Navona (Lilium ‘Navona’) has been a reliable bloomer over the years. It has beautiful large white blooms.
For some reason it has not been a good year for it. I have only few left in the garden and a bit afraid that I am going to loose this variety.
Hopefully it will do better next summer.
I am getting more and more fond of Common Garden Verbenas (Verbena hortensis). They have so many colors available in the stores nowadays.
The flower is extremely drought tolerant and therefore very suitable for the summer cottage since I am not always there to water.
I planted this individual to the driest and sunniest spot and it still made it blooming beautifully.
Another good year for the Origami Red and White (Aquilegia caerulea ‘Origami Red and White’).
For some reason the variety seems to like to grow up here in the north.
This year the blooming season for the columbines will be short. After a long period of cool weather a two week heatwave hit us and made the flowers to bloom quickly.
Summer finally found its way to north. Past few days we have been enjoying 30 degrees Celsius temperatures.
The May Queen (Leucanthemum vulgare ‘May Queen’) finally started to bloom. Nearly a month later than usually.
Oxeye Daisy is a is a native flower to the area and therefore very easy to grow. Though the variety May Queen has been grown from a seed and has a bit bigger blooms.
I do not know why but I lost half of my lupines last winter which was a surprise because they are usually very hardy.
To my delight The Chatelaine (Lupinus ‘The Chatelaine’) started to bloom in the new spot that it was planted this spring.
I am still trying to find more colors. Lupines are so easy flowers for the summer cottage.
Today is the longest day of the year up here in the north. The night is only a bit longer than four hours. In other words lots of light available for the plants.
The snowball bush (Viburnum opulus) is at its best and full of flowers.
The Snowball is a very decorative shrub blooming with huge green flowers which turn gradually to brilliant white as the season progresses.
It has been quite cool start of the summer up here in the north. Not many warm days yet.
Spending a week in the summer cottage and still need to burn wood in the fireplace to stay warm during the nights.
The Snowdrop Windflowers (Anemone sylvestris) are blooming now. A bit beaten by the wind and rain but still beautiful.
If the plant likes the place it will spread rapidly and has a very large root network.
It has been cool spring up here in the north and daffodils are still at their best. The late spring means that the tulip season is just about to begin.
The Strikes (Narcissus ‘strike’) have enjoyed the coldness and are blooming by the lake.
I do not have many vacation days this summer which has meant way less plants than normally. The simple reason is that I am not here to water them. Luckily the perennials are there to brighten the flowerbeds.
Last year the summer had a long and hot dry period. My father’s Cunningham’s White (Rhododendron ’Cunningham’s White’) did not make it.
We simply did not think that it was quite new plant and would have needed more watering and in the end it just dried out.
Managed to find a new plant and will take it to my father as a birthday present when I go and visit them next time.
Cunningham’s White’s flowers are a bit pink in the beginning but turn bright white when the bloom grows older.
Found one daffodil variety I do not yet have in the garden. Ice Wings (Narcissus ‘Ice Wings’) is a beautiful white variety.
As a triandrus narcissus, it usually carries multiple flowers on every flowering stem.
I am going to continue my hunt for more varieties but decided that three new ones is enough for this year. Otherwise I end up having the car full when I move them to the summer cottage.
Gardening in the North 