After several weeks of hot, dry weather, we finally got some much needed rain. It is very unusual for June to be so dry, but the hostas were about to start burning…it was that bad. We have had a number of good, soaking rains the last few days and the heat isn’t quite as bad, so we are setting good for the time being…if the weeds would just give us a break, now!

The water lilies have really started strutting their stuff…they love the heat. We’ve been having 20 or more flowers open every day. Mostly hardies, but the tropicals are starting to settle in and bloom, too. Speaking of which, the tropical lilies are all here, now.

Hardy Water Lily ‘Highlight’ is a new variety for us this year. It is creamy white with a hint of pink at the base of the petals. The flowers are good sized and held above the water. The plant seams to be a vigorous grower and a good bloomer, as it was the first of the new plants to start blooming. I think it is a keeper!
Hardy Water Lily ‘Mangkala Ubol’ is another new variety for us this year. It took right off after shipping and looks like another winner.	Hardy Water Lilies ‘Colorado’ and ‘Mayla’…’Colorado’ is one of the heaviest blooming hardies and holds its salmon colored flowers well above the water. ‘Mayla’ has huge, hot pink flowers that really stand out among a pond full of water lilies.

This hosta bed was planted 3 years ago. The plants have matured nicely, but some of the biggies have a ways to go, yet.	Hosta ‘Bobbie Sue’ forms a large, 4′ mound of glossy green leaves with wide creamy-gold edges. An immature plant is not very impressive, but give it a few years to develop the wide margins and it is a beautiful plant. ‘Bobbie Sue’ has a good growth rate and while I have seen a fair amount of slug damage on young plants, the slimy creatures don’t seem to bother older plants.
Hosta ‘Ginsu Knife’ is full of movement. The long, cascading leaves are edged with an intense, ruffled margin and is crowned with white, fragrant flowers in late summer. It is a little on the slow side, but is definitely worth the wait.	Hosta ‘Corkscrew’ may be my favorite new introduction in the last few years. A cross between ‘Tortifrons’ and ‘One Man’s Treasure’, it is anything but just another green hosta. The heavy, long green leaves form an upright mound of twisted foliage…very appropriately named!

The lilies have started to dot the garden with their wild colors. You can find a few more lily pictures in the June 2005 gallery.

Martagon Lily ‘Nepera’…Martagon Lilies work great among the hostas. They prefer light shade and pop up among the hostas to add height and a splash of color in June.	Red Asiatic Lily
Yellow Trumpet Lily	Purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata) makes a very showy, low growing ground cover for hot, sunny spots. This native plant blooms for most of June and into July with these vibrant pink flowers. It will reseed a little, but is not at all invasive.