a fabulous cut flower. Happy Friday!
Just beautiful Pam! I love your Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas and would love to find a spot to plant one. I’m sorry to see you Apricot Drift Roses go and Butch must be sorry to have to remove the maiden grass. Our gardens mature and evolve. I have a couple of roses I need to move as they no longer get the sun they need due to the shade of a mature crape myrtle. Something ate a couple of our hostas to the ground, not just nibbled a few leaves like the bunnies tend to do. We can’t figure out what it what it might have been. Gardening is not for the faint of heart. Hope you’re staying cool. Happy Friday ♥
Yes, gardens are constantly needing care because they do evolve and mature. It seems to be a constant battle with insects and critters. Stay cool, Mary 🥰
Lovely hydrangeas! Mine have not bloomed at all this year. I pruned about a third of the branches to tame it back a bit, and it is not happy. Lots of new foliage, so maybe it will bloom next year.
Thank you, Carole. My French hydrangeas did not bloom this year. Our late freezes zapped them.
Pam, Your garden is absolutely magazine worthy. Beautiful colors and lush blooms. I’ve pretty much decided as the roses die, I’m replacing them with hydrangeas. I always enjoy a walk through your garden. This is the first year our mopheads didn’t bloom. That’s because they had to come back from the roots due to the cold temps and ice. They have provided beautiful greenery. Our limelight is blooming well for the first time. I love your blue chair. Your zinnias are so healthy. Your hydrangeas are incredible! I wish I could give you some of our rain without the high winds. We’ve had 2 power outages within the past 3 weeks that last for several days or even more than a week due to downed trees and power lines. We were fortunate in that we lost power only for a few hours this week rather than several days like last time. I feel sorry for those who are still out if power. It’s so hot and humid. It was a pleasure seeing all the uplifting colors and pretty blooms. Happy Friday! Clara ❤️
Thank you, Clara. We had mopheads that didn’t bloom this year. We just had a severe thunderstorm warning and had lots of wind but not enough rain to wet our driveway. You have been greatly impacted by these storms, power outages during this heat is no fun. Stay safe my friend♥️
Pam, your July garden in stunning! I am so envious of your hydrangeas. They are beautiful! I am having a time getting my hydrangeas to take off between the deer and weather extremes. I was wanting to replace my double knock out roses with drift roses, but you may have me rethinking that idea. The double knock outs are doing like your drift roses. They give a good show in the spring, but not so much the rest of summer. It has been a scorcher here with triple digit temps and high humidity. It is cooking my gardens. We are blessed to be getting some rain and a cool down this morning. I am so grateful. Have a wonderful weekend, dear friend!
Thank you, Shannon. Gardening is difficult at best. Weather and critters greatly impact gardening. We can’t seem to get rain, almost two weeks without significant rain, only a light sprinkling. Happy weekend sweet friend!
I love hydrangeas and it was the first thing I added to the tiny front garden at our first home in New Hampshire. Yours are wonderful.
They are certainly a favorite flower of mine. Thank you, Karen!
White hydrangeas are my favorite and yours are exquisite. I’m on the lookout to buy a new one for my front yard.
Thank you, Judee. I hope you find the perfect white hydrangea!
Your gardens are so beautiful Pam! I know it is a lot of work – especially in the heat – but the end results is just stunning! I think hydrangeas are my favorite flower and I loved seeing all your different varieties. I was very interested to read that the paniculata will grow in zones 3 to 8. We are zone 3 or 4 here, depending on who you ask, so just maybe if I can make a spot for one. Something to think about for next year. Thank you for the tour of your beautiful garden!
I always enjoy my little armchair visits to your beautiful garden. You and Butch do such a fabulous job designing, planting and tending it–such a labor of love.
I have been slowly adding hydrangeas to our garden too. I do have one Vanilla-Strawberry as well, and am trying to layer a few of the branches in order to propagate another bush or two. My plant holds a fond memory of my sweet momma, who would often wonder aloud who left their pink tennis shoes hanging in the bushes. I guess that’s what the late summer pink and white blossoms looked like to her from her vantage point looking out of the window.
Your gardens always bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart.
Oh, what a lovely, enjoyable walk through your amazing garden! I felt as if I were there walking right alongside you. God bless you today, sweet friend.
How sweet and thank you, Cheryl!
Pam, your gardens are gorgeous. The hydrangeas are spectacular! I am envious because we do not get rain. Our flowers and plants take a toll with that hot summer sun. I am happy to feature your luscious gardens at Love Your Creativity,
Thank you, Linda. I so appreciate your party and the opportunity to be featured!