Summer Garden

 I am just loving (most of) my garden this year! 

After a long cool spring, the summer has been pretty mild so far.  I've actually spent a lot of it inside, painting and reorganizing my house, but I've loved seeing everything flower in my neglected gardens!

This hydrangea by my front door really is coming into it's own, the third year after I planted it.  It has blue, purple and pink flowers, sometimes all on the same cluster!

 This little garden is in it's first year.  The Queen Mum took my garden shopping for my birthday and this is what we found.  There are glads and lilies coming up in the background.

That particular garden is nestled in front of my ever growing shrubbery.  As a neglectful gardener, I've found densely planted shrubs (with perennials tucked around the edges) a very satisfying strategy!

You'll notice I have daisies everywhere.  This is partly because they are fast growing and I keep replanting divisions, but it's mostly because, after our wedding, on the way to our honeymoon, the Emperor stopped in a meadow and picked me some of the wild daisies growing there.

The wild daisies bloom in May, and my "tame" ones bloom in June, but they always remind me of that romantic gesture.