Well we managed to get a week or so of cool (read "normal") temperatures, so the wild progression through summer has slowed a bit, but we are still at the height of late June flowering, and it's not June until tomorrow!

But at least the cooler weather and a bit of rain has seemed to hold back at least some of the August bloomers for a while - and the blooms in general are lasting longer than when it was into the 30's (80's-90's for the Fahrenheit folks)!

The end of May has brought a profusion of blooms and general growth we rarely see until the middle or end of June.	A close-up of the blue Siberian iris which takes the battering of snow and winter winds, providing interest throughout the year.
If this keeps up we will get two summers worth of growth and will be dividing plants by next year to keep the new garden from becoming a jungle.	Lupins, the weed of the maritime east cost, easily is kept in check in the colder climate of central Canada.
	This has been the year of the Weigela! It has profusely blossomed All over the Ottawa valley. I guess it liked being flatten by the Ice Storm, and them baked by early spring temperatures into the thirties!.
Two of the three bearded iris we have in the new front garden have bloomed. This one is an heritage variety the Experimental Farm was throwing out 30 years ago to make way for a new road.	And this one, which blooms a week or two later, the bees created from the heritage variety and a solid deep purple which is just sending up its blooming stalks now. Guess we should call it "Bee Thankful"!
The Coral Bells, which we dwindling in the backyard shade which they are suppose to like, have multiplied and bloomed profusely in the front yard's full sun.	The first of the digitalis in bloom - they others appear to be on a more normal developmental schedule.
Yes, its another group of ornamental onion - Garry is a fan! These are half the height of the giant variety, and a much deeper purple.	And I am fascinated by the seed head that develops and stays an amazingly long time, no matter the number of heavy rain storms we get.
Well that's it for the second installment. The next series in a few weeks will feature the various varieties of spirea we have, as well as the mallow, true lilies, and one of the August-blooming rudbeckia which is now forming buds (just to continue this summer's illogical progression!).