It is a steamy 90+ degree F day in Clayton along the St. Lawrence River, but this morning the blooms were fresh in the Violet Fern garden on this Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day hosted by Carol of May Dreams Gardens the 15th of each month.
There are buzzing drifts of Bee Balms in the Riverfront and Nice Driveway beds.
Each morning I enjoy the low murmuring hum of bees among blooming Prairie Rose along side our back screened porch.
Along side the front porch, dripping honeysuckle hums with hummingbirds. Another favorite stop, the Trumpet Vine “Flamenco” in the Potager.
Sea Holly ‘Blue Glitter’ peeks out from beneath Black Lace (Riverfront).
The Woodland Edge is awash in pink with blooms of Flowering Raspberry, an unknown pink Veronica, pink yarrow, and Persicaria ‘Firetail.’
Firetail close up.
Red and pink plumes of Astilbe japonica ‘Montgomery’ and ? – I fear the plant tag is buried in my compost pile.
Pale purples of Tradescantia ‘Osprey.’
The Woodland Edge ends in a cloud of Tall Meadow Rue, Thalictrum pubescens.
Puffs of Snowball Hydrangea skirt a newer section of the garden, Hosta Row.
Shasta Daisies light up the Bird & Butterfly Garden.
All good stories have a happy ending and this visual story of what’s blooming does! My Common Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis, has blossoms for the first time!
The Violet Fern 
07/16/2013 at 7:08 am
The sea holly and Elderberry is a great combo. Happy GBBD.
07/18/2013 at 10:35 am
Thank you Lisa. I have been so busy “making” the garden that I haven’t had much time to really think about my plantings and combos. The next few years I will be reworking many of the plantings and adding some paths inside my deeper beds. I wish I could start now but it’s really hot here!
07/16/2013 at 9:19 pm
Isn’t it exciting when a new plant blooms for the first time! I’m hoping this weather will break soon and we’ll get back to some cooler, less humid conditions more conducive to serious work in the garden.
07/18/2013 at 10:32 am
Me too Jean! There’s so much I want to do but it is just too dang hot. I am so happy my button bush has blooms. I had to move it once but now I know it likes its new spot.
07/21/2013 at 7:45 pm
I am astonished at the numbers of bees in the garden this year….and I had my first monarch today….I love all your flowers but especially your Meadow Rue…what a display…we had a break from the heat today and it is supposed to cool off a bit by weeks end again…time to work in the garden again.
07/22/2013 at 11:39 am
It’s cooled off here too, and I’m back in my garden! I hope to see a Monarch! I love that Meadow Rue, too. It’s taller than me!
07/23/2013 at 8:53 am
hi kathy, your sunny, airy photos make me feel a bit warmer on a cold winter’s night. That sea holly is quite divine – I have decided to look for it here. As Lisa said, the dark colour foliage with that is a great combo.
07/23/2013 at 11:37 am
So great to hear from you Catmint! There are several varieties of Sea Holly and I think they all like hot sun and well drained soil – a good match for your garden, yes? It is certainly warm here now but we will be frosty soon enough! The seed heads of the Sea Holly make for nice dry floral arrangements, too, that you or I could enjoy indoors during the cold months.