Happy Thursday, I hope you are having a good week! Ours has been rainy with overcast days, lower temperatures, but high humidity! We are not complaining, at least, not yet!
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Philippians 4:8 (ESV)
Gardening has been interesting this year, especially this month! The photos in this post cover from late June through this past Tuesday. Two limelight hydrangeas have been replaced, one last year and one this May. You can see their lime green color in early July…
…and the young flowers mature to a creamy white!
Luna Red hibiscus was blooming non-stop until our recent rains and overcast skies. The blooms are the size of a luncheon plate!
The limelight in the foreground wasn’t a replacement, it is an original to the garden!
Adagio maiden grass offers texture to the garden and lovely plumes that are great in flower arrangements!
A middle of the month photo of the cottage garden in the background and Pink Diamond hydrangea in the foreground. I hope to share a cottage garden post soon where color is in full display!
Vanilla-Strawberry (foreground) with Little Lamb hydrangeas in the background were photographed mid-month!
Sunshine ligustrums surround the Luna Rose hibiscus with its gorgeous color!
On July 15th, Vanilla Strawberry hydrangea blooms were not quite mature, but note there are brown spots on the largest bloom …
…and some were turning pink at least six weeks earlier than usual!
A pretty view disguises a month of extreme heat, winds, no rain, and Japanese beetles feasting on our crape myrtles and zinnias! Since this time we have entered a weather pattern of clouds and rain showers.
With the large showy blooms taking up a large portion of the frame, this is the garden addition that the ‘Head Gardener’ added a couple of years ago. Not shown is the Lady Banks rose arbor to the right of the stepping stones! In the corner is the Black-eyed Susan that the gardener at The Swag passed along to us in a cup two years ago!
The Black-eyed Susan has been pushing blooms non-stop!
The remainder of the photos were taken two days ago. The Pink Diamond hydrangea still has immature blooms!
The above photo shows the vanilla strawberry turning pink prematurely. It is a mystery, perhaps due to days of high 90’s temperatures and no rain! You might remember from my June Gardening in the South the mystery of the Autumn Fire Sedum that was blooming two and a half months prematurely! No one has been able to solve that mystery, yet!
The focal point of the garden is an old bronze statue that was originally a fountain. It has aged to a patina that is more suitable for a country garden!
We still have sunflowers blooming! How can this face not make you smile? In case you missed the recent sunflower post, click here.
Two days ago, after an inch of rain, the heaviness of the wet blooms bowed to the ground! Normally we would not see any pink or brown spots on the blooms in July. Many unusual happenings this year, but we press on with gardening, learning as we go!
Thank you for your visit. I welcome questions and any answers to our garden mysteries. Wishing you a joy-filled day!
Linking with: Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Life and Linda
Good morning Pam! Such pretty blooms for this time of year, despite the weather! Our limelights were drooping to the ground too after a recent shower. I was just reading about Limelight Prime hydrangea, a new variety supposedly with stronger stems for less flopping and an earlier bloom time. I’m going to look for one in the fall. Love the cheery Black-eyed Susans…what a fun souvenir to bring back a start from your trip to The Swag. Your sunflowers have been outstanding! 🌻
Gardening is not for sissies! I despise Japanese beetles and they’ve defoliated our roses. I don’t use Sevin on them as it’s harmful to the bees and the traps just lure and attract them. I need chickens to take care of them, maybe you can borrow them from your son and DIL. 🐔 😊
We still need rain and fingers crossed we get some today and tomorrow. 🤞 I’m beyond ready for a break in watering. We’ve watched the radar as the storms split as they approach the lake and go north and south of us. Areas around us have gotten 3 inches in one storm where we barely get wet. Happy Thursday and stay cool. ♥
Mary, I hope you get much needed rain! It has been raining off and on during the night and this morning. We don’t use Sevin either and I haven’t thought about the chickens 🤣
Thank you and wishing you a wonderful day!
Well, Pam, your garden still looks goodand healthy, even with the brown spots on some of the hydrangea blooms. Mine look more like burnt marshmallows, literally crisped by the heat and dry weather. I’ve had to soak plants just to try to keep the entire plant from dying. Our lawn grass, along with many others’ in the neighborhood, are just dormant and brown. Rain seems to elude us, almost entirely, both in June and now July. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20, but it wasn’t a great year for me to add all the plants I did. My motto has been survivaal.
Rita, I am so sorry, I totally understand all of your hard work and then no rain. We have had many years where we were in survival mode. I hope rain comes your way very soon!
Beautiful flowers! The Luna hibiscus are stunning. We’ve had several days of rain with several more forecasted. At least I am not having to water.
Thank you, Rachel! We have had several days with no watering, also.
Beautiful views of your garden Pam! You certainly can’t tell from these photos that the weather has been stressful for them! So many incredible blooms, I love the Luna hibiscus! Of course all the hydrangeas are gorgeous and I love the maiden grass plumes. Thank you for the wonderful eye candy this morning!
Thank you, Jenna! The Luna Rose is a perennial which is extra special. Wishing you a wonderful day!
Your garden looks beautiful. I cannot wait to have outdoor space again and a small garden of flowers. Have a great rest of the week. Hugs. Kris
Thank you, Kris. I know you are excited about an outdoor space! Have a wonderful day!
Your garden is gorgeous! I love all the hydrangea varieties. Your hibiscus is fabulous! We’ve had rain all week and it’s so humid here too. It is a bit of relief though, so we’re thankful for it. Have a great day! Clara❤️
Thanks so much, Clara! Your weather sounds like ours. Wishing you a wonderful day ❤️
Good Morning Pam,
Your garden photos do not show stress. I enjoy seeing all the pretty pretties through out your gardens as they are incredibly stunning. I enjoy when we get to visit. Thank you!
My Strawberry Vanilla hydrangeas are showing their pink very late this year. Go figure!
Gardening is always trial and error. And most of the time all goes well. Thank goodness.
We have cooled down some and it looks to be a delightful weekend!
Happy Weekend to you!
Thank you, Nancy. I know with a cooler climate your vanilla strawberry hydrangeas turn more red than pink. Wishing you a lovely day and enjoy your weekend!
Good morning Pam! Yay, I think the problem is fixed and you were in my mailbox this morning!! Your hydrangeas are incredible. You must feel so much joy when you gaze upon them. None of the ones I planted last fall have bloomed yet. The drought probably hasn’t helped. I made a nice discovery yesterday … a purple coneflower has mysteriously appeared in my flowerbed! And my 20+ year old boxwoods that have been on the deck for years have developed some sort of blight. I keep pruning out large dead portions. I will be really sad to see those go. But we have gotten almost 4 glorious inches of rain since Tuesday!!
I am happy you were able to solve the problem. Isn’t it amazing how a flower will appear out of nowhere…birds and squirrels at work. So glad you received that glorious rain! Enjoy your day, Roxanne!!
I was visiting with a freind yesterday and we were talking about how beautiful your property is. You make it look easy, which I’m sure it’s not – but so worth the effort. There’s a lesson there, right? Thanks for sharing your gorgeous flowers and tables.
I was trying to guess who the friend might be and think I have figured it out. Thank you, Leslie Anne!
Thanks for sharing. Your garden is lovely.
My pleasure, Della!
I can’t tell you how much I love your garden and how much I admire and respect the work you do to make and keep it so beautiful. I love it!
Thank you so much, Jeanie! I love sharing our garden here on the blog!
Pam I Love all your beautiful plantings regardless of a few brown spots. Your head gardener must work overtime keeping everything so beautiful although I’m sure you do your share.
Our hibiscus never disappoints as the daily blooms are always giant and beautiful and we have all colors. Florida is great for hibiscus growing…hydrangeas not so much. The potted ones fare a little better but don’t bloom as often or as abundantly.
I must say your vibrant green grass caught my eye beneath your drooping hydrangeas. What type of grass do you have that stays so vibrant? Ours has brown spots here and there from uneven watering/hot heat… despite automatic water systems all around our home. Our grass is St. Augustine Floratam for our sandy soil. It can withstand the hot and humid climate here….but whatever you have, it looks beautiful.
Thanks so much for your sweet comments, Kari! Butch works many hours keeping it up. Our grass is zoysia within the garden, it is hard to maintain. Butch does an excellent job maintaining everything. Thank you for your sweet visit!
I can not get hydrangeas to live here so I Get my fix from your garden. They are all gorgeous. Our summer hasn’t been as hot as yours in fact last week one night it was down in the upper 40’s. We haven’t had much moisture but we use the auto sprinkler system plus water the vegetable garden daily. My Daughter sent a picture of her back yard that looked like a pond. They’re getting to much moisture. But she has gotten lots of blueberries and figs. You have done as extraordinary job of keeping your garden beautiful through out the drought and I appreciate it. Especially all the variety.
I have read there is flooding in certain areas. We have had a lot of blueberries. I need to plant a fig, because I love eating them! I was going to check on you about the time your comment came in. I missed you for teatime on Tuesday!
I had sinus surgery so I missed a day. Doing great though.
I am so sorry, please take care of yourself, my friend 🙏🏻
Absolutely gorgeous perennials! I’m a huge fan of hydrangeas. Mine are deep blue, but I’ve been admiring the limelight hydrangeas. Maybe next year…
I love those deep blue hydrangeas that are so stunning! Thanks so much for your visit!
Stunning flowers!!! Your garden is heavenly… Breathtaking!
Thank you dear one!
Such a lovely walk around the garden!
Thank you, Carole!
Thank you Carole. Hope things are going well in western Carolina. A lovely place to be. Have a good week!
Butch and Pam
Sweet friend, I am always in awe of your stunning gardens. Everything is so beautiful and belongs in a magazine. I have been failing terribly this year with my gardening. It has been a strange year. I guess that is just part of it. I have so enjoyed my visit today. Happy Sunday!
Thank you, Shannon! It has been a strange gardening year! I appreciate your sweet comments!
Hydrangeas always bring such happy memories of my maternal grandmother Pam, who had them growing in her front garden. I always thought they were so beautiful & still do to this day,
Blessings sweet friend, Jennifer
Thanks so much, Jennifer! I am so glad it brought back happy memories of your maternal grandmother!
Your garden is stunning. I always love it when you share, Limelights are my favorite and we have a few plants but the vanilla strawberry hydrangeas are gorgeous too. I actually love all hydrangeas. I’ve been wanting to plant sunflowers and yours are amazing. Thanks so much for sharing. XO- MaryJo
Thanks so much, Mary Jo. I would encourage you to plant sunflowers. I know you would enjoy having them with their bright yellow faces! 🌻🌻🌻
Beautiful flowers! Your garden is just lovely.
Thanks so much, Joanne!
After 3,000 miles on the road, we’re headed home and I am hoping my garden survived my not being there to tend it for 10 days.
My granddaughter sent me a photo of my vanilla strawberry hydrangea while I was away—it’s in its glory right now. I quite like your Luna hibiscus—absolutely stunning. Thanks for the lovely stroll through your gardens.
Cindie, I know your road trip was wonderful from your photos on IG. I hope your garden survived beautifully! Thanks for your visit.
Your garden is so gorgeous! I love the vanilla strawberry hydrangeas best. We have them at the entrance to our neighborhood. Our limelight blooms are HUGE this year, and now they are bent over because they’re waterlogged!
How many acres is your garden? I just love reading posts about your pretty garden!
Thanks so much, Ricki Jill. Our garden is probably 1/2 acre. We established the garden in 2015. We are still learning something new every day. We originally owned 33 acres and gave our son 11 acres for him to build his house on. He also has the old historic barn. They are only a golf cart away, so I see my grands almost daily. We have pasture land and woodlands on our property! There are 250 acres that join ours that are riverfront and woodlands that my husband and son manage for the owner. We have a view of the Appalachian Foothills. We bought the property 48 years ago. We could have bought the entire farm, but we were young and couldn’t imagine how we could pay for it. We are so thankful to live out in the country. Our house is now 46 years old and we have added on and updated through the years. We don’t have any help, we do all the work in the garden.
Pam, your gardens are simply gorgeous! I can only imagine how much work it takes to keep them looking like this especially with all the challenges you have had. I love your hydrangeas, and the black-eyed susans and sunflowers make me smile too. The Luna hibiscus is just stunning. We have been very hot and dry here and it is so dusty. We haven’t had any rain since the end of June and there is none in the foreseeable future so I am relieved that I haven’t had a garden or grass to take care of this summer. Thanks for the lovely walk through your gardens!
My Autumn Fire Sedum bloomed earlier than normal this year too! I am in upstate SC. Funny, isn’t it?
Hi Nancy, that is definitely funny!
Pam, always a pleasure to visit and see your lovely gardens. Even with lack of rain, your blooms looks beautiful. The Luna Red hibiscus is gorgeous and the flower is so large. I love hydrangeas. So many blooms to admire plus the happy face of sunflowers. Happy weekend.
Thanks so much, Linda! Happy Weekend to you 🌻
I don’t know how to solve the mysteries, but I surely enjoy seeing all the beauty in your garden! God bless you all!
Thank you, my friend!