Southern Belle Hibiscus

The bunny is cement not the real kind!

Perennial Hibiscus is the star of my garden this week, just  starting to put on a  nice show ........... a little earlier than usual ;  in part from the hot weather.
This plant has been in the ground  for its  third season . It has reached it full potential in height about  4 feet tall and  3 feet wide.  Lots of flower buds.....



early morning just starting to open



It   is an   amazing  plant,   killed right back to the ground each winter   yet  comes back and makes a pretty shrub each summer.... disease and pest resistant.......

Fully open

Butterflies and bees love this plant as well as  hummingbirds , must be the bright scarlet  eye...
If I had more room I would add more  ..........

Joining  MsGreen Thumb Jean  again this week, do check out all the  wonderful gardens  she has linked !

Rubrum Lilies

 Lilies  are  the star of my garden this week.. and even tho it has been a hot and very dry summer the rubrum lilies are spectacular this summer...

 They are tall , a good  4 and 1/2 feet.

The   sweet fragrance  greets you when  walking  by to the patio... I positioned them by the arbour  and bench   so one can pause and   enjoy the scent..


 loads of buds



Hoping for rain this week,  so dry here.........

 Joining in  Bloomin Tuesday.....

Sprinkles!

Yes we had sprinkles on Sunday. In the morning and later in the day.



See the wet pavement. Enough to  half fill the birdbath......

See the black eyed Susan's starting to flower

So grateful for any rain  after the heat and dryness.....
Surprisingly the garden is holding up well partly because I did mulch this spring and partly because I am doing only necessary  watering when plants droop..

Oriental lilies are just starting to open....

Abraham Darby rose is re flowering.
Rose of Sharon is stating to bloom I have  white and pink blooms on one shrub.

Buddleia is in full blossom ,  so early .

Today a high of 35 C. with a threat of thunderstorms....... So hoping to see more rain..

Joining in at Jean's Bloomin Tuesday....... check her out  lots of great gardens.

LRW-Christmas in July

Little Red Wagon's challenge this week  got me planning my  Christmas card for this year....
I used Anna Griffin  designer paper, Stampin Up Natural White and Sahara Sand.

Pearl is white tho it doesn't show properly in photo

Punched out Christmas ornament to show thru to Sahara Sand paper. Added  3 small snow flakes with just one pearl  . I do think I will add  2 more pearls to give a finished look.
A bit of ribbon  and bow finish off a very simple and quick card. I borrowed this idea from  splitcoaststampers.web site.
Finished the interior with the left over  punched ornament and a simple Merry Christmas saying.. Overall quite pleased with the subtle  and elegant look ......

Now to get busy on a production line , wouldn't it be nice to get  all my cards made by the end of  July?

Hot and Dry!

Gardening in this area is certainly a challenge this summer. Hot and dry!  as is most of the country.
Watering doesn't really help . Keeps plants alive but not  thriving...
Sedums are starting to colour already.

cute ladybug hiding in the   florets

Hydrangea is also starting to bloom.

love the soft pink colour looks so fresh!

Find I am watering containers twice a day   otherwise they wilt with dryness.

terra cotta coloured coleus puts on a great  show  especially against the beige siding

The contrast of this yellow daylily against the   red leafed  japanese  maple is a look  I find  so attractive..

even the daylilies are suffering .

Rain keeps missing us. Thunderstorms are forecast for later today , certainly hope they come true, tho not as bad as the midwest....
Joining Bloomin Tuesday at Jean's! want to see how others are coping with this dryness and heat.

Happy Canada Day!