Summer has officially arrived in upstate New York, and our zone 6A garden is absolutely exploding with color! After a challenging spring with excessive rain and cooler temperatures, the recent heat wave has finally awakened our garden's full potential. Join us as we take you through every corner of our landscape, sharing what's thriving, what's struggling, and all the lessons we've learned along the way.

Container Magic: Going Big and Bold This Season

This year, we decided to make a statement with our containers, investing in extra-large planters that could handle our love for "floofy, billowing" displays. Our star performer is the massive Karima planter, where we've created a multi-tiered masterpiece.

At the crown sits a jolly good clematis that we actually transplanted from the ground – a risky move that's paid off beautifully. Paired with a Rise Up Lilac Days rose climbing an Essex obelisk, this combination promises months of vertical interest.

The magic happens in the layering. Meteor shower verbena creates the next tier down, while the bottom level features a carefully curated mix of:

• Double Delight blush rose begonias
• Bluebird amnesia
• Plum Dandy Alternate thera
• Pink Cashmere superbina

The key to our container success? Repetition with variation. We've echoed these plant combinations across multiple containers, creating visual harmony while allowing each planter to have its own personality.

The Art of Part-Shade Containers

Not all our containers bask in full sun, and that's where we've gotten creative. Our covered seating area features what might be our most successful hanging baskets ever – and we're not just being modest here. These combinations have thrived despite receiving only indirect morning sun and perhaps a touch of direct light at day's end.

The Shadow Storm sweet potato vine initially struggled with our cool spring temperatures, but with the incoming heat wave, we're expecting it to finally show its true colors. This experience has reminded us that patience is often required when trialing new varieties.

Hydrangea Heaven: A Season of Spectacular Blooms

If there's one plant family stealing the show this season, it's our hydrangeas. The diversity we've incorporated has created blooming interest from early summer through fall.

Our Gatsby Moon oakleaf hydrangea has produced the densest flower we've ever seen – so full and heavy that recent rains have caused some flopping. Meanwhile, our Let's Dance series hydrangeas are just beginning their colorful display, with some showing promising purple hues.

The real star of our hydrangea collection is the Invincible Sublime hedge. These specimens have grown into what can only be described as an almost AI-perfect hedge – bold, evenly shaped, and completely untouched by deer thanks to our strategic yard enforcer plantings underneath.

Rose Performance: Triumphs and Discoveries

Our rose selections this year have been particularly rewarding. The Honey Apricot rose has exceeded all expectations with its beautiful pinky-coral blooms, yellow centers, and incredible fragrance. As an added bonus, it's edible – perfect for our kitchen garden philosophy.

The climbing roses have shown remarkable resilience. Our Lady of Shalott, despite being nearly eaten to the ground by rabbits last winter, has rebounded spectacularly. This experience has reinforced our belief in the remarkable recovery power of well-established David Austin roses.

Annual Stars: Reliable Performers in Challenging Weather

While perennials provide our garden's backbone, this year's annual selections have truly shone. The Meteor Shower verbena has impressed us by performing equally well in both full sun and part shade conditions – a versatility we didn't expect.

Our Supertunia varieties, particularly the Bordeaux, continue to be garden workhorses. There's a reason we return to these reliable performers year after year, and their consistent performance in various garden conditions proves their worth.

The Blue Artist ageratum has created a unifying element throughout our front border, though the excessive spring rains did challenge even these typically bulletproof plants.

Lessons from a Challenging Spring

This growing season has taught us valuable lessons about garden resilience. The combination of excessive rain and cool temperatures delayed many of our heat-loving plants, but it also highlighted which varieties truly thrive in less-than-ideal conditions.

Our Japanese maples, including the Punk Kid variety we boldly used as a thriller in one container, have adapted beautifully to their situations. The key was proper staking to prevent wind damage – a small investment that's paid huge dividends.

The Evolution of Garden Design

Gardens are never static, and ours continues to evolve. We're constantly evaluating plant performance and making adjustments. Some specimens, like our struggling Tickle Creek birch, may find new homes where they'll be happier, while successful combinations get repeated and expanded upon.

The beauty of gardening lies in this constant experimentation and adaptation. What doesn't work this year might be perfect next year, or in a different location.

Looking Forward: Heat Wave Benefits

As we head into a significant heat wave, we're optimistic about several developments. Plants like our Shadow Storm sweet potato vine, which struggled in the cool spring, should finally show their true potential. Our heat-loving annuals are poised to really take off, and we're expecting a flush of growth that will fill in the gaps left by our challenging spring.

A Garden in Full Symphony

Walking through our garden in late June feels like experiencing a full symphony – every plant contributing its own note to create something beautiful and harmonious. From the bold architectural statements of our large containers to the subtle understory plantings that support our established trees and shrubs, each element plays its part.

The fragrance layers are particularly noteworthy this year, with roses, clematis, and herbs creating scent pockets throughout the garden that enhance the visual experience.

As we move through summer, we're excited to see how our garden continues to evolve and surprise us. Each season brings new lessons, new successes, and new inspiration for the year ahead.

Want to see more of our garden throughout the seasons? Follow our journey and get expert growing tips by subscribing to our YouTube channel for the latest garden tours and plant care advice.

Thanks for growing with us!