The strong sun and heat of summer is finally upon us. Mornings are spent cooling down our house early and getting watering chores done before the full heat of the day is upon us. I am mowing the lawn higher to keep it from burning. Deadheading the roses and keeping plants fed are important tasks. I enjoy making bouquets when we go to a friend's home for dinner and having flowers in unexpected places, like our campsite table.

Have Fun in the Garden!

It takes a village to make an entry garden spiffy....Each year on the Saturday before Mother's Day, I get my neighbors together for a work party. We meet up at 8am and do some serious weed control, then reset some of the keepers and plant a bunch of new plants in our neighborhood entry. We visit, eat a donut hole and enjoy each other's company. It's a 20 year tradition that works well to bring us together.

Here are some of the new plants we planted this year. Verbena homestead purple, Jerusalem sage, Salvia 'Blue Hill', Libertia 'Taupo Blaze', Perovskia 'Little Spire' and Cardoon. It is a blue, purple, silver and yellow color scheme to go with the existing pink, yellow and golden orange plants that are already their.

Putting the last touches to the newly planted garden. Leftover divisions of plants are waiting to go home with a volunteer. Have Fun in the Garden!

Each year me and my family take our ladder and multiple pruning devices out to the garden to prune our beloved fig.

It is one of those gangly looking trees that provides us with the most wonderful figs in August. We have been looking after this tree for nearly 20 years.

It not only provides figs, but also creates shade and privacy in our garden. We use the branch trimmings to edge the perennial beds near the lawn. It is a cottage garden element which adds detail and a bit of whimsy to our garden.

This year we made a wreath from some of the branches and wove them together without having to tie them. It is on our mantle looking rather rustic. Have Fun in the Garden!

March is all about planting. Deciding what seeds to grow, checking on garlic that we started in 4" pots and painting Art Rocks with young Gardeners. Have Fun in the Garden!

This photo shows a recently completed installation in NW Portland. Complete with an updated Ipe deck and a stone terrace, this garden is ready for some serious family fun. Easy care plantings offer four season appeal. Have Fun in the Garden!