Mid July and still growing

We've still seen almost no rain, and today we had temperatures in the 90's! That's really hot when you're this close to the sun! I think we are likely breaking some records for high temperatures. Even the wildlife is seeking refuge from the sun and heat under our porch.

Following are some pictures of my flower garden on July 17th, just a little over a month from the June posting. The garden color was predominately purple and now some white and yellow flowering plants are adding a much needed contrast. This is about the time that the blooming will really begin.
The Lovage is over 6 feet tall, and the Sibirian Catmint is well over waist high and is so big around I had to cut it back today to keep it from suffocating neighboring plants! Who would have thought I would ever have to worry about plants getting too big and full!? The Maximillian Sunflowers at the back of the upper garden are waist high and you can't even see the Iris anymore, which turns out to be alright since the Iris have finished blooming.
I'm noticing I need to reposition some plants next spring...the large Delphinium is blocking the Virginia Creeper and Silver Lace Vine from getting adequate sun to really take off. They are completely hidden behind the Delphinium (hence the ladder for them to grow up). There are many others that need some shifting around...yeah!

Delphinium...can't even see the Virginia Creeper or Silver Lace Vine growing directly behind

Finally, more than purple blooms!

I also have weeds or maybe not? I put down so many seeds in May and June, seeds and plants new to me, that I'm not sure what is what out there. So, I'm pulling what I'm certain are weeds and then watching and waiting. This wasn't a good year for seeds...so hot and dry.

Baby's Breath grown from seed

I wasn't sure whether the soaker hoses would do an adequate job of watering but they are keeping the ground underneath the mulch wet and nothing has dried out completely. On really hot days like today I find the Lovage, Siberian Cat Mint and Cone flowers limp with leaves hanging on the ground, so I water them with the hose and they bounce back. I am definitely buying more soaker hoses next year so that every area has one. Makes watering so much easier.

The sunflowers have really made a growth spurt! I have strawberries bearing fruit and the rhubarb looks like it could be pulled next year. I thought my potato plants didn't make it, but I see I have 4 healthy plants.

The sunflowers were sown from seed a month ago and are now waist high. Will it stay warm enough for them to reach maturity?

As we near the end of July I have to remind myself that summer and the growing season isn't over.  I head back to work full time in a week. I only have the remainder of this week to play and enjoy my gardens and then I am only a gardener on weekends.

Hoping August will bring us some rain!

Wildflower Festival in Crested Butte, Colorado

One of my favorite summer events is the Wildflower Festival in Crested Butte. I just returned from a whirlwind trip and want to share a few photos of the walking garden tour.
Crested Butte sits at 9,000 feet and the flowers I saw in gardens were all the same flowers I have growing in my garden, with one exception. The Lupine in Crested Butte will take your breathe away. They are tall, brilliant colored and majestic. I have yet to get Lupine to take hold and bloom for me. I am 'undaunted' though and will continue to try.
After the garden tour I am headed to a local nursery to buy some Poppy plants! They were in full bloom and just gorgeous.
I am waiting to see if my Peony will bloom this year and was so impressed with the Peony I saw in Crested Butte.
The following photos are from the walking garden tour. I have just two photos of the scenery around Crested Butte...the hillsides are full of wildflowers! I was able to take some hikes and walk the trails to celebrate the beauty. Nature is so healing and so surprising in its gifts.

Lovage

Lovage is a wonderful, very old herb with properties perfect for today's healthy lifestyles. Its unique flavor, which is a combination of strong celery flavour with a hint of anise, lends a wonderful flavor to soups, stews, stocks, salads, meat, potato and tomato dishes. You can use it much like you would celery or parsley, but with a lighter hand since it does have a stronger flavor. It is also used as a natural salt substitute, and is said to be an aphrodisiac - hence the name. And every part of the plant - leaves, stems, roots and seed - is edible!
Fortunately for me, Lovage is not a small, delicate plant. It will grow to about 6' - 0 feet tall in 5 years, so you want to have a nice roomy corner of the garden set aside for it. Due to its statuesque size and solid green leaves, it looks great as a backdrop in the perennial flower garden, and is indeed often used for that purpose. It can also be grown in a large pot, or tub on the balcony. And in a couple of years, you never need to buy celery or parsley again - other than for celery sticks with Chez Whiz.

Lucky me, even in this severe drought, my Lovage has now reached 6 feet! It is as tall as me! Some days I arrive home and find it drooping, but with a bit of water, it perks right back up!

All over Colorado they have record breaking moisture. It misses us everytime. We are ready to gather together to do a rain dance...please contact me if you have suggestions.