'Tis the star-spangled banner - O long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. ~ Francis Scott Keys

The original Star Spangled Banner, battered and burned after the battle of Ft McHenry. This is our original flag that inspired Frances Scott Keys to write our beautiful anthem. Everybody have a happy and safe fourth of July weekend.

Well, it was June 25th when I wrote this post and took these photos. It will be July when it publishes. I can't believe how the season is flying past. I had dozens of goals I sincerely meant to accomplish but it is looking like many of them will never happen. As we get older the seasons get shorter. It's a shame because we appreciate them much more in our later years than we ever did when we were young. In my youth each day was spent anticipating an event or a thing that would come tomorrow or next week or next year. Now I enjoy today and look back on all those yesterdays and wonder why I squandered so many.

Any day the Japanese beetles will be here so I must treasure my roses up until the last moment.


The Austin rose Graham Thomas was the first Austin I added to my garden many years ago. The pale yellow blooms look nice with the vivid gold Stellas behind.



When it first opened on a cloudy morning, Graham was a lovely deep color but he quickly faded to a buttery yellow after a few hours in the blazing sun.

Another yellow flower, but his one so very delicate.





It's late for columbines but I found this blooming at my favorite greenhouse. It was purchased as a gift but I couldn't resist getting a few photos while it sat in my garden waiting to go to its new home. What a beautiful, ethereal bloom. Hopefully I can get a few seeds to bring home to my garden.




Below is Double Delight, the most photographed rose in my garden. No two blooms are ever alike.



The red on the petals is akin to suntan. The more/stronger the sun, the more and darker the red. In addition to the beautiful colors , this is a very fragrant Hybrid Tea hence the name Double Delight.




This trellis holds two clematis, Multi Blue and the Comtesse de Bouchaud. The Comtesse is an older variety possibly bred as long hundred years ago. A strong grower and she blooms for an extended time. Multi Blue was a disappointment. Alone on the trellis he was wispy and stingy with his blooms. Together they make a pleasing combination.



From William Radler, the man who brought us the Knockout rose, this is Carefree Sunshine. I like it better. Very disease resistant, and always in bloom. On mine the foliage has an ever so slightly bluish hue. In this photo the rose is growing with a unnamed purple clematis.


So as Robert Harrick reminds us in his somewhat cruel poem.

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.