So I decided to enter the garden competition. Not the whole yard, obviously, because many areas are still "under construction", but a few choice areas that feel fairly "finished". I almost regret it, because with holidays and family stuff and everything else, I suddenly feel compelled to spend every possible extra moment deadheading and weeding and trying to make everything perfect. But thankfully, I'm busy enough to prevent myself from that kind of craziness. I'm in it for the experience, not for the win, and that's enough... for this year...
What a difference a little heat makes! Here's what was blooming 2 weeks ago and here's what things are looking like right now:
I've finished mulching the welcome garden and there's only one plant left that I want to move. The ornamental alliums and dwarf bearded iris have finished, but the larger bearded iris (this is iris germanica 'bounty'), the shasta daisies, the nepeta (catmint, 'Walker's Low'), the achillea (yarrow) and the sedum have taken over. All the plants here are drought tolerant and I've entered this area into the 'Water-wise garden' category in the garden competition.
Heading around the side garden, things are almost out of control with snow-in-summer, shasta daisies, hesperalis matronalis blooming and the delphiniums just starting. You can't see the blue delphiniums against the house which seems like a bad design idea, but I purposely added some in here specifically for cutting.
In the butterfly potager, the lilacs are finishing up and the peony and martagon lilies have started blooming. Perennial cornflower is also still blooming plus the spinach and chard are ready for cutting and I've added some calendula for colour. These gardens all surround a patio with a dining table and I've entered this area in the 'Outdoor Living' category in the garden competition.
In the back shade garden, the hostas are finally up and the bleeding heart, anemone sylvestris and dwarf irises are blooming. Leopard's bane is just finishing up flowering.
In the adventure garden the alliums are finishing, and the meadow rue, hesperalis matronalis, siberian iris, painted daisies, blue salvia perennial geraniums, sea thrift and honeysuckle are all blooming. Iceland poppies are of course still blooming too - they never stop!
So there you have it. My garden a week or two before the competition judging. Wish me luck (in keeping sane, not winning, that is!) Now I really should be out there weeding or something right now...
Best of luck when the judges come! I don't envy the work you have for the next couple of weeks getting everything ready. I do look forward to seeing your garden at the end of the month!
Posted by: Paula H | July 01, 2010 at 07:38 PM
Again you are implying that I will win something - but Im really not expecting to! Thanks for the vote of confidence anyway!
Posted by: Janice Miller-Young | July 02, 2010 at 05:10 AM