I read somewhere – and I apologize to whoever said it because I cannot credit you – it’s a shame that so many gardeners keep their gardens locked up in their backyards. How nice it would be if the garden could be in the front yard for everyone and anyone to enjoy as they walk by.
That was my thought as Joe and I walked around the neighborhood on this first day of summer, strolling by our neighbors’ homes to get a peek and to be inspired by what was blooming. This is what we found.
To start the walk, we had to pass our Lace Cap Hydrangea. The flowers remind me of speckled Easter eggs.
This would be a close-up of the “lace” in the Lace Cap.
Across the street, we spotted a small bouquet of Dianthus.
Just up the street, another neighbor had Daylilies blooming everywhere.
Another neighbor had cluster upon cluster of Roses spilling over a rock retaining wall.
I couldn’t resist a closer look at the ruffled petals.
This Daylily seemed to scream, “Look into my eye.” So I did.
Around the corner, there were beds of Astilbe in full bloom.
Up close, the pink clouds reminded me of cotton candy.
Around another corner, we discovered a bed of Yarrow growing around a curbside mailbox.
Imagine our surprise when we spotted a bed of Cactus — in flower — a few houses away. The owner, Helen, came running out and offered us a clipping, and then showed us the rest of her front yard garden. We made a promise to return again for a tour of the backyard — a new neighborly friend.
When we returned home, there was time to stop and smell the Lavender.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Man 