Still Spring despite the thermometer

Climbing rose on back of garage

The heat is wilting me already but the garden seems fine, probably due to ample moisture in the ground and coolish nighttime temps.  Rose season is in full swing, except on the left side of the trellis on the back of the garage.  The rose on the right (Coral Dawn, if I remember right) blooms a few days earlier than the one on the left (New Dawn).  We didn't paint the garage that crazy blue color but it really sets off the pink.  We did design and install the trellis.

Gothic hypertufa planter with bench and trellis

The mowing sweat was worth it on Monday.

North side of garage

I've always been a texture/shape gardener more than a color/bloom gardener.  I've been called too subtle (ahem, Amir!), but I really like this bed along the garage.  It's a mix of sweetbox, brunnera, autumn fern, anemone, kirengeshoma, hakonechloa, japanese painted fern, with a potted fuschia summering above it all.  That crazy blue wall coloring sets it off.

Queen Elizabeth rose (left) and Don Juan climbing rose (right)

The giant Queen Elizabeth rose was one of the only nice plants on the property when we bought it.  We bought a second one to match it for the other end of the deck.  I prune the original Queen back to an 8' framework every spring and it gets 12 or 13' tall by the end of the summer.  Don Juan was a gift from our plant guru neighbor (thanks Ray) a few years ago.  I finally replaced the broken trellis under the deck this spring (think cheap lattice panels on the bias) and replaced it with one of my own design.  

The deck planters as seen from the back door.

I love that little pink Lewisia cotyledon sticking out in the middle.  Its flowering time is brief, but the flowering stem is very architectural, sticking up from its flat evergreen rosette of leaves.  Dianthus 'Tiny Rubies' is finishing to the left.  The spring flush of bloom is almost over for this group of planters.  It's back to size, shape and texture for another ten months.