The grafted tree

 

A few years ago we experimented with grafting, partly as a botany lesson for the kids, but also desiring to preserve the old apple tree that Matt's grandparents planted behind the house that is slowly coming to the end of its life. We had success with eight of the ten that we attempted, but then lost all but one to deer over the winter. HOWEVER, the one survivor has continued to grow nicely, and this spring has its first blossoms! Still undecided if we're going to pull the blossoms to get one more season of good growth before putting energy into bearing fruit.

Wisteria

 Years ago (5? 6? more??) a friend working at a garden center gave us a wisteria at the end of the season. Apparently, wisteria is known for being rather agressive, so the recommendation is to actively deadhead to prevent seeds from spreading. 

Our wisteria, however, for years grew only leaves; I figured it was maybe just too cold of a climate for it to truly thrive here, and was content with that - it is filling up a dead corner of the shed very nicely.

But THIS spring, we've got buds! And they're starting to open! I'm both really excited for how pretty it's going to be and also a little apprehensive - will we be able to stay on top of it?? I hope so!

And, speaking of the shed, the peonies are blooming beautifully - one of my favorite times is when those big, exuberant, old-fashioned peonies sparkle against the old, faded shed.

Zinnias

 Rinnah and I carefully planted the whole end of the fenced in area with lettuce, beets, carrots and planted a row of zinnias as a divider between each one. Well, with the lack of rain (and lack of watering on our part), none of it came up except for the zinnias, and they are gorgeous! They definitely grew big enough to cover the weeds and empty dirt where the other things were supposed to be!

Gladiolus

 Matt diligently watered our gladiolus bulbs during the drought, and we've been rewarded over the last few weeks with a steady and copious stream of beautiful flowers.

Here Evania's showing off just a small sampling. We're bringing in this many almost every day!

Spring again?

 While the drought has not been AS severe here as it's been in the more western parts of the country, we have definitely felt its effects. Last week we finally got some real rain, and as a result, my bridal veil bush is blooming again, and I have daffodils coming up!

There should NOT be daffodils coming up in early September. Sorry.

It's spring!

 All over the yard things are popping up and greening up...won't be long!

Still growing, growing...

 Two months ago the sunflowers were twice as tall as the little girls; now they're twice as tall (or more) than Matt!

It's gorgeous, too...

So incredible to see all the different stages of growth all at once on that head!!! (I had to climb to the very top of our step ladder and hold the camera above my head to get this photo!)

And, just in case we didn't have enough potatoes, I cut up and planted two that were going bad from the store midway through the summer, and sure enough, we've got one more row of taters to dig in a few weeks. The wonders of a garden never cease to delight me!

Naked Ladies!

The "naked ladies" are starting to come up! Reliably some of the first foliage up in the spring, after dying down to nothing, August is when they pop up their heads to bloom!

Uncle!

We don't stand a chance against this monster of a pumpkin!!!

For that matter, neither do the tomatoes, the corn, or the rhubarb!

Cottonwood Garden

The garden by the cottonwood usually has it's peak when the white lilies and the globe thistles are blooming, so this year it was an enjoyable surprise to come out weeks after the lilies were done and find this:

The balloon flowers are finally established enough that they put on a decent show, the globe thistles are still blooming, and I've got two different kinds of garden phlox blooming in a medium pink and a bright fuschia that balance out the composition. Gardens are always full of surprises.

Mid-June flowers

These from Grandpa Walter Friedemann are bigger and more beautiful every year, I think!

Gorgeous Menards' marigolds. They sure looked scrawny when we put them in, but a few weeks does wonders!

I think I like the hosta better before it opens on this variety!

I'm partial to the plain old clover that grows in our yard.

The mock orange bush. Really hoping this one makes it through building the new garage!

A new addition to the perennial family last year - here in bud form...

...and here almost fully blooming.

Hosta bud

Beautiful even before it blooms...

June is the best

This is easily the best time of year in the garden. Everything is fully up and running, the weeds haven't had time to take over, and the weather is still usually pleasant enough to be out long hours of the day. And THIS is what I get to see when I'm out in the yard!

The runnel, Matt's office, and the peonies by the big rock

A better view of the peonies and the rock.

My grandpa's lupines with the giant alium heads in the background. We have aphid issues on the lupines this year.

My favorite peony in the whole yard - cream center with a pop of deep pink, surrounded by a ring of pale pink petals.

The above peony resides in the rain garden, which has been surprisingly effective since the week we put it in.

We've only ever had the deep indigo lupines, but this year there's a two-tone red and pink one!

This is my favorite iris - we moved it from the front hill into the back garden below the blueberry wall.

The wisteria keeps growing.

These are a delight every year.

That ugly shed is the perfect backdrop for the boisterous peonies, and Rinnah's garden on the far left.

The clematis is by far the best it's ever looked this year, too. For once, it didn't die down to the ground, but stayed where it had climbed last year, so was ready to go with the blooming!

This garden around the cottonwood has settled in so nicely - hardly needs any maintenance.

Star flowers that planted themselves by the slide.

 And that's it for the night. More photos, but I'm not going to take the time to comment on them tonight! Or maybe ever, knowing the way my time comes!