- Strawflower Pomegranate
- Vintage White
- Apricot Mix
Don’t you just love before and afters?
Here is the garden view in June (above) and July (below).
The July cottage garden has a dahlia bloom or two just starting to pop up. It felt like the dahlias were REALLY LATE blooming in the summer garden this year.
I have a theory that it may have had something to do with the unprecedented 3-day heatwave we had at the end of June, followed by cooler than usual temps.
As much as I tried to protect the plants from the excessive heat, it was still quite a stress on them.
The first week of September is always so gorgeous. This picture was taken last year but I haven’t quite been able to capture the view in quite the same way I did here.
Seriously, how could you make this view any better? This is one of my best garden captures. It was the most amazing evening.
The Life of the Summer Greenhouse Garden
This greenhouse garden started off in June with Calla Lilies, Jupiter’s Beard, and newly planted petunias, marigolds, and geraniums, which were placed in the new planter my husband created. You can really see how this area started with a look at the May garden.
This summer cottage garden started out with some pinks but not much else. My goal is to add some late spring/ early summer plants to this space for more petal power next year.
A great way to add a pop of color to your garden is by growing annuals in a container or in the ground while the perennials are still in the process of blooming.
Can you believe how much the purple petunias grew in just a month?
You can see a glimpse of the fully bloomed phlox on the far left side of the picture. These are cut back at the end of July but will bloom one more time in late summer before retiring until next year.
The black-eyed Susans are starting to give us a little tease around mid-July.
What a difference a month makes! It’s hard to believe that those black-eyed Susans are new to this greenhouse garden and were transplanted here after the mother plant was divided this spring.
This greenhouse view from the other side shows off the spectacular daisies in the cottage garden. Aren’t daisies just the happiest flower in the garden?
Fun fact: I started with just one daisy plant in the garden 8 years ago, and have divided more and more plants every year.
As the daisies faded the dahlias took over this summer cottage garden space.
The Life of the Summer Hydrangea Garden
Do I have a great comparison for you! Look at how much the hydrangea blooms grew and how the colors deepened throughout the summer.
The purple phlox to the right in both pictures also added a special pop of color to this cozy “secret garden” space.
No summer cottage garden is complete without some spectacular hydrangeas. These beauties really overwhelmed me this year with their gorgeous jewel tones and complimented the phlox perfectly.
Have you ever dried your hydrangeas for the fall season? If you have thought about it but are not sure where to start, read my blog post on 3 easy ways to dry hydrangeas.
This Puget Sound Water View is the Best Seat in the Garden
Pull up a chair!
This is one of the best outdoor spaces in my summer cottage garden to take in the view and is the perfect distraction when you need one.
The Many Changes the Summer Birdhouse Garden Made
I’ve always struggled with this garden. I can never quite get a constant flow of flowers blooming from spring through fall.
This year I added foxglove, delphinium, coneflower, and Anna’s Promise roses for color.
These Anna’s Promise Hybrid Tea Roses are from Breck’s Bulbs. Aren’t they just gorgeous?
And of course, the black-eyed Susans have always had a spot here where they continue to thrive.
Thanks so much for coming along on my Pacific Northwest summer cottage garden tour. Isn’t it amazing to see all the changes from month to month?
What were some of your favorite flowers in the garden this summer? Leave a comment and let me know.
Until next time,
