the modern house garden: June 2019

Like for many of us, my garden is an experimental lab. It’s a place to try new things. New species. New cultivars. Design ideas. It’s never a finished product. Some plants do better some years, others in other years. What I expect to be great doesn’t always happen. This year, with all the extra rainfall, I expected things to be great, but as with previous years some things were happy and others were not. Some areas still need work and are looking pretty rough, but it’s an enjoyable endeavor. My garden is also designed to have something blooming nearly year-round. This makes for a more satisfying garden for the gardener, but sometimes not as great for photographs, which capture one instant in time and would be more impressive if everything was in bloom at once.

In my entrance courtyard, I'm pretty happy with the 'Iceberg' roses. I had a lot of angst about which roses to plant here. I figured that 'Iceberg' is reliable here and with great productivity. I'm happily surprised that it is quite fragrant, with a wafting quality. I do wish that the blooms didn't quill in the heat though, and the lavender doesn't bloom when 'Iceberg' is at its peak, so that needs to be worked on. But I really like the white roses against the burgundy Cotinus coggygria and when the lavender blooms, the blue-purple against the burgundy.

In the side yard, reading Hoovb's blog convinced me to plant 'Bolero'. I'm mostly happy with this decision, although 'Bolero' really does need spraying for thrips in my yard to be really good.

The back yard was just lawn when we moved in. Here it was in 2012.

Here it is this year. There's still work to be done with some awkward plant placement. And I wish I had the funds to do different hardscape work. But otherwise, I'm pretty happy.

Front to back, Penstemon linaroides, Penstemon heterophyllus, Acantholimon halophylum (not in bloom), and Salvia daghestanica.

I bought this as Penstemon heterophyllus 'Margarita BOP' but it's not the same color. But I could be mistaken about the name.

This is Penstemon heterophyllus 'Margarita BOP'.

The irises were happy this year.

I've been enamored with 'Afternoon in Rio'.

'Breakers' has turned out to be a prolific bloomer.

Spuria iris 'Ila Crawford' has a secure place in my garden despite my dislike of yellow.

Iris 'Belize' didn't do as well as I expected.

Spuria iris 'Line Dancing' got its standards torn off twice by the wind.

Spuria Iris 'Megatrend' is a much paler blue than I was hoping for.

'Merry Amigo' has captured my heart.

'Speed Limit' has a nice white flare that catches my eye.

I grew 'Victoria Falls' as a teenager, and it is just as beautiful now.

'World Premiere' has a velvety lusciousness to the falls.

And the roses, of course.
The pot ghetto, with 'Radio Times', 'Dee-lish' and 'Sharifa Asma', with 'Winchester Cathedral' trying to be a climber.

'Radio Times' was strutting his stuff this year. And such fragrance!

'Dee-lish' found a place in my nose and heart.

Another 'Winchester Cathedral', this one got pruned fairly heavily this year.

I have 5 of 'Abraham Darby' so I must like him.

Even though he can be orange.

'Munstead Wood' has grown into a rather sprawling bush, but the flowers are lovely.

'Old Blush' went to town.

And so did 'Marie Pavie', whose wafting was incredible. I have 5 of these around my eating area.

'Evelyn' is happier now that she's getting more sun.

It's been a great year for 'Eden'. I've always been jealous of other people's photos and how she does for my mother.

'Boscobel' has done well this year, but staying quite small and compact.

'Fabulous!' is indeed fabulous.

'William Shakespeare 2000' has had more flowers this year than most years. So beautiful and so fragrant. I wonder why David Austin Roses discontinued it?