Mini Roses

The cream mini roses are about to pop. Another success story, I purchased three pots of mini roses at the grocery store, two summers ago. We divided them, and planted a border - the three pots yielded about 17 individual plants.

Successful flowers

These are two highly successful perennials. In the back; a stand of Polygonatum (Solomon's Seal). I started with two stalks, transplanted from my mother's garden. Three years later, I have this wonderful show, which hides the rainbarrels. And in front, a lovely clump of Dicentra Luxuriant (Bleeding Heart). This blooms all summer long, and has been more showy each year. This specimen is also 3 years old.

African Daisy

This is a fascinating flower; pristine white flowers, with a mauve tint to the underside of the petals, and a deep blue centre. I love them.

Poppies in the morning sun

Summer flowers

The summer flowers are starting. After bulbs, the sequence of perennials and flowering shrubs begins; this week the Summer Snowflake Viburnum, the Cranesbill, and a lovely clump of perennial phlox which were moved to the back are showing.

Miss Kim

Looking lovely against the old stone foundation of the house.

Sedum varieties

I have a problem area, the front edge of the lawn where it meets the city sidewalk. It bakes in the hot afternoon sun, and although it's decent soil, it gets very dried out. I have tried a few small groundcover shrub things, and this year, I am trying a mixed bed of sedum. Here's the first result; one week after planting, they seem to be settling in.

Vegetable gardening

After working out the logistics, I have planter boxes secured to my second floor fire escape landing. This is outside the kitchen door. I found PVC lattice, which is easily cut, and secured to the metal rails with cable ties. Then window boxes are the perfect size. The lattice prevents things falling to the cars parked below, and offers some filtered light and windbreak - it's very exposed on that tiny porch on the side of the building.

To me, summer smells like sun ripened tomatoes, warm from the garden. I have 4 varieties: Early Girl, Jet Star, Beefsteak, and yellow something.