Every year at this time I have mixed thoughts about our flowerbeds. I love all the blooms. The flowers are beautiful. But, as a whole, the beds are very unkept and overgrown. It is impossible for me to keep up with the weeds and deadheading. Too many flowerbeds, too little time. I’m working on coming up with a solution to this dilemma. Unfortunately, the solution will take a lot of time and a complete overhaul of at least one flowerbed.
Here are the majority of plants blooming now, amongst all the crazy.
This is the time of year when the shasta daisies really show off – and we have a ton of them.
The lilies/day lilies are also taking over the flowerbeds.
Every year I throw new wild flower seed in the meadow hoping for a little variety. And, every year the same ol’ daisies and blanket flowers take over.
The weeds are in full swing right now.
Stinking Chamomile, or Anthemis cotula. I acutally don’t mind this weed, but it does stink.
Top left: White Clover
Bottom left: Canadian Thistle
Right: Lady’s Thumb, sometimes referred to as smartweed
Queen Anne’s Lace
The butterfly bushes just started blooming, but they seem to be fading quicker than I remember in the past.
Potentilla ‘Goldfinger’
I don’t love this plant. But, it’s hardy and is a reliable bloomer each summer.
The lavender in the Bird Village, Lavandula ‘Jennifer’, is looking lovely.
There is a little section near the pond in the front yard that I enjoy. Purple lavender growing next to the pink flowers of what I believe is a Potenilla plant. Nearby is also yarrow in a darker shade of pink.
A few other random items in bloom. This year the nasturtiums are putting on a poor showing, which is a bummer. I love nasturtiums in my summer gardens.
Left: Mallow. It’s pretty. But, I don’t recommend it. It grows like crazy… in all the places you don’t want it.
Right: Hardy gladiola. I adore the chartreuse color.
Calendula
We struggle getting plants to bloom in Farm Kid 2’s flowerbed. It is a favorite place for our chickens to take dust baths. This year, though, we don’t have many free ranging chickens, so the wildflowers actually have a chance to show off. I love it.
Pansy’s and viola’s are looking great in the shade garden. This is another place we struggle keeping flowers alive due to the chickens, but not this year.
We also have flowering going on in our food garden – like this tomato.
Flowering in herb pots. This is the first time I have grown tarragon and I’m loving the golden flowers.
I have to make our flowerbeds a priority. In the winter, there isn’t a lot of interest, but in general they look ok. Everything is green and vibrant in the spring, which is my favorite. By mid summer, though, there is just too much going on for the flowerbeds to look nice. I like a cottage, informal look. But, I’ve been struggling with making it informal, without looking unkept.
With a lot of work, maybe next July’s bloom day will have the whole effect I’m going for, not just pretty flowers.
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