Ready for July....

I have to say, July is my favorite month.  Typically our weather is more "good" than "bad".  We have a holiday.  Berries are in season.  And most important, it's my birthday.... so I take an entire week off of work to celebrate!

July also brings out some of the best in the gardens.  My hydrangeas are looking spectacular this year.

My pink shrub rose, Bonica, is starting to flower.

Look at all of these buds!  It will be putting on a show until October... can't ask for more than that I suppose.

Another shrub rose, a white one, is also covered in buds... and a few blooms.

My herb garden isn't going to disappoint.  I grow Italian parsley, sage, oregano and lots and lots of dill for pickles and dilly beans.  I've never been successful at growing cilantro in my herb garden.  Neither seed or starts.... but this year it seems to be popping up all by itself in my vegetable garden.  After all my failed attempts, who would have thought it would go crazy on it's own!

And here is a "true" geranium... also known as cranesbill.  This one is named Roxanne.

I finally got my zinnia starts out under the magnolia.  I planted two varieties of white.  They're the "profusion" variety and are a little more low growing and bushy than the regular type of zinnia.  Soon they'll fill this whole bed in.

And with the upcoming holiday weekend... how about a little fun?  Perhaps a game of croquet on the lawn?  We'll try out the vintage set we picked up last winter for $10 at our local salvage store.

The lawn is looking pretty good this year with all of our wet, cool weather.....

And that new monster mower doesn't hurt either!

Hope you can get out and enjoy the holiday weekend... the start to a FANTASTIC month!
 

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