It’s hard to believe we’re already nearing mid-July. Time seems to be slipping away incredibly fast these days, no matter how much I try to hold onto it.

The lilacs, lupines, and peonies have already come and gone. It’s always a little bittersweet to let go, but there’s still so much to look forward to. The garden is just getting started, really..

The roses have now come into full bloom. I’ve collected so many over the years.. Pale yellow, white, soft pink, deep mauve, and a lavender so soft it's almost grey. I find it impossible to pick a favorite, as it changes by the day.

Just beyond the roses, the zinnias are thriving. This year, I've planted over 150 of them across 2 different beds, using 2 different approaches as a small experiment.

(the second bed)

In the first bed, I just sprinkled them right into the soil. Unfortunately, this bed has gotten away from me. I was kept out of the garden a few days too long due to the heat wave, which means the zinnias are now having to compete with weeds for their share of sunlight. We’ll have to wait and see how they do. If they pull through, they’ll bloom later than the others, meaning a longer zinnia season. Of course, I wouldn’t mind that too much :)

I started the second bed indoors in early spring, pinching back each seedling once it developed a few sets of true leaves. This second bed has been an absolute joy. The zinnias are just beginning to bloom now, and while most are still to come, I’ll share a few here.

Meanwhile, the rest of the garden is slowly filling in. The California poppies and the first sunflowers are just starting to open, as well as the cosmos, marigolds, cornflowers, yarrow, snapdragons, and pansies.

These are my favorite sunflowers. All those tiny yellow blooms against the dark center.. I could get lost in it.

(a proper wooden fence is on the list of projects for next spring. For now, the wire fence does the job)

The gourds have started to vine and flower, spreading out across the ground and climbing whatever they can find. The dahlias and coneflowers will come soon enough.

Along the garden entrance, the lavender is in bloom. We transplanted quite a few from the meadow this year and despite my initial uncertainty about their survival, they’ve settled in beautifully. The scent has been really lovely.

Out in the orchard, the blueberries, peaches, and apples are nearly ready to pick. We have about a dozen apple trees, all different varieties, some of them centuries old and still faithfully producing fruit.

(a few of the old apple trees, photographed this spring but too lovely to leave out)

We also have pear, plum, fig, and cherry trees, though they’re much younger and need a bit more time. The strawberries and blackberries are coming along too.

I’ve been spending most of my mornings in the gardens, photographing everything as it comes and goes, both the flowers and the birds. I find this process of documenting incredibly calming. It helps me step outside of my head and has really changed how I perceive things, even when I don’t have my camera with me.

This morning, I wandered a bit longer than usual before heading in as the heat settled. I sat down at my old desk to write, but if I’m being honest, I spent a good portion of that time watching the birds in the crabapple. While I could have happily watched them for much longer (and often do), I managed to get in some writing too :)

More from the garden soon.

Mel