Summer Review

Time got away from me this year. Summer heat drove me from my desk in the dormer visible behind the roses in the first photo, and I've failed to catch up until now. When I began this entry I was looking back at some plants that not only survived the heat of this summer, but even flourished under demanding conditions.

The roses bloomed later than usual thanks to an unusually cold, wet spring, but when they did, it was an explosion of cream and apricot along our back fences. 

As I write now, 'Ghislaine de Féligonde' on the right is beginning its second flush of bloom, 

while 'Lykkefund' on the left is displaying a myriad of little green rosehips already on their way towards their winter red.

Throughout spring and summer, their unblemished foliage hearkens back to a time before size, colour and constant bloom took precedence over health and fragrance.

The other group of plants that continues to amaze me with their beauty and resilience has been the hydrangeas. 

This year my tree hydrangea (H. aspera var. sargentiana) has continued to make its way upwards, 

and we now have a fine close-up view of its flowers awash with bees as we sit on our high front porch.

In the back garden, the purple foliage of Hydrangea serrata 'Kiyosumi' was a striking feature of the spring garden.

I think I like it better as a foliage plant than a flowering one. The leaves become more green as they mature, and although the summer blooms are attractive, they're not quite as special at a time when there's a lot of competition from other plants.

My smallest H. serrata is  'Amagi-amacha', which is tucked in between two larger shrubs, a Fothergilla and an Oakleaf Hydrangea. Neither give it much competition during its bloom period, which allows its delicate little leaves and white bracts on their short stalks to have pride of place.

Amacha translates as "sweet tea". Apparently the leaves make a concoction that tastes like that.

 

Presumably, H. serrata 'Yae-no-amacha' shares the same attribute, although it's a larger specimen with soft blue double flowers. As my plant is still young, I'm not sure how large it will grow or how generous its bloom will be. I'm wondering if I have it in too much shade and may move it when it's dormant to a sunnier but still sheltered place.

Finally, I have to include Hydrangea. serrata 'Beni'. I've mentioned it before, but this year I remembered to record its transition from a white flower to a red one over just one month. I've put the dates underneath the photos to show the progress of this miraculous transformation.

June 20

 

June 30

July 7

July 17