One of My Favourite Months

July 2020

 

Where has July gone!? Here it is August already but I feel like it should still be June. 

The summer is whizzing by far too fast. My garden is looking wonderful and we have been getting an inordinate amount of rain this summer. Rather nice that Mother Nature is helping out with the constant watering needs of 7 flower beds, 14 deck pots of flowers, and 12 large pots outside the greenhouse filled with tomatoes,  zucchini, squash and pepper.  We also have 2 raised veg beds as well as the squashes, potatoes and swiss chard in the ground  so watering/ pulling weeds is a large part of the day.

So pleased to finally see my tiger lilies bloom. 

Pink frilly dianthus and daisies

I love the frilly dianthus that was one of the first perennials to show growth this spring. I bought it as an annual but decided to try planting it in a flower bed last fall.

 A lot of Maltese cross plants this year compared to last, and they look so wonderful when they bloom.  The hummers and butterflies love them.

My morden rose was slow to grow this year and the bus were slow to develop compared to other years but there were multiple buds on most branches so I pinched off the smaller ones, but the flowers are still smaller than my other rose bushes. Very pretty though! :)

John Davis rose

My poor John Davis rose had such a hard winter. It had to come back from the roots and in mid July it finally had some buds. 

(Now in late August it looks magnificent! As long as we get some frost first in Sept. to start the roses in the shutting down process for winter, they will hopefully fare better next spring.)

Cranesbill perennial geraniums

I had a lot of Cranesbill perennial Geraniums that had self seeded this year, but they are ealy bloomers so it was nice to get their pretty purple flowers.  After blooming I tried to keep on top of cutting them back to prevent reseeding.

Sweet Peas

My sweet peas were slow to grow but they finally set buds and this little Majestic Giant one was the first to bloom in late July.

Zinnia annuals grown from seed

Zinnias are so easy to grow from seeds. They are one that I start in the early spring indoors, then transfer to my greenhouse, along with Cosmos and Lavatara.

July is usually when my garden is the most beautiful. This year I would say it was about 2 weeks later but still well worth all the weeding, watering and trimming back that has to happen to keep a garden happy and in check. 

Julia Rose peony July 18/2020

Gladiola started from bulbs in April, blooming in July 

Garden Greenery May 20 - 25/ 2020

Slow growth due to the chilly nights but its coming along!

Pear trees blooming May 18

Parkland Plums blooming May 20/20

Crabapple blossoms blooming May 26/20

Stargazers Mother's day gift May  18/20

May 21/20

Saskatoons start blooming May 21 

Rock garden May 22/20

Spaghetti squash from seed May 22

My spaghetti squashes have outdone themselves for growth and flowers. 

Plants that were over wintered sunk into ground in Vegetable Garden:

1. Morden Belle rose bush- took a while to show any life but is slowly coming along.
2. Clematis Jackimanii Superba came up with time and was planted in the side of house bed in June to replace dead Ville de Lyon. Have not had any luck with Ville de Lyon living more than one or two years.
(Note to self: STOP buying them! )
3. Peony Alex Fleming (which I gave to my daughter Renae for her new flower beds.)
4. Lavender which started growing right away! It is called ...... Hidcote Blue
It is rated to -40F so this is the first time I have successfully overwintered a lavender here in east central AB! :)
5. Mojito mint which has been over wintered this way for the 3rd year. :)
6. Reed grass did not survive. 

May 25 I planted the 2 wooden tubs at the bottom of the deck stairs. (Photos to follow)

JD

John Davis Rose bush May 26/20 

Pond and Veg raised beds

Veg garden

Morning Glories grown from seeds 

May 29/2020
ROSES - Lots of winter kill this year, sadly...

Round bed- John Davis Rose.
Most of the stems are dead halfway up or completely. There are a few tiny shoots showing signs of life (late May) but the rodents obviously had a hayday all winter long feasting on the stems. :(
the bottom 12 inches or so of most of the stems has had the bark completely gnawed off! ~

Note to self: How do you prevent this from happenong again this coming winter? If I dont wrap it at all will it deter the mice for chewing on it or is that a certain death for the rose bush???
Can I spray dormant oil or Bobbex on it before mulching it in October???

Stackstone Bed
Morden Ruby- Lots of dead stems but one or two at the bottom (horizontal to the ground) are still viable and had the first leave bud.  It is growing well now ( June) after a very slow start.

Morden Centennial- Same story as the Ruby, slow to show signs of life ;(but is looking great by mid June.) This is one of my favourite rose bushes as it always blooms twice each summer, a beautiful medium pink colour with nice sized flowers.

The above 3 bushes are usually thriving by now and the last 2 years it as neck on neck between the Centennial and John Davis who would bloom first. (Three years ago it was Ruby. )

Never Alone Rose-  strangely enough it survived 2 years ago sunk into the ground in the veg garden with NO mulch and NO wrapping. Last summer I planted it in my Stackstone bed to replace my defunct Morden Blush.  (My blush lived about 12 years so i was very pleased with that but in the last 2 years Blush was barely growing and not many blooms on it.)

Karl Rosenfeld rose- Side of house bed. Karl was slow to grow last year and really never did thrive in that spot. This year it is definitely dead and I replaced in with  a small pink Theresa Bugnet rose bush from Home Depot. As soon as I planted her I started seeing growth. I did put a lot of blood and bone meal in the soil around it but did the same for all roses and only this one really took off.

Note to self: Water Theresa B frequently. This is a dry bed so not really the best for roses although my Hansa rose in that bed always thrives and is monstrous!  It must be about 16 or 18 years old now. It predated our move here in 2006, as quite big already then.

Bergenia still blooming  May 26/20

Double flowering plum 

Pasque Flowers still blooming 

Parkland Nurseries had some beautiful early blooming Russian Almond bushes O I bought 2, one for my daughter and one for myself. I love that it will bloom so early. I just hope that it will get enough sunlight at the west end of the round bed.

Russian Almond shrub Zone 3 

Tree Swallow 

Saskatoon Bush nearby is full of blossoms

So May has zipped by and it was a lovely month although cooler than many previous Mays. 

Crossing my fingers that June, July and Aug will go slower, (but not likley.) :)
Happy Gardening!

May 6 to May 16/2020 Loving the Growth

May 6
I decided to try using the fliers and newspapers again to keep down the chickweed in out vegetable garden. I spread them out in layers (with help from the wind!) and put planks and tomatoes cages on top, then I watered them with the hose to try to keep them in place.
Chris, diligent husband planted some seed tapes in the rated veg beds, carrots, lettuce and beets as well as some Swiss chard seeds.

I have a pot of Swiss chard seedlings in the greenhouse which I planted about 10 days ago called Bright Lights. They will get planted out into the veg garden after the May long weekend once the cold nights warm up. We are expecting frost for about 5 or 6 nights next week so we don't want to plant anything out too soon.

May 6 tulips at top of rock garden

May 7 to 9

I cleaned up the triangle bed (south side). There was a day lily with a lot of dead leaves on it from last year, as well as some splendins to trim, and some bearded iris leaves. No sign of peonies or Bleeding heart yet. This bed had snow on it up until 2 weeks ago.
I also trimmed the branches of my Miss Kim lilac in the centre of that bed. I know you're supposed to do that in mid summer once its done flowering because other wise you chip off the parts that will bloom. But it needed a good trim as it was growing wonky!

May 8 I dug out a huge amount of golden rod out of the side of the house bed. It was doing a massive take over! I planted one clump of Golden Rods in my small Spruce tree bed. I cleaned up the at bed too. Dug out a lot of grass on one side but the rain showers made me stop so it still has a bit of work left.

My Honey Berry shrubs both got leaves early and both my rhubarb plants are sprouting! :)
Unfortunately we realized we had planted our haskap berry bushes (Indigo Gem) too far apart to cross pollinate so will we even get any berries?

More photos

May 7 leaves are opening on the poplars and trembling aspens

y

Morden Ruby rose is showing signs of life May 14

Tulips May 12 Rock Garden 

Pond May 13

Tree swallows are back and courting 

May 14

Planted herbs in large pot in the greenhouse:

Rosemary

Cilantro

Oregano

Thyme

 To do - basil and parsley

Upper deck pots- Firebird dahlia with buds, 3 geraniums overwintered in the house

 Greenhouse interior

Spaghettie squashes, tomatoes, cosmos, lavatara 

Spaghettie squashes, Calla lily, Firebird dahlia #2

Cosmos and morning glories from seed, repotted the gazania bedding plants

Tomatoe plants started in doors from seed. morning glories are going crazy and 1 more spaghetti Squash

Potted strawberries, sweet peas and another calla lily

Tulips are doing fabulously!

July 13 rock garden- almost ready to open

Yellow Tulips  next to the houses popped out of the ground on April 20 and bloomed on May 9.

Orange tulips in rock garden had leaf sprouts on April 22 and bloomed on May 6.

Stackstone bed tulips are a later variety. They were the 3rd group to sprout and they bloomed on May 25.

The wild Crocuses were blooming at the top of picnic hill on April 28, quite a bit later than last year.

Pasque Flowers May 16

Tulips at side of house May 16

Red with yellow rock garden tulips 

Vegetable raised beds

Veg Raised Beds- May 16/ 2020
Peas, green beans, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, dill, spinach, carrots, beets, swiss chard and onions.