Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - June 2008

Many thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day again.

As I was walking around taking pictures yesterday, I was noticing how much work is to be done in my various beds. Not just in pulling weeds, but in moving plants around to areas which would better suit them and to fill in empty spots where plants didn't make it from years past. It was a bit overwhelming. But as it was pretty rainy yesterday, I didn't really have a chance to do much of anything.

But the big tragedy happened overnight. It was such a travesty, I actually cried for about 10 minutes this morning. Ok, maybe 15 minutes. Long enough that it woke up the sleeping baby and then she was crying too. The bloody deer had wrecked havoc on the vegetable garden. All of the sweet potato plants were eaten down, the rosemary plant was not eaten, but had been crushed, the lettuce was munched on, and the peas, my beautiful peas, which I was going to pick today had been chomped down and at first glance it looked like there were no peas left for us. Once the crying stopped, I was able to salvage some peas that they had missed.

So the majority of the day was spent in trying to make the area unwelcome to the deer. But today is Bloom day so enough of this grousing and onto some beauty.

Here are the Red Hot Pokers. Blooming very nice.

And here is some Blue Salvia (I think). It's been a few years since it's been planted.

Here is a close up of the yarrow.

Here is the clematis area, you can see two different types blooming. You can see lots of Lamb's Ear as well. It seems that once you have Lamb's Ear in one place, you have it everywhere. Which is where I have it.

This is the same bed and you can see the Cone Flower is just starting to bloom. I have some other Cone Flowers not yet blooming. I don't know why this one blooms earlier, I think they are all the same variety. And you can see more Lamb's Ear.
Here in the herb garden, guarded by the Gnomes, is the English Thyme and the Woolly Thyme.
This is a bed in the front. The Mock Orange is blooming very nice, as is a pink rose and some Shasta Daisies. Although the picture doesn't show them very well.

Over to the Shade Garden area, the Spiderwort and Lanium are making a showing. Around to the Annual Bed which is finally all planted. The boxes have pansies and bed has many various favorites My Husband and I can't resist each year at the nurseries. Of special note this year is a Eucalyptus plant.
And here is a view from the other side with the marigolds making their showing.
And the rambling red rose and honeysuckle are just a buzz with bees.
And finally, my most precious bloom - my Lillian.

Of final note about the deer. I hope to post a full report of my battle against them. But I did sprinkle all plants I thought might get munched with cayenne pepper. So they will get a mouthful if they try to defeat me tonight.