Hot Summer Colors in the Garden

I tend to go for bright, bold colors in the garden, and the hot orange snapdragons and zinnias shown here are just two examples of what's blooming in the garden now that attests to my love for powerful, bright, clear colors. Part of this is simply a function of what will show up best in the larger spaces here in my garden at Seven Oaks. I love gazing at my garden from my office window, where I have a nearly unobstructed view from above of the beautiful flower gardens in front of the house. It's easier to see bright colors from a distance. My Bonica rose, for example, is a light pastel pink, and unless the entire bush is covered with flowers, it really fades into the background.

Not so the bright, clear sunny yellows of the daisies and black-eyed Susans blooming now. They pop into bright punctuation marks throughout the garden. Even the orange daylilies, the yellow Stella d'Oro daylilies, and the Asiatic lilies are all shades of bright clear orange or yellow.


Many garden design experts recommend planting cool shades in hot climates to tone things down, but I tend to like to turn the volume up to 11, to paraphrase the movie Spinal Tap. How can you tone down a  July day in full sun in Virginia? It's hot. No two ways about it.  Might as well admit it and enjoy it, right?

 

Actually, if you want to cool down...take a walk in the woods.  The woods are where we go to cool off, although the ever-present, always disgusting ticks keep my to the paths. Today I saw a flock of wild turkey hens and dozens and dozens of tiny chicks hopping away.  Toads darted from underneath a fallen log and a painted box turtle made his way slowly away from the compost pile, which I've tucked in among the trees. I suspect that both the box turtle and the toads found a hearty meal among the flies and insects buzzing near the compost pile!

 

 

 

Yes, these are my woods...lovely and cool on a hot day!

Before I close today's entry, one of Pierre's many fans wanted to know what was going on with the critters. Well, things have been very quiet with them both.  Oh sure, the usual mischief. Pierre disappeared yesterday when I thought he was on the porch and I found him jaunting about the woods; bad kitty took himself for a walk.  Just for his fan who wrote to me, I will close with pictures of his royal highness, prince of the household, Mr. Pierre himself.

Pierre, helping me at work.