It’s Saturday, so it’s time for another six items from my garden here on Coppertop Trail. We’ve enjoyed a sunny week, with more sunshine in the forecast, so summer has finally arrived in the Pacific Northwest. Visit The Propagator who started all the Six on Saturday fun to view gardens from all over the planet.
ONE – Perfuming the garden beautifully this week are a few large Philadelphus lewisii or native mock orange. These 10-foot tall specimens grow along our fence and are magnets for pollinators. Their sweetness is intense. We have a half dozen Philadelphus, but some aren’t blooming this year due to overzealous pruning.
TWO – I’m still harvesting peas! I consider it a big benefit of our cool climate. Visiting family generously helped shell a big bowl. This year’s productive varieties are Alaska and Tall Telephone, although I planted them interspersed and really can’t tell which is which. Whoops.
THREE – This is the season for large mounds of Spiraea japonica to wow us with their colorful flowers and foliage. Around the gardens, from front to back of the house and even peeking out from above our waterfall, there must be close to 10 of the gold-toned variety shown below — maybe Spiraea ‘Goldmound’, ‘Goldflame’, or ‘Golden Princess’?
FOUR – A few weeks ago I wrote of the volunteer poppies springing up from our greenhouse gravel. More peony poppies like this luscious pink are showing up in many spots — returning gifts from seeds sown long ago by someone I don’t know.
FIVE – Our sunny days with temps in the upper 70s (perfection!) mean the cucurbits are growing at last. Baby zucchini and yellow squash will be harvested this week for the first time.
SIX – One of my favorite fruits that we grow is raspberries. Our 30-foot trellis supports two varieties and both are ripening very quickly. In the early morning hours tomorrow I will harvest probably five pounds of berries. It’s a crazy great year for raspberries, with robust, first-year primocanes pushing outward past the fruiting, second-year floricanes, despite the severe thinning I did during dormancy to make room. I can’t remember this happening in previous years, and might be attributed to a load of fabulous, local, aged manure we added at just the right time. It could also mean the vole population isn’t as busy in the root system this year. That’s a good thought.
Gardens at Coppertop 
I would say spirea goldflame because it looks like mine, exactly the same. I’m going to prune it this afternoon (before the match for 3rd place in the World Cup): the flowering is over. I also liked the lovely Philadelphus, another shrub that I don’t have (yet) here
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Both shrubs have their appealing features. Be sure to plant Philadelphus where you can catch its great fragrance, Fred!
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My peas are done, I’ve removed them. They were so-so. Don’t think I’ll grow that type again. My raspberries have been awful. New canes last year. I think I’ll get some new ones
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I hope for success for you with new raspberries. Their flavor and faithfulness once established are worth any effort on your part.
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All looking lovely in your garden. I once had a couple of those Mock orange shrubs in a garden, one was a single flower the other double. Absolutely divine perfume, but sadly they started to become afflicted with black fly every summer so I had to get rid of them. Nothing worked 😦
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Good to see you, Jude! Ick, the blackfly sounds awful.
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It was. Sigh…
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Beautiful photos!
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Thank you, Cindy! I stopped by your blog and love those echinacea.
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My Spirea Goldflame is not doing very well this year. Hopefully will pick up next week.
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I’ll hope with you. They seem so easy care here.
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Our raspberries look promising but I am only picking half a dozen a day. They will get going soon but not to the extent of pounds per day!!
My spirea is over and was deadheaded last week but was similar to yours. Interesting Six.
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Yes, the spiraea, like all else, is later here, although bridal wreath were finished a month ago. Our raspberry row is very long and very prolific. Enjoy yours.
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Must be good eating at your house – veggies look healthy and delicious!
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Keeping all of us satisfied and full, certainly! Have a good week, Eliza.
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Thanks, same to you!
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Love the mock orange!!!! And the raspberries!!!!! It’s one thing I want to grow but fear it will fail in my limestoney soil that gets really really dry in summer.
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You won’t know until you try, Chris! 😉
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We are having a great raspberry season here as well. 🙂
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Hooray! I also hope to freeze well over 10 pounds for jammin’ January.
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My pea leaves turned almost white last week. I took that as a sign and harvested them all. Pretty good harvest though! Your poppy looks very special, what a great bloom!
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Thanks! I’ve pulled a few pea vines that turned pale as well. Nice that they give that signal. 😉
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Yeah! I got them like two days late so the flavor turns bitter quickly.
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Oh poop. We’ve all done that. So disappointing.
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Zucchini are looking wonderful. Have you tried stuffed zucchini? Delicious!
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Sounds yummy. We especially like them raw and quickly sautéed, but I’m always looking for new ways to serve the zukes.
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I find myself so attracted to the photography of squash blooms. Gorgeous! As are your raspberries.
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Thank you! Funny, I found myself staring at a squash blossom dead on this morning while harvesting.
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Oh, how I miss the scent of mock orange!! My neighbor ‘s landscaper cut ours down to the ground in a shared bed, after I’d spent years trying to grow it. Ugh.
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Noooo! Wish I could deliver that fragrance to your door.
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Hey, I somehow missed yours! They look so Northwestern! Raspberries, late mock orange, spirea, poppies that look like peonies and PEAS! Oh my!
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I may have posted first — overachiever at times that I am. 😉 Actually I had a busy Saturday, and just wanted to be done before bedtime Friday.
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Lovely pictures, especially the poppies
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Thanks! I finally found your Six post from yesterday!!
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Some things here are in sync w/yours & others are not, i.e. peas & philadephus are done but spirea banging on. Love that poppy. Good taste, whoever planted it before your time.
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Yes, the poppy is one of those gifts that keeps on giving. I am usually behind most garden bloggers due to our relatively cool climate. Makes the wait long, but seems to prolong each season in turn
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