Six on Saturday: July 13

  This is the time of year when the gardens really hit their stride in terms of color.  It would be easy to do a “Sixty on Saturday” if one were to simply admire individual plants.  The planting and mulching are finally basically finished.  The weather has smoothed a bit.  There’s been adequate but no over-the-top rains recently, so dragging hoses has taken a minimum of time.  It’s the time of year that after a day of work, strolling the gardens with a glass of wine is a true pleasure, rather than a still to-do job list-making venture.  So, here’s my Six for the middle of July:

1. The Front Garden shown above is a riot of color, and all those annuals that began life in the basement are thrilled to be outdoors in Indiana in the summertime, rubbing elbows with the perennials that come in and out of bloom as the season progresses.  I always feel that the gardens are more calming once the perennial parade is over, and the annuals carry the show.  There’s not that “hurry out or you’ll miss it” feeling.  The annuals put on the same outstanding performance day after day after day!  And it’s an applause-winning experience each day.    2.  The Fairy Garden actually exists this year.  Last year, the houses never made it out of the basement!  I’m sure the fairies appreciate the extra effort.    3.  The Cutting Garden is on its way now, producing double white feverfew, gomphrena, tall blue ageratum, and lots of rudbeckia.  Soon there will be zinnias and sunflowers.  4.  Locating the Lavender Slope on the west side of the potager means that as I work, the prevalent breezes waft the scent past me all day!  Not planned, but a happy consequence!  5.  The potager’s exterior border is bursting with color.  It makes me smile every day as I walk toward the potager to begin a day of playing with plants.  I need more of those tall yellow lilies and the dill that self-seeded there is another happy accident.  6.  The potager itself is in the midst of the transition from spring crops to summer and even autumn crops.  The garlic has been dug, creating lots of new space for planting pumpkins, autumn squash, more beans, carrots, beets, leeks, rutabagas, and lots more.  I hate the confirmation that the seasons are passing, but I love the opportunity to plant more crops!  That’s my “Six” and if you are interested in seeing other gardeners’ choices, visit The Propagator, who is the creator of this meme.