THANK GOODNESS FOR EARLY SUMMER COLOR!

I'm always a little sad as the late spring blooms finally come to a close.  I wish the lupine, iris, poppies and peonies would bloom just a little longer!  Cleaning up the beds seems to be a monumental job--with all the rain we had, the beds were (and some still are), a  jungle!   This year I did something a little different; because of the torrential hail storm we had earlier in the season, there was much damage to the leaves of the iris.  I cut them into their fans early this year.  I just couldn't bear to see them looking so damaged.  I'm anxious to see if that affects their blooms next year.  I'll be sure to let you know.  I'll be cutting back the poppies and the lupine in the next day or two, then the yard will seem more manageable and 'tame."   I've planted some petunias-- Thank goodness for the colorful roses, clematis, salvia, coral bells, Jupiter's Beard,  and a few petunias!  The zinnias, some hosta, begonias and  flax are also adding some much-needed color, since I have mainly perennials and their blooms have a little "dead" period this time of year.  Just around the corner, however, there are lots of Asiatic lilies starting to bloom, the daylilies are close, and the orientals will be right behind them.  I also see a few buds on a few of my all-time favorites--the dahlias, as well as the monarda and obedient plant.  The baby's breath is close, too.  I still have some plants that need a home--a daylily, a chocolate bush (beautiful!), lady's mantle, poppy, iris, and a few others.  If you're interested let me know.  (Although it's really not the time for transplanting, I'm afraid they might not be as healthy  later on because they're going to be fully covered up by the bed of ever-growing big hostas they're planted with.  With hotter days ahead, make sure to water deeply to stimulate those plant roots to grow deeper.  I find it harder to garden this time of year--I'm out at either 6:00 am or 8:00 pm, when it's not so hot!  Have a great gardening day!   ****P.S.  I saw the first little grasshoppers yesterday in the garden--I don't like grasshoppers at all!  I hope there won't be a million!****