When I was a boy, I thought scent was contained in dewdrops on flowers and if I got up very early in the morning, I could collect it and make perfume.
Oscar De La Renta
The garden has jumped into hyper-drive with the hot summer air and frequent rain storms that are nourishing the soil and plants. And if I were to try and showcase all that is blooming these days, we might just overdose on flowers….although I am not sure that could actually ever happen for a gardener.
I decided instead to highlight my favorite blooms right now…many are scented and still going strong or just coming on in July which is late for many of these blooms this year. I am linking in with a few memes in this post. First I will be joining Carol@May Dreams Gardens for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.
Roses were quite late this year in blooming. Many are just now blooming and some are still trying to grow back from such a cold winter.
I have a variety of roses from a red Knockout top left to a climber that has bloomed for over a month, ‘William Baffin’ second left. The pale pink top right is an climber whose name I lost. Bottom row consists of a Fairy rose, a pink Knockout, a native swamp rose and a miniature pink rose. The swamp rose has the most incredible scent and is an easy grower. The deer seem to love it and many of my roses for a snack.
Next are the first lilies blooming. I have a variety of lilies of various colors but mostly pink as you can see here and in the picture at the top of the post. I have many more lilies with buds fattening up as we await their perfumed flowers. The deer also love all my lilies and I have to keep spraying them to keep the buggers away.
Lastly are the lavenders that survived the voles and the frigid winter. Many of my lavender died or were chewed to shreds. The hearty souls shown here are coming on strong and producing intoxicating scents for both me and the pollinators.
I thought for this GBBD, I would also show off a few blooms that were casualties of the voles and a recent super storm that ripped through the garden. The lily at the top of the post was found bent over and seemed to need a bit of propping until I found it chewed off at the base. I knew immediately that the voles were laying waste to these perceived monstrosities as they were in the way of one of their favorite paths.
So what better way to show off blooms that are cut for you than to put them in a vase. But I didn’t want to just plop them in a vase and be done with it. I thought instead,’ this would be a perfect time to join in a new meme’. Cathy@Rambling in the Garden has a fun way to showcase your cut flowers called, In a Vase on Monday.
After the voles chewed down a few more lilies, I went about the garden to chose some companions for the vase.
As you can see I chose some of the Shasta daisies blooming, knautias and the wonderful top to a weed called ‘curly dock’. The foliage is from one of my huge baptisias. For my first vase I thought it looked rather lovely.
Here’s a closeup of the flowers.
I wanted to place it in a few spots and liked it in front of our antique china cabinet. You can see the lilies that were not open, did open the next day. The flowers seemed to last a long time which is great to know…I plan to cut more flowers in the future for another vase.
The lily, echinacea and Filipendula rubra ‘Queen of the Prairie’ blew down in the bad storm we had. I added some of the monarda growing wild and used the Filipendula leaves to fill out the vase. Again I really liked this arrangement and found it quite easy to put together. I must confess I have learned a lot by reading the posts on Cathy’s meme.
To end the post I thought I would highlight the wonderful foliage around the garden growing now, and link in with Pam@Digging for her Foliage Follow Up on the 16th, and Christina@Creating my own garden of the Hesperides for her Garden Bloggers Foliage Day on the 22nd.
First are the wonderful beet greens before the deer got to them. I love the look and taste of beet greens. What a perfect veggie beets…you can eat the entire plant from leaf to root. The stems are a particular favorite as they have a mild beet taste.
The early morning light was hitting the summersweet shrub growing next to the house. It is just about to bloom, but I really loved the leaves turning Chartreuse in the dawn light.
This fabulous grass borders one end of my pond near the hidden filter. It is Arundo donax ‘Variegata’ and reminds me of corn growing. It is not as tall this year as it usually gets 7-8 feet tall. But I love how it looks in the early morning light.
This is native Northern Sea Oats that I have growing all about the garden. It is just producing its ‘oats’, and isn’t it stunning lighting up in the waning sunlight.
What would a foliage highlight be without showing off hosta. I love how they look after they have been washed by the rain.
I hope you will visit these wonderful memes to see what other blooms and greens are growing around the world.
It is a golden maxim to cultivate the garden for the nose, and the eyes will take care of themselves.
– Robert Louis Stevenson
And now for something completely different:
As many of you know, I have been blogging once a month at Vision and Verb. The blog will be closing at the end of the month, and while I am sad, I am grateful for the opportunity to have found my voice again. I have been contemplating 
starting a second blog, and now that I have the time, I have gone ahead and done it (with the help of my friend Steven).
I will begin posting next week on Thursdays. While there is not much there yet, you can sign up for a subscription by WordPress, email, Bloglovin or Feedly. I do hope you will join me there too. I do understand that this type of personal blog about life may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are so inclined I would be happy to see you there.
The name of the blog is Living From Happiness. I also hope to have a Facebook page to go along with the blog soon. So much to do, but I am so excited to continue writing working toward my end goal of writing books.
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Next up on the blog: Thursday, July 17th, I will have a fun food post. And Monday brings another Native Plant profile with Simply The Best Natives.
I am linking in with Michelle@Rambling Woods for her Nature Notes meme. It is a great way to see what is happening in nature around the world every Tuesday.
I hope you will join me for my posts once a month at Beautiful Wildlife Garden.
I can also be found blogging once a month at Vision and Verb. You can find my most recent post today. It will be my last post as the website is closing down at the end of July.
As always, I’ll be joining Tootsie Time’s Fertilizer Friday.
I am also joining in I Heart Macro with Laura@Shine The Divine that happens every Saturday.
All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View, 2010-2014. Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.
Donna your garden seems to be going from strength to strength despite the deer and voles, the mixture of perfumes from such beautiful flowers sounds heavenly and the sunlight on your foliage is stunning, Frances
Thanks Frances…the regular rain mixed with heat does help…I do have to get out there and finally get the weeding done…so many tall weeds hiding even the hosta and other smaller plants. But this will all get done in time.
How dreadful to have to contend with deer; they seem so tranquil and gentle but I know that for a gardener they are a true pest. I’m so pleased you joined Cathy’s In a vase on Monday, beginning with flowers that have been beaten by the weather is a great way to begin, soon you’ll be hooked and cutting away at all your blooms.
I have been saying I wanted to join in and it seemed a perfect place to start with blooms already cut for me. I am not sure I will make it every week but at least monthly. I have no doubt I will be hooked….
Donna, I loved your vase arrangements. How beautiful! Yes, we have to contend with the deer, too. And spray (alot). I think I lost some lilies over the winter to voles or moles. I didn’t have a lot planted to begin with, and I just hope I don’t lose anymore. I don’t know if I want to keep planting them if the moles are going to eat them.
Thanks Sue…I really had fun putting the vases together…it may become my latest obsession. I understand about planting things the voles and other critters just destroy. Perhaps there is one spot you can keep protected. I know there are baskets you can plant bulbs in or use chicken grit as a bottom layer to keep the voles from bulbs.
I may just try the grit this fall.
Donna, glad you joined in with a Monday vase. Your arrangement is beautiful. Other aspects of your garden are admirable as well. I enjoy reading about your various gardening interest. susie
Thanks Susie…I had lots of fun and you can be sure I will be creating many more vases…it is addictive and fun!!
Beautiful flower arrangements! How perfect they would be for a wedding table arrangement…..and soooo much cheaper!
Although my shasta daisies have taken over my garden!!
Laura how lovely of you to say so. With the cost of wedding flowers it would be nice to pick and arrange your own.
I say if a flower is taking over it is time for it to end up in a vase. I have lots of flowers volunteering and spreading out so I plan to pull some up and put the blooms in a vase.
Donna, your bouquets look so fresh and beautiful! As do all your many lovely flowers in your gardens — what a lovely time we are in, when we are spoiled for choice of blooms. I’m sorry to hear about your deer problem — we have a small outdoor dog, a Jack Russell/rat terrier mix, who has a heated doghouse on our front porch in winter, and runs free on our property. She allows me to garden nearly deer-free (except on the periphery of our property) and doesn’t eat too much or dig in our beds much either. Just a thought. Thanks for the beautiful flower post! -Beth
Beth, I am sure we would have less deer in the yard if we had a dog. But for now we will have to make due….they sneak in at night mostly although one brazen doe does come by during the day and she really is the main culprit. I am so glad you enjoyed the July blooms which are so numerous now…a bounty that makes our brutal winter almost worthwhile.
I share the deer’s love of your wild rose Donna, a real beauty, but such a shame it attracts the four footed vandals. I’ve given up on lilies, I hate the damage the lily beetles do, so it is good to admire your collection! Lovely vases, very pretty and summery.
I can understand having to give up on something Janet. The native rose seems to send up new volunteers so I think I will be moving it around the garden to cherish and perhaps the meadow where the deer can have at it eventually. Glad you enjoyed my vases and lilies. I’ll have more lilies to highlight in the End of the Month review.
Oh you have indeed ‘killed many birds with one stone’ (what an awful phrase that is!!), Donna, and as Christina says it is good to be able to use weather beaten blooms and still gain pleasure from adversity. I am mightily relieved we don’t have a problem with deer in our garden!! It’s lovely to see all your roses as ours were very early in the UK although some are now beginning a second flush – and I particularly enjoyed the pale pink lilies in your first vase. The scale of that vase then took me by surprise when I saw the second picture of it, as it was smaller than I thought! Thanks for joining in with Monday’s vase meme and look forward to seeing you again 🙂
Cathy, I agree that is an awful phrase but we all use it don’t we…I am so glad you enjoyed the views of the vases. I wanted to give them some perspective as they were not big at all. I am looking forward to using some of my very large vases that have been gathering dust in upcoming arrangements.
I am sure you will see me sharing more vases on this blog or even my new blog from time to time which begins soon. It is not a garden blog but a blog about life, lessons and inspiration….I have the first welcome post up already…
https://livingfromhappiness.com/
So glad I finally joined in your wonderful meme!! 🙂
Beautiful blooms from your beautiful garden. I can tell you’ve put in a lot of hard work. But it’s definitely paying off. 🙂
It seems to be paying off Gail…so glad you enjoyed all the blooms.
LOVE your beautiful arrangement!! So cheerful and such lovely colors! I can’t wait to read more of your blog!
Kristin welcome and thank you! I am so pleased you enjoyed the arrangements, the blog and you are welcome back anytime! I will run over and check out your blog too!!
I love the sweet, happy colors of your lily and daisy bouquet. My own pale pink lilies are already long gone but such is the difference in our climates.
I am happy I could bring you some more pale pink lilies Kris!!
Hi Donna, I, too love your bouquets. I really liked the Batistia idea. Never thought to use that as a filler. For the lady with the Shasta daisy take over, I would suggest Shasta Daisy ‘Becky’. Very sturdy, long bloomers. The clumps get bigger, but they do not spread around.
A perfect Shasta choice Barb…So happy you enjoyed the bouquets. I really did enjoy being creative with the fillers. There are so many choices!
Love that first vase especially Donna! Nice you are joining in too – I’m enjoying it so much!
Thanks so much Cathy…so glad it pleased you. I really am enjoying putting the vases together too!!
Very nice use of the downed flowers. I did exactly the same thing having suffered from the high winds too. More memes? My gosh they multiply. I never have time to visit or join them and admire those that visit so many blogs. Good luck on your new blog. It is even more work running two, especially as a writer, you will post lengthy stories I am guessing. Off to see what is in store.
It was fun using the flowers and foliage that was downed. The memes do indeed multiply Donna. I like to participate from time to time to get some inspiration.
For the new blog I hope to post some longer stories, and some shorter inspirational pictures, quotes and creative endeavors…not necessarily garden related but you know a lot of it will be as the garden and wildlife inspire me daily!
Those are some beautiful bouquets. They are so surreal and the lighting is perfect for a dreamy vacation among flowers.
Thanks Tina..I loved using the natural lighting as a backdrop.
What beautiful arrangements, Donna! And that first vase is gorgeous! Sometimes the vase adds just that little extra touch of grace that makes it extra special. Love the pic of the Sea Oats, too! I just planted some for the first time this year–thanks to recommendations from you and several other bloggers. I found the perfect spot for them and they are doing so well–at about the same stage as yours. 🙂
Thanks Beth and that means a lot coming from you as I have admired your arrangements and been inspired by them. How wonderful you have Sea Oats. It will volunteer it self. I let clumps grow and then dig them up and plant them in different spots in fall…I might just use some for another vase too…love the foliage and oats.
It’s wonderful that you have so many fragrant plants. Is that native rose R. palustris? I have R. setigera, which is supposed to be fragrant but I haven’t noticed as yet. I am anxiously waiting for my oriental and orienpet lilies to bloom.
Thanks….Yes Jason it is Rosa palustris, ‘Swamp Rose’ which loves my wet garden. Sorry I didn’t label it. I am also waiting for my oriental lilies to come into bloom before the deer get them.
What a lovely collection of your favourite blooms! I must admit the lilies are on top of the list for me right now, all scented lilies, whatever the colour, shape or pattern, as long as they smell nice! And so yes, your vase is absolutely lovely and exactly what I would have chosen too 🙂
Thanks Helene…I can’t get over the size of your lilies and how many blooms you have on one plant….they make me swoon in summer with their fragrance.
Loved your vase, Donna, and particularly the filipendula – what a luscious flower! I’ve really enjoyed lurking around and watching everybody’s Monday exploits – but I hope I don’t get the deer damage you’ve had in my garden to encourage me to join in. Voles! I don’t think I could get a lily to flower here … a friend calls them ‘God’s joke on the gardener’. Enjoy your blooms.
I agree Cathy. I had one filipendula near the house but it became unruly so I moved it. It volunteered itself before I moved it and now it is growing against the pergola and through the late to grow climbing rose. I can’t get enough of the blooms as they open. Nice to hear you have obedient deer. Voles. They are some joke aren’t they. Looking forward to seeing your garden blooms.
Hello Donna, your roses and lilies are just gorgeous. Sorry about the damage from the deer and voles.. Your vase and bouquet are lovely.. I just love the shasta daisy.. Enjoy your week!
Isn’t Shasta daisy such a cheerful plant and the pollinators can’t get enough of them. They seem to swarm the flowers…daisies were one of my first flower loves. Wishing you a wonderful week Eileen!
A fabulous collection of blooms from your garden. My Lilies aren’t performing as well as in previous years … may be related to our extremely wet winter.
Thank you Frank! I am sorry to hear about your lilies. I have to be careful to put mine in areas so when the snow melts they won’t get too wet. I do hope yours come back even better next year.
I love seeing your lilies. The deer ate most of the lilies out in the Lawn Beds, but didn’t come near the lilies in the Herb Bed right next to the house. However, it will be a while longer before they come into bloom. I love your Vase on Monday, too. What a good idea to use the blooms of damaged plants for a little arrangement – instead of tossing them into the compost pile.
I battle the deer for the lilies too…glad a few of yours remain Pat. I am also going to use in vases volunteer monarda, heliopsis and a few other flowers that I have to thin…should be fun!
Lovely post Donna, beautiful photographs and I love your vases, especially the first one – the white of the daisies is perfect with the pink of the lilies. So nice of the wildlife and the weather to conspire together to cut them for you. Look forward to seeing you over at Cathy’s again in the future.
Thank you so much Elizabeth…it was wonderful that the flowers were just laying there for me 🙂 I look forward to participating with Cathy’s meme more.
Just beautiful Donna.. You certainly earned some beauty for your house this year.. Yes it has been rainy here too.. Stay safe..this weather has been extreme….Michelle
Thanks Michelle. Very bad here from time to time but we are getting more of the fringe of the storms thankfully. You stay safe yourself…
What a wonderful variety of colors! I bet they smell heavenly.
They do Bettyl…glad you enjoyed the blooms and vases.
Donna, beautiful and refreshingly cool are your photos. Lovely to sit here and gaze upon such beauty…doesn’t it seem that it will never end?
Jen
Jen I do hope it will never end….I will revel in the garden blooms for now.
Thanks for joining in with Foliage Follow-Up. I really like the creamy color of the corn-like grass — so eye-catching. And so summery.
One of my favorites every year Pam and I leave it up all winter as it has beautiful interest through all seasons.
Thanks as always for hosting Foliage Follow-Up and reminding us of the importance and beauty of foliage in the garden.
Such lovely arrangements, Donna! I find it hard to cut flowers–I like to see them in the garden–but with such a bounty this time of year, they certainly brighten up the indoors as well. Love your lavender–wish it grew that well for me. But, oh how frustrating those pesky voles and deer must be!
I know what you mean Rose. I don’t like to cut flowers but I am looking at flowers I am thinning that I can use for the next vase.
Lavender is risky here with wet and clay and I lost several plants this year. And yes the critters don’t help.
Hey Donna,
What a beautiful bevy of glorious garden imagery in la terra fina (the good earth) and the vase, but I would expect no less of a gardener who was the 14th to sign up for GBBD.
Love your little salutes to your lilies and the lavender. Your happenstance arrangements are beautiful in their simplicity. Nothing like a big bold coneflower to try and captivate the whole arrangement.
Please visit me to see my first GBBD presentation which has one heck of a back story to it.
Best, Patrick
Patrick how nice to hear from you. Glad you enjoyed my fun arrangements. I am popping over now as I can’t wait to see your first GBBD.