Summer Spectacle

Our gardens are at their best now, as is always the case in July, a 'grande spectacle', which is French for a really big show, and then along comes August with the leftovers. Probably a good thing though as it's usually too hot to do much gardening then. so here's a sampling of what's happening here at Pleasant Corners.
The lilies are just starting to bloom despite attacks by a certain bright red insect that chomps their leaves off. A gardener friend told me you have to squash them, spraying doesn't help.

These roses attract some nasty looking bugs as well as honeybees. When the bees are away at their hives I shoot the roses with soapy water. It seems to work fairly well.

I love weeding by this beautifully scented lavender bush.

This aubergine coloured clematis climbs over the arbour that George built nine years ago. I call it Clem I.
Clem II
These succulents like the heat from the rocks. The pink flowers, called pinks in non-latin, just show up here and there, carried by the wind. They're almost at the end of their two weeks of glory.
With all the rain we've had recently I believe this is a good time to have planted a vegetable garden. The last one I planted, eight years ago, was a disaster due to drought. Not a problem this year so far. It's a jungle in there.

we're starting to get wild raspberries, not enough for a pie but a zingy touch in a salad made from our fresh young lettuce mixture.

I showed these waterlilies to my friend. She asked me if they were plastic! I know you can buy plastic ones at garden centers and they are hard to tell from the real thing but these are for real for sure. I'm just not a plastic person.

Are you my prince? Shall I give you a kiss?

Here's lookin' at you, kid.