FIRST DAY OF SUMMER IN THE GARDEN (2016)

At this moment, as Spring turns to Summer, the peony is the queen of our garden. 

A former neighbor of ours in Maine used to say, you can never have too many peonies. We were often the lucky recipients of armfuls of his peonies.

Each year since we moved here we have put in at least  one or two new peonies, and this year I am able to cut enough to bring in for a vase yet leaving plenty for the garden.

After watching Spring come to life in Umbria, from tulips, lilacs , wisteria , poppies and peonies, it was good to find late lilacs here and these gorgeous peonies.

Year by year we have been adding and editing the garden that was here when we purchased the house.  I have always liked the punctuation of yellow flowers and silver green foliage provided by Yarrow 'Moonshine'.

A long view of the walled perennial border that has full sun with it's two ends in shade, giving opportunity for a wide variety of plants.

While we away in Italy we had a visitor to our garden. It first came to our attention when James spotted a good size hole fairly well hidden......hmmmm.

The next thing we noticed  were some rather bare spots along the back of the border. Realizing that the tall garden phlox and at the New England Asters had been chomped on, one suspect came to mind.....woodchuck.

James immediately put 'chicken wire' on the gate  and fencing at entrance to the garden blocking this critter from anymore feasting in this garden.

The boxwood add structure as well as some formality against the loose quality of many of the perennials. Quite romantic!

This Heuchera with it's green edged almost white foliage and it's pink whirl of rose pink flowers above is a real eye catcher in shade at the front of the border .

Always a favorite, the beautiful flowers of the  foxglove, and you are never quite certain where she may show up year to year.

Cool shade for a hot day like today. The heuchera in the dappled sun planted in front of  soon to flower
'Peach Blossom' Astilbe, so stunning and fragrant. The shady corner filled with ferns and hostas along with some beautiful moss.

Long morning shadows on this first day of summer.

Bringing some summertime inside.