Yes, it is still 90+ degrees but many of my blooms are beating the heat! Now the roses are doing their best to bloom in spite of the Japanese Beetles but you can decide for yourself as you see the pictures below how successful they are. UGH.

Up first are the ORIENTAL LILIES… they are spectacular and filling the garden with fragrance. For those of you (and I know they are many) who are sensitive to their fragrance, so sorry, but you can enjoy the pictures!

THE FAWN (Faun)

This beauty was the first thing I saw this morning — practically took my  mind completely off my morning coffee. Not easy to do. Luckily Mr. G did not forget my coffee and brought me some yummy coffee in a pretty rose cup. (He really is the very best and knows very well how the garden can steal me completely away from the real world. LOL)

The Fawn is a ground cover rose that has her roots in French soil. Simply gorgeous and it looks like it would have amazing fragrance but I hate to tell you, it doesn’t. It does, however, have super disease resistance and an abundance of blooms all summer long. Mine came from Heirloom Roses. I just checked and they still have it in stock. Take a look here.

Another French beauty from the esteemed House of Meilland is Cherry Parfait. My plant is smaller than normal in the heat but giving some incredible blooms. And, there was not one Japanese Beetle on her! She has a light fragrance.

SWEET DRIFT & PETIT PINK

Both of these shrub roses are doing so well as they do most every year and are not very popular with the Japanese Beetles.

SWEET DRIFT

POPCORN DRIFT

This is a new rose to me and I love it! Absolutely love it. However, I can already tell I planted them tooooo close together! #bloomingmachine  More info to come on this one as the season continues.

 

 

SUMMER FLOWERS

Stokes Aster

This is a great performer in my garden and makes me happy every time I see it. It is just easy breezy and pretty. The only extra care I give this plant is sometimes a “ring” to keep it from “flopping,” especially if is too close to a rose I want to feature. It is so easy to divide so there is plenty for you and plenty to share. Oh, and it does well in arrangements and compliments the roses!

Phlox

The phlox has been the very best this year! I guess we can say they like  hot, dry conditions!

Coneflowers

There are many reasons to plant this hardy workhorse — it’s place as a herbal remedy, beautiful summer color, pollinator attractor and tasty seeds for the birds (in particular gold finches) to name a few. Breeders have been having fun with this plant the last few years and we have moved way beyond the original pinkish purple — although I love it still!

 

THE BAD…

UH OH…

Who planted the Lemon Grass too close to the Zinnias — ME!

Who nestled up a little too close to the Lilies — ME!

Yes, it stains. One trick– don’t rub … lightly brush off!

THE BUGLY

The Japanese Beetles just keep coming and coming and coming. Warning ugliness below…

Look what they did to my lovely Gemini…😡

 

And, they are soooooo attracted to my Golden Fairy Tale because it is yellow.  Can you believe this!  😩😡😭 More — a lot more — soapy water.

 

Well, we don’t want to end on a bad “bugly” note!!!! So here are two bokays from the week. One I made to take to the propagation workshop at our rose society meeting on Tuesday and one for our table — it is in an antique pitcher from Mr. G’s momma. Isn’t the pitcher lovely!

 

Bugs or no bugs, so glad you stopped by. I am loving my day in the garden and hope your day is wonderful too.

Happy Bloom Thyme Friday

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