June Flowers

There are many years in the Seattle area when June is cool, overcast and rainy/drizzly. This is not one of them. We had a lot of rain in May, including some real downpours, but it hasn't rained now since before Memorial Day weekend. I don't remember the exact day, but the weathermen say it's now been about 25 days without measurable precipitation. And the first week in June had highs in the 80s and touching 90, so things are getting dry.

The positive side is that I can be outside and appreciate the flowers currently in bloom, and notice how long the days are. I haven't kept up with the weeds, though. Above there are pink hybrid roses, a mountain ash tree (self-seeded), dark pink roses (a wild rose type), white peonies, and valerian.

This bed on the side of the house has mostly foxglove now, with some poppies and verbascum Southern Charm. I started those from seed many years ago, and through some persistence and some self-seeding, I still have a few here and in another bed. The foxglove were also started from seed, and then spread by means of shaking the dried flower stalks in different areas.

This mock orange bush, while not that attractive to look at, has been filling my front yard with the most heavenly scent for a couple of weeks now. Both the flowers and leaves are starting to get a little brown around the edges, so the blooms probably won't last too much longer.