Hello Summer!

Hello my friends!  Can you believe June is upon us and summer is knocking at the door?  I know meteorological summer begins on the first, according to our weatherman, but to me it will begin on June 20th with the summer solstice.  The longer days greet us with the sun peeping through the curtains early in the mornings.  The setting sun gives us more time to enjoy outdoors later into the evening.  Our spring has been lovely with abundant rain, but like on queue, rain is beginning to elude us as summer begins. The temperatures are rising and the humidity is increasing.  

This oakleaf hydrangea is beginning to bloom.  First the lovely green blossoms turn a pure white.  Later in the summer they will turn pink and then brown into autumn.  I bought this shrub years ago at Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson.  They sell lovely plants and heirloom seeds that I always love. 

The French Hydrangeas are beginning to make their mophead blossoms.  I think this year will prove to be good for ours.  In the last few years a late frost has nipped the buds to my chagrin!

 

The Jackmanii Clematis is continuing to tangle itself among the Pinkie Climbing Rose that has stopped blooming in the heat.

The Painted Fern is growing larger each day.  If we don't get rain soon I'm sure I will have to supplement watering of my ferns.

 

The morning sun shines briefly on this perennial bed that is home to ferns and astilbe.

My little angel statues are at home in this bed.  This one has been in this garden the longest.  She's an old girl, but loved.  I think I may need to give her a new finish one day.  

The Saint John's Wort is starting to bloom.  I have a small area I allow this to grow as I enjoy the lovely blossoms.  It can be quite wild and grow everywhere if I let it! 

 It was nice to have the lavender return.  Growing in a large pot in a protected area made me happy to have it bloom!  If you look closely at the planter, I've spread cayenne pepper around the vinca to help keep the squirrels from digging.  It helps but is not foolproof, but they do learn to stay away!

The Variegated Hosta needs to be divided.  If you need any let me know!

Grayden and I continue to walk the Heritage Trail every morning.  We have been getting up really early to avoid the heat.  It's really the highlight of my day!  We always see something wonderful.  Lately "our " eagle has been perched at the top of a dead tree at the end of the bridge!  I can't tell you how much it thrills us to see him every morning.

I hope you all are continuing to stay safe.

On the side of the museum we see this gentle reminder that we still must be diligent.  The quote is from Thomas Paine's "The American Crisis".  George Washington used these words to rally his troops as they crossed the Delaware River to defeat the British at the Battle of Princeton.