Midsummer highlights.....

Greetings from "soggy" Michigan! Yep we're finally getting some much needed rain and I'm glad to see it! It rained all morning and I decided to jump out and snap some pictures!

 Our grass and plants have needed a lot of babying to keep up with the heat we've had.  I know some have had it worse but once you are in the 90's and higher it's tough to keep up with everything!

 Last year I planted an Annabelle Hydrangea

and the new Boxwoods that you see here.

I also planted Alyssum along the edge and to my delight it came back this year.  I'm always tickled to see an annual come back...it's a nice freebie!

The Annabelle Hydrangeas tend to flop over badly so I put some supports in there.  They say you can cut them right down each fall and the next year they will come back just fine and it should encourage even more sturdy stems!

Standing next to the Annabelle I took a shot of the patio from an angel I don't normally choose. We have a fire pit in the middle where the chairs are.

 Around the corner on the path to the patio is this little statue.  She's one of those Cicely Mary Barker pieces that popped up all over.  I really want one twice as large but the price tag is pretty high.  Maybe a Christmas note will be made for it! You can see my Astilbe popping through too!

I love the flowers from my hostas.  Some of them are exceptional and the hummingbirds love them too!

The Coleus in these pots took their time to fill out but they are finally looking good!  I kept pinching them to help them spread.

 In this little triangular shaped garden area near the statue is my Pee Gee Hydrangea tree.  I only had 5 small blooms on it last year and I am delighted to see it full of blooms that should be flowering soon!  It has some yellowing leaves with brown edges which I blame on watering issues.

Taking a look at my Hosta hill my Japanese Variegated Sedge grass has filled out nicely.  I decided to split up some plants and spread them across the border a few years ago.  It did not like being split and took a long time to amount to anything.  One thing for sure is it likes to be kept wet!  Not a great plant if you tend to let things dry out and not water a lot.

I could see from my kitchen window these tall hosta flower stalks which I thought seemed to be framing my fairy Iris.

The Impatiens plants really have filled in nicely.  I chose these because I wanted something hot and colorful that really feels like summer!

I put Caladiums, Begonias and Euphorbia-Diamond Frost in these cement planters.  

 Standing behind the fountain area.

These obelisk type statues were found at a garden/decorating store and I managed to get them for 75% off a couple of years ago.  They look heavy but are a blended fiberglass, stone product that come pre-aged!  I got two of them and often debate with myself whether they belong where I have them or not.

Back up by the deck I put these adorable Toto Rudbeckia in.  They will only be about 12" tall. 

 Just above them is my hanging coco basket with some hot red supertunias.

I put a mix of plants in it.  I try to find things that butterflies and hummingbirds are drawn to!

In front of the garage are the large planters we painted this spring.  The Sweet Potato Vines are going crazy now and the Red Supertunias are filling in and around!

By the driveway I planted some Red Canna Lilies.  I still haven't seen a flower on them but I'm hoping for some soon!  These are taking too long and I'm not sure if I'll bother with them again!

Lucifer

I planted some Crocosmia-Lucifer near the lilies that I moved over to the driveway area.  They have such a great flower- so tropical looking!

 Turning towards my front yard on the island is my first Limelight Hydrangea that has just begun blooming!

There are some lime Spireas planted at the base on this side. I had to give them a good trim because they got really large!

 Sometimes a picture standing back is better than one up close!

 A new Cone Flower in a reddish pink...very fragrant from the "Big Sky" series.  I just planted them so next year and the one after I look forward to a larger clump of them!  My Shasta Daisies are hanging in there too- I see I should have deadheaded a few!

 Some new Bee Balm next to the Rudbeckia. 

These cone flowers were planted last year and they've doubled up in size already. The Delphiniums are going to bloom again!  YAY!

I've been adding more perennials this year.  It's always fun the next year to see how they come up and look more natural in the setting!

  I almost forgot about these "Sunday Gloves" Day Lilies....they have a lovely fragrance to them. I love their color and size...great plant!

 So that's a wrap of my midsummer highlights! 

Thanks for visiting!