What I wouldn't give to have such neat gardens. We really are our own worst critics! Shastas can never be too tall...

What's not to love in all those great shots! I am desperate for some Shastas, wish we were neighbors and I could bum a few from you! you would think they would be easy to find, but for three years I haven't found any. I am probably just missing them!

My favorite mantra..."next year, next year, next year". It's hard to plan for me, I have a bed I need to get some mid and late season color in and I just stand there and try to imagine, but apparently I'm not very good at that! I can't decide what to move or totally just get rid of. I think I'm afraid of moving plants because I haven't had a very good track record, they always seem to die.

I think your gardens were wonderful - I'm hopeful for some foxgloves, too.

Leslie

You've been too harsh in your descriptions of your garden, in my opinion! It's wonderful!

I am still planting pots and they'll need to fill in! Don't underestimate the beauty of those planters for months like September and October :)

One of the tricks I use to fill in my garden is buying leftover annuals at this time of year. Trick is to find the good healthy ones....perennials provide a beautiful green backdrop to the dramatic pinks of cosmos, or blues of larkspur and salvia!

Again...your garden is beautiful!

Saucy

We share a fondness for pink I think...:-) I agree re shastas spreading and getting too big. I have resolved to, in future, rein them in severely. The ones I ripped out the other day are gone for good!

Your garden looks good to me.

PM, Your gardens are lovely! Lots of color and I agree with Marie that I'd love to have mine that neat and weed free this far into the season. I'm envious of your shastas. I plant them here and then they die. I tried Beckys last year and have but one single bloom this year. I love the Broadway Lights variety too but have killed those twice so far. Is that a windchime in your first picture? It's so unique and I really like it! Nice job on the containers also. Thanks for sharing your gardens with us. I love seeing what others are doing in their spaces.

Eden

Your gardens look like such a lovely spot to sit for a spell. I love the tall flowers in the second pic, but can't figure out what they are. Spires are something that I'm trying to incorporate more of in my gardens. They're a great focal point. Love the chair, too, that's where I'll sit when I come to visit. LOL. Did anything get ruined in the hailstorm? It doesn't look like it in the pictures. And great job on keeping everything so weed free...quite the chore this year it seems with all the spring rains we got..

Your wall o' Foxgloves is fabu PM, and it looks like you have a viewing seat on the right. And is that D. Tiny Rubies ? Last year I bought a pale yellow Shasta(un-named) and I really love it. Love the doubles too.I'm probably going to dig up that yellow and take it with me ..Thanks you sharing your garden..

Kathy in Napa

Thanks bunches for kind words. :-) I think I am coming to terms with how much more difficult it is to bring what you envision....to reality in the garden. I've yet to feel the satisfaction of something looking the way I want it to, but I keep trying and enjoy whatever grows any way. :-) I am with you, Leslie...'Next year, next year...' lol

Gardenbug....It hit me when you said that about the Shastas...I am not actually unhappy with them, I just need them in a different place. :-)

Leslie...I started all of the Shastas from seed that I traded for, except two I bought as starts from Bluestone. I am much slower to move something than I used to be. When something is really happy where it is I just hate to disturb it. I had a Delphinium growing beautifully against the back of the house last year and I moved it this spring and gosh...what a mess ever since.

Saucy...great idea about leftover annuals! I am keeping my eyes open for sales. I still have some late summer plants that should perk things up soon. Cosmos too.

Woody...definitely pink is one of my favorites, too. :-) I am sorry the Shastas are not working out for you either. I think I may give them another try in a different location where they can do their thing a little more.

Eden, I love the Broadway Lights too, sorry to hear they aren't performing for you. I was going to try those next. :-) Yes, that is a windchime that our DD gave me for Mother's Day. Glad you like it!

Anita...Yes, lots of ripped foliage on many plants from the Hail. Hostas and Hydrangeas particularly, that I trimmed foliage off of. The spires are Foxglove....here's a better look....

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I like the foxglove fine, but my garden bed is too shallow to get the effect I was after. I think it needs to come out another three feet...lol. Such crazy ideas I get sometimes, I make myself laugh. :-)

To all those who feel their gardens aren't as weed free...hah...you don't think I posted pics of the weedy areas do you? [g] Plus, you see how small my garden is....a lot easier to weed then some of your gardens, for sure.

Kathy....I think you are referring to the Pink Dianthus on the end of my front bed...that is Thompson and Morgan's 'Brilliancy', started from seed, winter sown.

Here is a close up of the white on the other end, also winter sown....'Arctic Fire'...

{{gwi:167039}}

Thanks for taking the tour...it's so nice to look at it through someone else's eyes. :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: T&M Dianthus deltoides 'Brilliancy'

Wow, lots of color in your gardens PM. You are way too hard on yourself. Everything looks so pretty and cared for. What a lovely spot to SALAT in! Those foxgloves are so pretty and like Eden, I'm in love with that wind chimes in the first photo. Thanks for sharing your gardens with us.

Deanne

Very cool windchime! I love all the pinks in your garden and the foxgloves. I can't grow foxgloves to save my life. Watch those shastas some reseed wildly, I know from experience. I love them though. Thanks for the wonderful tour.

OH! How pretty!! I'm like Michelle...can't grow foxgloves, and I don't know why. I have a hard time bringing my vision to life, too. Also, it's hard to learn to look at the garden and ENJOY it, rather than critique it. Yours are splendid, thanks for posting the pictures!
Brenda

I only just got a chance to finally look at some of these extra threads, PM,and your garden is lovely. I think sometimes we gardeners are our harshest critics and only see the flaws -- I love your long border and one would never think of those foxgloves as flopping; Im a fan of dianthus altho mine never seems to last more than a few years - but I love the stuff.

Thanks for putting these up - it's always wonderful to see what Idyllers are doing and working on.

-Cindy