It is 10:28pm as I begin posting this blog. It is Independence Day and the city of Ocean Shores is celebrating America’s birthday along with the rest of the county. As I write, there is a constant boom, bang, pop in the air as people light their fireworks on the beach. So much excitement in the air, literally! This has been an unusually dry summer for this part of the world, so the city of Ocean Shores, Washington has forbidden fireworks anywhere but on the beach.
Meanwhile, as I walked through the garden today, admiring yesterday’s weeding and maintenance work, I thought about how the garden, too, seems to be celebrating the 4th of July through bursts of color that rival tonight’s fireworks. My garden seems to be saying, “Happy Birthday, America!”
The hummingbirds go crazy for this: Crocosmia “Lucifer”
Potted plants on the deck drenched in sunlight
A collection of rocks and shells welcome you before you enter the house.
Sword ferns love the moist environment of the shade garden.
Bright as fireworks
This fragrant antique rose that I started from a cutting dipped in rooting hormone is as big as my hand! The color says POW!
Liberty Apples. We vie for these along with the raccoons. Who will get to them first this year?
My dad’s fig tree grows big beautiful leaves in the fruit orchard. I have yet to taste the figs because they never ripen in our coastal climate. We need more sun here at the coast, but maybe someday, this tree will yield figs for me. I already dream of eating them plucked fresh from the tree as well as making a fig and goat cheese pizza…and why not? I will make an amazing jam of these figs when they finally grow on this tree! My dad brought this tree cutting over from Sicily.
Climbing roses and butterfly bush intermingle.
Firecracker colors!
Blue sky as backdrop for the 4th of July!
Garden view from the house (with my brother-in-law Jim’s birdhouses…many have resident chickadees busily feeding their chicks!)
Your garden looks beautiful! Can’t wait to spend some special times there with you at the end of this month!
Thanks Fran for the lovely pictures! Happy 4th to you and your hubby.
Crack! Pow! Bang! Blossom!
Rick
Fran – Thank you for the lovely 4th images and words. You and Rick give your garden a lot of love, and it gives you a lot of love back int return. And, someday, figs from your father!
Thank you, Larry! The day I have figs, I will make jam and bring you a JAR….for your beautiful optimism! -Fran
What a wonderful display of natural fireworks in your yard, Fran! I agree with Rene…your yard looks great. You and Rick do put a lot of love into it. With our climate changing the way it seems to be, your dad’s fig tree may fruit yet in Ocean Shores so you may have that jam and that luscious sounding pizza.
Hi Bev, I though the same thing! Figs will be coming our way if the weather continues to be in the 80s and 90s. Thanks for the compliments on our garden! love, Fran
Your yard looks great, Fran!!!
Thank you, Rene! We both put a lot of work into it and this year, it seems to have reached a wonderful maturity. I spent a good deal of time weeding and tidying up the garden on Friday, but really, the garden is thriving. It took years to figure out how to keep the deer out of certain areas and more years to figure out what thrives in this moist, mostly overcast, marine/coast environment. Love, Fran