Anyway, I was off on my annual sailboat race to Mackinac Island and usually I come back with a bunch of pictures of the beautiful gardens there. Unfortunately, this year the race was really slow so I had time for one dinner, one much-needed sleep, a little bit of boat cleaning and a quick stop in a fudge shop before I was whisked back to reality way too soon.
So that’s why this week’s Garden Appreciation Society post is late, but I hope you’ll still join in.
After last week’s pretty but unimaginative bouquet of roses (they didn’t last very well either), I tried to get a bit more creative but I’m pretty sure I just ended up with a hot mess.
The poppies have exploded all over the place (note to self, cut off those seed pods NOW before they take over the world), the drumstick alliums are peeking, some of the hydrangeas are working up some flowers (if I can get them before the damn deer nip them off) and clematis ‘Etoile Violet’ has gone absolutely crazy with the additional sun it’s getting since we cut down the birch tree. I also threw in some hosta flowers which I never would have thought to do but someone did it to great effect a few weeks ago in their Garden Appreciation Society bouquet and I loved it. I also threw in some campanula that I have tried unsuccessfully to rid my garden of just because it’s such a thug, but they are still pretty and a clipping from a spirea.
The whole thing is a bit messy for my tastes, but I like that it’s a pretty good sampling of what’s blooming right now. I think I’m entering another phase of mostly green garden though. The early stuff has bloomed and I seem to have a bit of a lag before anything else picks up and starts blooming. The purple coneflowers should show their faces soon and a few daylilies have started popping.
Now’s your turn … link up your fabulous flowers!
document.write(‘
9 Responses
Love this! One of my favorites this summer.
I spent a summer on Mackinac Island when I was in college. Worked at the Murray Hotel for minimum wage. It was heaven when the lilacs were in bloom.
I like it! Love the hosta flower and your nice comment.
Susie
Sounds like a fun vacation! Better late than never seems to be my motto these days. Glad to hear I'm not the only one!
Welcome back!! You took the right week off to spend on a boat with all the heat and humidity. And you came back to gorgeous blooms!!
Erin: Oh good…glad this is going! I actually managed to link from my iPad, and to a Pinterest URL (hope it all works!) as I'm on the road for 10 days now. This orange pitcher, a Marshalls special, is one of my favorites!
Lucky you to go to Mackinac Island! That's on my list of places I want to travel. If all goes as planned my husband and I may go this fall. Everyone should have time to leave all behind and go play. Thanks for hosting this garden party. Your bouquet is beautiful as usual!
Thanks for hosting. I do the same thing with poppies, so pretty but so dangerous! Caught the deer eating my hydrangea buds this morning too, hope they leave some for me.
I wish I could get poppies to grow – much less explode – in my garden. Thanks for hosting the Garden Appreciation society, Erin!