The heat is on

The heat is on, and no rain in sight.  The garden perennials are loving it.  I am not.  At 7:30 last night it was still 92 degrees out side.  But I saw these beauties out back.
I have never seen the lavender this huge.  The lavender spikes really create a beautiful crown behind day lilies and thread leaf coreopsis.

I love this color combination.

 Native brown eye susans against the lamb's ears.

First blooms of the cone  flowers.  I love the texture of the tiny sedum against the rocks.

   It has been six years since we moved to this house.  There was only one tree by the road.  Not a plant around the house, walk ways, or in the back.....  only brown mulch.   Over the course of 2 or 3 years, I realized I needed to use heat loving, sun loving,  multiplying varieties of perennials with the evergreens to get the cottage garden effect I love.   We spent countless hours digging, planting, composting, and mulching.    

My friend, Doreen, came up from Florida and helped plant and lay stones in the courtyard and by the garden shed.  She planted white daisies over Pookie's resting spot for me.  Other friends and neighbors have given us cast offs, cuttings and seedlings.  Each one is a treasure in my garden of memories. 

  Now you see where my inspiration comes for my quilts...especially the watercolor and garden theme quilts, as well as the scrap ones.  It might be the view, or the color contrast, or maybe the visual texture that sets me on a direction that I try to translate in fabric.  Sew to know me,  read my quilts.

Happy stitching.