The hansa roses are now in full bloom and covered in fragrance and bee music.  There is something so comforting about the gentle hum of bumblebees as they nuzzle pollen covered stamen.

Bumblebee nuzzling a wild spice hansa rose

For some reason I like the bumblebees best.  They are native pollinators and were here long before European honey bees were imported to make honey.  Bumblebees are such gentle creatures.

The White Dawn climbing rose has started to bloom.  I love the little tinge of pink that lingers after the rose opens.  The buds are quite pink initially.  But that fades into a creamy white.  But just a little bit of pink lingers underneath at least one petal.

White Dawn bud

In this photo you can just see the little pink blush on the underside of one of the petals.

The heuchera in the front are doing well.  I’d like to divide one of the clumps and extend the bed just a bit.

Coral Bells border in the front

Don’t the Dwarf Alberta Spruce look good.  They were planted that first summer and even though the rickety benches blow over against them sometimes when the wind picks up, they stand unbowed.  Or would that be “un-bough-ed.”

A friend gave me a clump of Lady’s Mantle several years ago and it is now larger than any of the Lady’s Mantle plants he has n his garden.  I think this one likes my gravely soil.

Lady's Mantle

It’s in the 80’s today, and the humidity is high.  It doesn’t make for pleasant gardening, but I have some new plants to get into the ground.  I bought three foxglove, a couple of heucheras, yet another duchman’s pipe, and a heliopsis.  And, there are annuals to plant.