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.
It has been two years since I have been able to travel to the Mediterranean Sea but finally here after a long break.
It is always nice to see completely different flora that you have at home. Something new and something that you unfortunately cannot grow at home.
The Sea Daffodil (Pancratium maritimum) is a flower I have never seen before. After a rainy day they started to bloom on the beach in front of the hotel.
Navona (Lilium ‘Navona’) was a buyer gift when I made an order years ago. I was not considering white lilies to the garden at that point of time.
But I must admit that it has been a gift that I have liked a lot.
The Navona blooms are big and pure white. It has grown well in a challenging location where the birch trees take the nutrients and consume the water.
I had completely forgotten that I planted Origami Red and White (Aquilegia caerulea ‘Origami Red and White’) seeds last year.
The blooms were a nice surprise and lasted long.
Now the flowering season for columbines is over but it is time to collect the seeds. This surely was a variety that I want to see more in my garden.
Gardening in the North 