I realize that most of my photos are closeups of flowers taken with my macro lens so I thought it is time to step back and take a broader view of the garden beds to show how they are performing as we near the end of June.  One of the biggest contrasts of course is the growth and size of the plants.  This is inevitable with the changes in temperature and the occasional downpour of rain we have had this last month.  There is a lull again and I am hoping that the annuals that I grew from seed will start providing summer colour to the garden, including different varieties of poppies, a mixed selection of perennials (the first of which is the blue cornflower which is starting to bloom), stocks and african daisies.  

The first view is of the rockery garden.  There is less colour now in this section as most rockery plants bloom early in spring.   When these photos were taken, the white spirea is still in bloom as well as the yellow coreopsis and the blue campanula; the variegated succulent and maroon euphorbia still adds contrast to this bed. 

One of my favourite beds is in the front and I like the combination of lavender, shasta daisy,  phlox and even the oriental poppy heads.  There are still a few yellow pansies blooming too.

The bed by the driveway has definitely peaked although my double yellow rose is still blooming.  There is the odd daylily and a small lavender in the front of the bed.  The yellow and black centered rudbeckias are starting to bloom and my hydrangea paniculata is forming buds.  Now that the spirea blooms have faded, I will prune off the dead flowers which will encourage a second blooming.

The most significant change is in my hanging baskets  which are doing extremely well.  I am really happy this year the way they have worked out.  Two baskets in particular stand out – the crimson pink geranium basket and the red, white and blue basket.  I also like the deep crimson red calibrachoa basket.  The humming birds continue to happily feed by my grape arbour.

Sadly the climbing rose at the front gate is fading too but it bloomed for most of June.

Last but not least, the monarch butterflies are hovering around my plants in abundance and are a lovely sight to see.

July is going to be a busy month for me but I will do my best to continue posting photos of the garden.  

HAPPY CANADA DAY