Hello GPODers!
Final time we noticed Lila Johnson’s backyard in Mill Creek, Washington (Zone 8b), it was coated in a recent coating of snow (Lila’s Beautiful Snow Scenes in Washington). Right this moment she is lastly again to share the riot of shade that has exploded this summer season. Should you’ve seen Lila’s backyard on the weblog earlier than (get a refresher with a few of her earlier submissions: Lila’s Colourful Containers, Lila’s Autumn Backyard, The Flowers of August, and lots of extra), that shade is plentiful yearly and in each season. Nonetheless, this submission may be essentially the most vibrant we’ve acquired from Lila up to now.
Hello Effective Gardening. We’ve had a dry, however UP and down temperature summer season this yr in Mill Creek, Washington.
Most sunny mornings I stroll round our yard with a espresso cup in hand and my iPhone/digicam in my pocket. I by no means know what treasure will seize my consideration. This morning I set my espresso cup within the grime to take a photograph of a hovering hummingbird . . . I missed!
That is the primary yr I added a couple of pink geraniums to our terrace pots and different sunny places within the backyard. I’m a pink lover, however subsequent yr I’m already planning a pink/pink combo for the backyard containers, which I hope might be appreciated by the tenth Annual Mill Creek Backyard Tour 2026 attendees. My husband, who’s my backyard upkeep man, has lastly agreed to be on the tour after our neighbor urged others wanted to see it. It’s not good, however it’s beloved and cared for by us. It brings us such pleasure.
Benefit from the images,Lila
The annual nonstop begonias and impatiens are nonetheless going sturdy in August.
Zoom out from these annuals and also you’ll see Lila’s various mixture of perennials behind. Variegated hostas and a few totally different forms of fuchsia improve the colour palette of this largely shade basis mattress.
Perennials planted two to 3 years in the past are lastly filling in and searching stunning. I’ve develop into an enormous fan of purple blazing star (Liatris spicata, Zones 3–8).
For pink plant lovers like Lila, Seaside Serenade® Fireplace Island hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘HORTFIRE’, Zones 4–9) is an excellent addition to the backyard. Fireplace Island is a compact selection, reaching about 3 toes tall and large, however the smaller dimension doesn’t compromise the variety of large, long-lasting blooms you’ll take pleasure in. The serrated bicolored blooms, that are largely pink at this level within the season, add much more to the panorama than your common mophead.
Lila’s patio and her many container plantings are like eruptions of shade all through her verdant panorama. Crimson was an excellent addition, and I’m positive the Mill Creek Backyard Tour will adore the mixtures you plant up subsequent yr, Lila—I hope you share your creations with the weblog then, too.
One other take a look at Lila’s blazing stars, which add a vibrant, vertical pop of shade in opposition to hydrangeas and lilies. The fluffy purple blooms of blazing star are fabulous, however I equally love the spiky foliage that gives a really distinctive texture.
Our July 2024 backyard was featured on the quilt of the June/Summer time 2025 Mill Creek Residing journal. It’s an area journal that’s mailed to all of the residents of our metropolis. I’m pondering we must always body it!
Thanks for one more spectacular submission out of your backyard, Lila, and congratulations on that beautiful journal cowl. Your summer season shade is a pleasure.
Let’s maintain the backyard shade coming! Whether or not you’re at the moment in peak bloom or essentially the most vibrant time in your beds are spring days which have come and handed, we’d like to see essentially the most colourful corners of your backyard on the weblog. Observe the instructions under to submit images through e-mail, or ship me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
We need to see YOUR backyard!
Have images to share? We’d like to see your backyard, a selected assortment of crops you’re keen on, or an exquisite backyard you had the prospect to go to!
To submit, ship 5–10 images to [email protected] together with some details about the crops within the footage and the place you took the images. We’d love to listen to the place you might be positioned, how lengthy you’ve been gardening, successes you might be happy with, failures you realized from, hopes for the longer term, favourite crops, or humorous tales out of your backyard.
Have a cell phone? Tag your images on Fb, Instagram, or Twitter with #FineGardening!
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