Full-on Summer

Cafe au Lait dahlia.  

I thought I left California behind, but I seem to have brought the weather with me.  An Oregon June from my childhood was rainy on and off with temperatures in the 70's, and typically a week thrown in of beautiful spring weather.  4th of July parties were iffy for sunshine (often rain), but by the end of July it was getting dry and warm.  August was the most dependable month, with averages in the 80's, and a few "really hot" days into the 90's.  We usually had a beautiful late summer in September.  

But the last few years in Oregon have been exceptions--or the new norm!  2021 was our year of extremes.  We had an ice storm in February and an unprecedented heat dome (reaching 116 in Portland) in June--which led to one of the worst fire seasons in history.  2022 had five days over 100 degrees.  This year we had a few days reach into the 90's in May and only four days of rain in June.  We've basically had non-stop sunshine since June 20th.  August and September promise more.  

With only nine days of rain since the end of April, my flowering herbaceous perennial garden--my mixed bed--peaked in mid-June.  But at the end of July, some reliable and late bloomers are still on display.  This Russian Sage is almost as tall as I am, after a weak showing last year.  When you walk by, the humming of the bees is delightful.

I was fortunate that my soil in California was alkaline and blue hydrangeas were the result.  Here we were diligent about adding aluminum sulfate (acid) to the soil for months to encourage blue blooms.  These hydrangeas are even called 'Nikko Blue.'  This is exactly what I wanted--to coordinate with the shutters.

This is what I got--disappointing!

Gooseneck Loosestrife is a mouthful--and my new favorite plant.  Last year it was just a few green shoots.  This is the end of this year's blooms, but you can see how it got its name.  The little 'goosenecks' dance at the top of all the stems and all face the same direction.  Very cute.

This Meadow Rue is almost 'as high as an elephant's eye' and a delicate ephemeral to look out at from the living room.

The Alliums are the first bloomers in my mixed bed.  This year I left the sturdy stems of 'Globemaster' as interesting sculptural contrasts.  

Note to self:  plant more Cosmos next year.  They are typically annuals, but reseed well and have been the most consistent and dramatic pinks in the garden.

To extend the season of flowers, I've planted a few Dahlias against the wall.  Last year I planted huge varieties (they aren't called 'dinner plate' for nothing) and they were overwhelming.  My gardener inherited those.  This year I downsized, and they're a welcome burst of color while everything else is fading.  The blooms of some should last into September.

To be continued...