Our early summer has been taking forever to properly present itself, with far more cold, cloudy and rainy days than lovely sun filled ones! The flowers haven’t seem to mind quite so much as we have and the same can be said for the trees, shrubs & the WEEDS! Even though the flowers have been happily blooming away, I haven’t been as excited about photographing them (or anything else for that matter!) ~ it seems that sunshine or lack of it, really affects my creativity. During the other seasons it is expected that we will have more grey skies and wet weather than sunshine and we manage to fuel our creative bent regardless ~ but when it’s suppose to be flip flop time and we are still wearing socks ~ Ugghhh!

However, today is a new day and it is gorgeous out and the long range forecast is for nothing but warmth and sunshine ~ does this explain why I am posting today, after another short break from blogging!?

The peonies that were the star of our garden in June are almost finished for the season, taking with them the amazing scents that they have shared. This beautiful pink peony was so full of blooms this year, it really put on a show.

This particular plant did not do so well in the rain though ~ the stems were so full of blooms that the extra weight of the water quickly bent them to the ground ~ that and they may be lacking the proper nutrients that would strengthen their stems as well. I did manage to capture one outdoor shot before they headed downward….

The foxgloves that seed themselves with such abandon, if you allow them to, add such delicate and yet grand spires…

Pots of pansies are always a delight to me and one of the plants that I begin to miss as the warm weather takes over, as they really love and do well in the cooler temperatures. Having said that though, I do get over missing them really quickly!

A little sea thrift that has started to fill out this year really cheers up it’s spot in the garden, tucked in near a large Yatsubusa pine that we are slowly shaping to look like a bonsai. It’s salmon colour was what called out to me in the nursery ~ and that I love the soft, grassy looking & mounded tufts it creates.

 The peonies didn’t completely outshine everything else, this one lonely & lovely iris did not go unnoticed, especially in the soft early morning light ~ it’s beauty is now captured forever…

Working in the garden after dinner last night I realized that there was not very much blooming right now ~ except for all of the lavenders ~ dark purple ones, pale mauve ones and even a white one. Time to take the camera outside again…in my flip flops!