It has been dry up here in the north. We have not gotten a good rain for a month now.
Sitting in a summer cottage and watching a thunderstorm going past but not close enough for any rain.
You can see the dryness from the plants. Lack of water makes them smaller and better suitable for the dry weather.
The May Queens are doing well though. They are perfectly suited for long dry periods and seem to enjoy the weather.
The Flaming Flags are blooming well.
I guess it was a mistake to plant them next to the red and yellow tulips. Somehow they do not stand out well. The brighter ones take the spotlight.
Well they look good anyway.
Some of the daffodils are still blooming. Most are already gone but not all.
They did give a good show this year and I am happy that I have managed to find so many different varieties over the years.
Daffodils are very easy to grow requiring almost nothing special. Just good soil and enough water and they will bloom each year.
After several beautiful days the winter decided to come back. The temperature is below the freezing point and we got some snow during the night.
Stonecrops are doing fine though. Even with the low temperatures they have managed to start the season.
Stonecrops are one of those plants which look interesting the whole summer. Light green during the spring and red long lasting blooms during the autumn.
The late lilies are starting to bloom.
The Red Flavour has done well up here in the north and bloomed faithfully over the years.
This year I am experimenting a new color and hopefully it will do as well as the red.
It has taken years but now I have lilies in each and every flowerbed that can survive the harsh coldness.
We are already enjoying the garden phloxes up here in the north.
My grandma always had garden phloxes blooming in her garden. Then we lost them for decades but luckily got some from a neighbor.
White ones are doing well and introduced a new color last year but it seems to be a late bloomer and for her to display the flowers we need to wait a bit longer.
The tulips only lasted one week this year. Much too warm and dry for them. It has been so hot and nice up here in the north. Very unusual start for a summer.
Winter was quite hard for the flag tulips. Only few of them survived. Must order more in the autumn and renew the whole flower bed. Darwins on the other hand had a very good spring. Short but beautiful period of blooming.
Now back to the lake and for a swim. Just love days like this.
It is always nice to try something new in the garden but as important is to have something that you can count on. A flower that will not fail you no matter the weather.
Mallow has been there for decades and each summer it blooms with beautiful pink flowers. The only thing you need to do is to support the long stems against the strong rain showers that will so easily bend them.
I guess I should try another color since there are others available. Something to consider next spring.
Gardening in the North 