Gardening in "JuneUary"

There is a rumor circulating in the Pacific Northwest that we have a new month to replace "June"... it's called "JuneUary".  We've had record rainfall (believe it or not) and our daily high temperatures have been daily lows... we've been averaging 10 degrees below our norm... we've been lucky to get out of the 50's each day.  Last Thursday we were colder than Iceland!

But I must say, although some of the garden is lagging, some seems to actually be ok with the cool and gray weather.  The lavender is looking pretty happy....

The foxglove definitely likes this weather...

One brave hydrangea blossom is ready on my "ever bearing" hydrangea not so aptly named Endless Summer.  i'd settle for endless spring right about now.

Even the lupines that thrive in a dry and sandy spot are actually happy.

Speaking of that spot were the lupines grow.... I have question for all you gardeners... have you ever seen a tree/bush like this?  With thorns...  It started out as an existing bush when we moved here.  And by bush I mean perhaps 2 feet tall or so.  Each year it grows like crazy and is now move of a tree since we keep removing lower branches.  It is deciduous and is just now fully "leafed out".  It is probably a minimum of 15 to 20 feet tall.  I've never seen one like it and I was wondering if anyone knows what it is.

This year, for the first time in 8 springs it had little white flowers...  they just feel on the ground.

An up close shot of the leaves...

And now back to our regularly scheduled program....

The fuchsias don't seem to mind the mild weather...

And the begonias too...

The ever thirsty hostas are soaking up every drop of rain they can store.

And the "farm" part of Red Gate Farm?  Well the cherry tree has cherries.... not ripe yet, of course.

The little peach trees are loaded, again.

So cute and fuzzy!

And a first..one of the grape plants has grapes!  Little bitty, teeny tiny grapes!

There are quite a few little clusters... I hope some make it.  Our grape plants haven't done so well... in fact one of them didn't make it and two of them still aren't growing well.  This little guy was moved to the south facing side of the chicken coop and I think the heat and dry soil under the eaves is just the answer!  Hopefully come late September/early October they'll be ready to eat!

And the veggie garden?  Well the radishes are ready and that's about it.... everything else is in hibernation mode.

And on a final note... Happy Flag Day... at least here in the US.  A couple of the small towns here in my county line their main streets with flags on days like today... There's just something about small towns... American style.

Looking forward to some sunshine tomorrow and then back to rain again for the weekend... sigh.  Could someone find us a new weather person?  One with a bit more sun on their mind....

linking up to

AND


at
deborah jean's Dandelion House