Winding down

Vacation is coming to and end. Thanks to my bum knee, I didn't get much done in the gardens, but I had a nice, lazy week, so I won't complain too much.  I did get out to photo some of the latest garden happenings.

The most exciting thing is this pretty foxglove.

I actually picked it up from the grocery store before vacation. It's not as showy as the purple one I had last year. But I'm hoping this one will survive the winter. I'd love to have Foxgloves year after year.

The replacement Black-Eyed Susans are showing off.

I didn't think I'd get flowers the first year (the plant isn't very big), but I'm happy to be wrong.

The Blanket Flower has made itself right at home and is bushing out all over the place.

In fact, all my Rudibeckia (coneflowers) have done fabulous this year. I'm not sure if I'll be adding more plants next year, but if I do, you can bet there will be more coneflowers. They are such happy, consistent bloomers.

Speaking of consistent...

Tournament of Roses is putting on quite the show again.

Not to be outdone,

Chicago Peace isn't far behind.

In fact, all the roses are blooming again

 Blue Girl is much more demure than Chicago and Tournament - she only has a few blooms but they are so delicate.

The new kid on the block, Crimson Glory, seem to be small, but mighty.

Right now she's covered in buds too.

Even Navy Lady is getting in on the action.

 Last year, I'd thought I'd lost her. And this spring, it looked like she was just barely hanging in. But these last couple of weeks she's started looking more robust, with quite a few new branches. And now blooms!

Elsewhere, the garden continues to surprise. When I got the white delphinium, I figured it was done blooming for the year..

Apparently I was wrong. It won't be long now...

Same with the double blooming Campanula

I moved it from the tree garden in the spring. It didn't look like it was going do much of anything but then all of a sudden it go covered in buds. It's going to be truly spectacular when it blooms.

And remember those dollar store bulbs I got? All have done really well, but no flowers. That wasn't surprising with the irises, anemones and sparaxis... they are spring flowers...

but then look what's trying to bloom now. Such a sweet little Anemone.

And it seemed like I'd never see flowers on the dollar store Dahlias.... but...

 Boom! Such a statement. The pink one has still yet to bud, but this dark beauty has lots more blooms-to-be.

And one last surprise.... in the back corner by the big oriental lily...

A surprise sunflower! Two actually. I have no idea if these were from the seeds  I planted (I thought the squirrels got them all) or if the birds left me a present. Either way I'll take it. I do so love sunflowers!