Midsummer Garden

Early to mid-July is about peak time in my garden, though over the years I’ve tried my best to make it as attractive as possible all summer long and into the Fall.  The garden has been shaped much more by my preference for individual plants rather than overall design, however, and several plants are pretty dominant right now.  Several cases in point:  the huge hosta which was here before me, and really thrives in its shady location in the back (sorry, I don’t know the varietal; if anyone does, I’d appreciate it), the double meadowsweet (filipendula ulmaria flora plena) that I purchased bareroot from Perennial Pleasures Nursery up in Vermont only three years ago, and the red baneberry (actaea rubra)  in the side garden along Hamilton Hall.  The last plant has a nice fluffy white flower in the spring, which turns into these bright red (poisonous!) berries that last all summer long.

There are so many plants–probably far too many plants–in my garden that I’m particularly grateful at this time of year for those that just exist looking lovely without any need of tending.  In my opinion, the best low maintenance plant of all time is this shiny European ginger (Asarum europaeum) groundcover that thrives in the shade.

The last of the June roses; they’re definitely on a midsummer break now but come back with a vengeance in August (IF I take care of them properly):