Thursday, August 1, 2013

Summer Garden Party









All the petite blooms 

above are from my summer garden.

Welcome to a Summer Garden Party!




Summers in Texas can be brutal, 

but up until today our summer temps 

haven't been all that bad.

Today's high:  103ยบ.




The Knockout roses you see above are not so

 bright and colorful today, but the blue plumbago 

doesn't seem to mind the heat.  They bloom 

like this from spring to first frost.




The Yellow Bells do too!




As do the Golden Thrialis 

and Firecracker Ferns.




The Golden Thrialis is one 

of my favorites for cut flowers.

I like to add this wispy

 bloom in with fresh bouquets.




The Blackfoot Daisy 

isn't much for cut flowers,

but it sure does like the dry, hot summers.




Blue Daze likes to spread easily and mixes 

well with the sizzle of hot orange Coreopsis.




Coral Vine offers 

a touch of hot pink.

The heart shaped leaves of this pretty  

vine eagerly climb our porch posts.





This jewel is a 

Habranthus Pink Rain Lily.

I planted some of these bulbs in 

my herb garden years ago.

The bouquet of pink was its gift

shortly after an unexpected 

thunder storm two weeks ago.




In contrast to all the hot colors out front,

our back yard is a shade garden of

mostly evergreens and touches of purple and white.





Scented Geraniums spill out from the large urns 

and don't seem to mind the Texas heat.




I like to add in Fancy Leaf Caladiums 

for the hot summer months.

The white and green heart shaped leaves 

visually offer a sense of cooler temperatures.




Hope you enjoyed 

my little summer garden tour.

I've been cooking with lemons this week.

Thought you might enjoy a 

lemony French macaron before you leave.

Oh, go ahead and have two!





They are light as a feather meringue 

with the creamiest lemon curd filling.




I participated in Michael Lee West's 

Mystery Ingredient Club 

where the mystery ingredients were all 

about Meyer lemons.  

Click here for 

  Cooking With The Meyers  

For more summer flowers and gardens, don't forget to stop by 


Sarah
Sarah

The summer we married, my husband was in graduate school, and I was employed as a teacher. We took a portion of our savings that summer and purchased a sailboat. We christened our Catalina 22, “Hyacinths For The Soul” after Saadi’s poem. Our "Hyacinths" provided years of pleasure.

62 comments:

  1. Your flowers are beautiful, but those temps are terrible. I'm glad that heat like that is rare in my parts.

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  2. Hi Sarah!

    One would never ever guess that the Texas heat has effected your gorgeous gardens at all!
    So petty. So many spaces to enjoy.
    Thanks so much for sharing at FOTF!

    xoxoxox
    Alison :)

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  3. Sarah,
    Just a beautiful post full of cheerfulness...

    Your summer flowers are glorious. The bouquet is so fresh and cheerful.

    This summer's mild weather has been great for your flowers. Thank you for sharing the beautiful photos and for giving the names of your flowers.

    The lemon macaroons are so tempting and are perfectly paired with the summer bouquets in the canning jars.

    Judith

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  4. Your flowers are beautiful. 103 is to hot for me but your flowers seem to like the heat.
    Thanks for sharing your beautiful flowers.
    Mary

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  5. Everything looks happy and healthy Sarah! Glad to hear you've had a moderate summer too-enjoy:@)

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  6. Just saw your salmon recipe on the post below and pinned it to try. I admit to not knowing what a Meyer lemon was until this blog party with all the posts about it. How is that for small town naivete?

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  7. Sarah, I simply adore the colors in your summer garden...purples, pinks & yellows mixed with white & periwinkle...just lovely!

    I used to have some blue plumbago plants around our FL home. I don't think it tolerates my OH climates...must investigate that further. I wore a silk sheath dress that same shade on the eve of our wedding. (wish I still fit into it)

    I don't think I've ever seen Golden Thrialis...no wonder you like to tuck it into flower arrangements.
    How pretty your Habranthus Pink Rain Lily looks, too. So many of YOUR plants are unfamiliar to me.
    You put my green thumb to shame.
    No wonder you like to work out in the garden in the Spring. I would gladly join you!

    Hugs,
    Rett


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  8. Your gardens are so pretty and the flowers look so healthy. I'll take one of those macaroons now. TGIF! xo

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  9. In spite of "hot" you have a wonderful garden and lovely plantings! Loved the treats at the end of the tour!

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  10. I am overwhelmed at how gorgeous your garden looks in all of this heat! I know how hot it was in NY (and Europe!) and can't imagine it in Texas. You must be very diligent in irrigation.

    - Alma, The Tablescaper

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  11. Sarah,
    Your yard and especially your flowers are fantastic. I'm saving this post to show my Austin son and DIL on their upcoming visit. They just moved to Barton Hills and the new/old house will need some landscape sprucing up. You've given me some great ideas for their yard. Thank you and have a great weekend.
    Karen

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  12. I always love seeing pictures of your pretty yard, Sarah! I have the blackfoot daisies and do love them. I must try a blue plumbago if they bloom so well in the heat. Thanks for the tour, and I don't mind if I do take two macarons...thank you!!

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  13. Your flowers are so pretty. When I lived in Florida we grew many of the same flowers.

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  14. Sarah. your flowers are beautiful..it all looks lovely. I especially like seeing the coral vine. My grandmother had one growing on a trellis to shade her sleeping porch...sweet memories. I haven't been able to grow it where I live...yours is so beautiful..
    Love, Mona

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  15. I love your flowers.....we are moving back to Texas and I will have to remember what flowers bloom the best all year. Thanks for the tour of your flowers, they are beautiful!
    Blessings My Friend,

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  16. How gorgeous, I love this tour of your plants and flowers, it's such a joy to see this wonderful garden. Thanks for sharing them with us. Thank you for your lovely visit too. Enjoy a nice summer weekend.
    FABBY

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  17. What gorgeous flowers, Sarah, and those macaroons look way too good! xo Diana

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  18. Oh Sarah! Your garden is amazing!!!
    You have done such a wonderful job of planning so that you always have blooms. Which is wonderful for a lover of flowers! :)

    Thank you for sharing and linking up for Fresh-Cut Friday!
    ~Liz

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  19. Your garden is beautiful -- in spite of the Texas heat! I'm in Texas too and it's been 102-103 all week! Yikes! Your lovely flowers have survived well though!

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  20. I am so envious of your garden.. I cannot wait to get settled in here in Florida and play play play!!
    Have a wonderful weekend!
    Smiles~
    Cat @ gypsea nurse

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  21. Sarah your gardens are beautiful and they seem to be holding up just fine with the high temps!! I sure could go for one of those macarons...I love anything lemon!

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  22. Sarah~ Your bouquets from your garden in your ball jars make my heart sing! I love seeing what is blooming in your garden and in the Texas heat. I adore plumbago, I need to see about planting some. I'm taking two lemony macarons with me, thanks for sharing :)

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  23. Sarah, you're garden is stunning! I love the blue plumbago best. I love the simple little arrangements you made in the Ball jars, too! :D

    LOVE the MacKenzie-Childs Fran mini compote filled with lemon macarons. So adorable! What a perfect way to serve them. This is one of my favorite posts. I truly love gardens, and I wish we had one here, but we have woods in the back, and a terraced lawn in front.

    Enjoy your weekend!

    xo,
    RJ

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  24. What a lovely variety you have in your garden. I found myself jotting down names and wondering what might work in our dry climate up here.
    The lemon sweets? Yes please!

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  25. Dearest Sarah,
    What a lush and lovely garden you have with so many perennials looking their best! Love your Habranthus Pink Rain Lily! We also got some Zephyranthes white and faint pink Rain lilies from bulbs that we brought back from Indonesia where we lived and worked. They too are related to the Habranthus Rain lilies. Ours bloom usual in August and they seem to be rather strong.
    Did you back those French Macarons? If so; compliments as they look perfect.
    Enjoy your weekend dear lady.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  26. WELL NOW! That was a treat! Lemon macarons, and BLUE DAZE? MY FAVORITES! It must be so hot out there for you; we are having cooler than average temps here, but we're enjoying it. Your garden my dear is so stunning. Mine is lovely, but I simply can't get good enough photos. At least you have cement paths; our gravel is in desperate need of being refreshed!

    Lovely to see your comment my dear. You are soooooo kind. Happy weekend! Anita

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  27. Hi Sarah,
    Plumbago has such a special color for the garden. I love it as my bride gown had this color and I wished so much to have a bride's bouquet with Plumbago. But no florist could find some at this time. Sweet memories. Your garden looks great and the Macarons.... oh so tempting. Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend.
    Best greetings, Johanna

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  28. Sarah,
    Your lovely Gardens continue to mesmerize my sense, dear friend!!!
    Simply gorgeous!!!
    The urn filled with gerainums has me swooning!!!
    Thank you for sharing!!!
    Fondly,
    Pat

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  29. I am visiting Tablescaper and the first two links I chose to visit were yours. I wish I could manage to get up more posts but I just can't.
    I so enjoy yours. Your garden is breathtaking. So many beautiful varieties and colors. I agree with Ron, they are all so healthy. Do you have a gardener? Please don't tell me you are whipping up all that Meyer Lemon goodness and then running outside and grooming those flowers.
    I feel like a slacker just looking at all this loveliness.
    Have a Blessed Sunday dear lady,

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  30. I'm always amazed at your garden, but I must admit I don't recognize a lot of the gorgeous plants. You have a wonderful variety of things not found here in the garden centers. I love the strobilanthes persian shield, but I haven't seen it in several years. Yours is striking with the ferns and sago (?) palm. Love it all and your garden looks fabulous, even in the heat.
    xo Babs

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  31. Boy, do I love lemon! Those macaroons look delicious! Take everyone else on the garden tour, I'll just lag back and have a few more!
    Hugs,
    Patti

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  32. Sarah, your flowers are all gorgeous, and love the cobalt blue containers for those blue, yellow, and white bouquets. I'm not familiar with some of those flowers. I'm going to have to check into some of those. I'm off to read about that macaroon now Yum! laurie

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  33. How beautifully your garden does grow, dear friend. Such a delight to see your stunning blooms, the plumbago is such a lovely blue.
    Mmm, yes please, I'll sample one of your lemony macarons svp!

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  34. Sarah, your Texas garden is beautiful. I love seeing plants that I don't often or never grow up north.

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  35. Your flowers have stayed nice all summer...despite the heat! Enjoy your day my friend!

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  36. Your garden is gorgeous, despite all of the heat. So many different colors and textures. Really beautiful.

    Lovely to have have you at Seasonal Sundays.

    - The Tablescaper

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  37. Sarah,
    Your summer garden is looking wonderful! Love the selections you have...blue daze and plumbago are among my favorites! We are going to be over a 100 tomorrow but compared to last year we are being blessed with milder temps. Hope you are enjoying the same!
    Miss Bloomers

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  38. Sarah your gardens are breathtaking!
    Beautiful post!

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  39. Your garden is so beautiful, Sarah. Even with that heat, I wouldn't mind being in it. The flowers are simply gorgeous....Christine

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  40. I love those blue blooms.

    Have a good Blue Monday, Sarah.

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  41. Such a pretty garden even in the heat of summer. Love the blue, purple, yellow combination.

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  42. Pretty summer flowers! I noticed yesterday that the white birch tree started dropping yellow leaves. A sure sign we are heading towards fall!
    xo
    Cathy

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  43. I love the bouquet, a beautiful mix of flowers. Have a great week, Laura

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  44. Beautiful bouquet and garden party.
    Bet they smell wonderful as well.
    Happy Blue Monday :)

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  45. It looks like everything is working in your garden, Sarah! Lovely. I am unfamiliar with most of these varieties, but I'm no gardener! I know beautiful when I see it though! Thanks for the sweet mention of my new header and my little lion statue. It's one of my favorite little objects.

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  46. I am in awe of your garden...heavenly! Thanks for inviting us for peak. Cherry Kay

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  47. Oh, Sarah...what lovely flowers. I am so not a gardener...but I do love all the pretty ones in Blogland.
    Hot here, too. ;(

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  48. Oh, Sarah...what lovely flowers. I am so not a gardener...but I do love all the pretty ones in Blogland.
    Hot here, too. ;(

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  49. I really enjoyed your post. I just found you over at The Scoop and would love for you to come share at my From the Farm Blog Hop! It's a fun party that's just getting started for this week.
    http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2013/08/from-farm-blog-hop.html

    Lisa
    Fresh Eggs Daily
    www.fresh-eggs-daily.com

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  50. Oh my, such a beautiful garden and flowers. Thanks so much for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty

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  51. I either need to take you or this post to the nursery with me the next time I go. You showed so many lovely flowers and I am unfamiliar with most of them.

    I really think I will take the post to show the nursery workers.

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  52. I can just imagine how hot it has been - you've found some plants that survive the heat beautifully - I'll have to check some of these out! The macaroons look amazing! gorgeous photos, Sarah! I am delighted that you shared with Home and Garden Thursday,
    Kathy

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  53. Sarah, your garden is stunning! We have had record temps here. I love the Coral Bells vine. Have not seen that before. Thanks for sharing all of this beauty with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  54. Sarah, your bouquet makes me smile. We are always looking for blooms that survive the heat of summer, and your gardens are lovely.

    Happy Pink Saturday.

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  55. Just simply breathtaking! I Love your garden and I would love to come to your garden party ,lol thanks a bunch for sharing this!

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  56. The gang over at My Personal Accent think your Summer Garden Party post is Amazing!! We would like to invite you to party with us starting at 5:00 Thursday nights at our new Blog Strut Peacock Style Link Party to share your creative ideas. Come on over!! http://wp.me/P2Vf55-1K

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  57. Had to come back and take another peek at your blue plumbago. My new favorite flower!

    I do not think we can grow those up here.... having a big old pity party now.
    :(

    xoxox!!!
    A

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  58. Sarah, your garden is beautiful! Thank you for sharing. You will be one of the features tomorrow at the Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Pop on in and grab a feature button for your blog. Hope to see your prettiness again at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

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  59. All so lovely but ONLY 103? :) Wow that is too hot in my book! :)

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  60. Gorgeous blooms and your pictures are soooo pretty! I love LEMON!!!
    Thanks so much for sharing at Amaze Me Monday...
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  61. your garden is so lush in those hot temps, love seeing COLOR! ESPECIALLY YELLOW! its all vibrant and wonderful, thanks for the bright spot in my day~

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