The to-plant list is getting shorter and we are beginning to transition into a summer-full of deadheading/staking/weeding/enjoying. Right on schedule too: we always aim to be *done by July 4th. (*No garden is ever done.) This week we got the last of the plants out of the greenhouse, tucked in a few final packs of seedlings here and there, planted the last of the dahlias and gladiolus in the North Garden, and are just about caught up with container planting and potting up. (Phew!)

We also continued the transition from cool season “crops” to hot that we started last week when we planted basil in the herb garden’s lettuce vacancies. This week, after the foxgloves finished blooming in the Rose Garden, we dug them out, leaving just a handful to drop seeds, and planted hollyhocks in their place. Meanwhile, snapdragons and sweet William are holding on and we should get another couple of weeks out of the sweet peas too.

And everything else is coming along — it’s really starting to look and feel like summer in the gardens. The pink peony poppies started to bloom, Clematis ‘Roguchi’ has never been more laden with fairy caps, and the new Pollinator Garden is settling in — many thanks to the volunteers who spent a hot and sticky morning down there weeding out nutsedge (see above photo.) Below is a small selection suddenly-summer highlights. Click on one to move through the slide show.

Is your garden in transition too? Are you feeling caught up with your to-plant list?