Lincoln Peas in bloom.

 Earliglow strawberries are still producing well.

The death of Lady Emma Hamilton.  Clearly not as lush as last season.  Also, despite the relatively dry weather, she is covered in black spot.

 Looking behind the rose, clear evidence of Rose Rosette Disease (RRD).  Heavily infected with this virus.  :(

 

 An up-close view of the excessive thorniness and red hue.

 When cut, the canes are noticeably soft.  She was "shovel-pruned" and secured in a plastic bag this afternoon for disposal.

 Her gorgeous final blooms and buds were removed.

They now adorn my bathroom window so I can smell their delightfully sweet fragrance one last time.  She will be missed.

Above: Lady Emma Hamilton rose
Scarlet Oklahoma zinnia and other pickings from the morning garden.
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STAY COOL EVERYONE!

Roses and Garlic Scapes

I had to cave this morning and haul out the hose. So far the rain and water from my kids' kiddie pool has been adequate for watering my plants. With the high humidity and temperatures in the high 80s to low 90s I had no choice. Everything has been watered well and should survive another day. While I was out there I couldn't resist cutting a few roses to bring inside. Here are Lady Emma Hamilton (dark apricot), Jubilee Celebration (pink), and Graham Thomas (yellow).

After watering the gardens, I snapped off the garlic scapes that were starting to curl. They weighed in at just over a third of a pound. Most were tossed into a Seal-A-Meal bag, sealed and frozen. I have no idea what I'm going to use them for. I don't have the heart to compost them.

I also found time to run to Lowes. All of the berry plants are 1/2 off. After you see most of them you will know why. I purchased a Heritage raspberry plant to replace one that my husband accidently crushed when we installed the posts that will be used to hold up the canes. It's been a productive gardening day!

Comparison of Butterfly Bush Flowers

For the sake of color comparison here are blossoms from different butterfly bushes in my garden. Listed form left to right: Adonis Blue (a dwarf), Black Knight, Pink Delight, and Royal Red.

They make a beautiful bouquet whether freshly cut or after the blooms have faded. This is a mix of week-old, faded flowers and fresh ones from this morning. As long as the foliage still looks green they make a nice presentation in and out of bloom.