July 4th flowers

Nasturtiums in the planter by the front door. Vanilla icecream!

The window-boxes are full of petunias and nasturtiums, and marigold seedlings are growing, flower buds on their way. And so far, the deer haven't nibbled the hostas, which are ready to flower. Maybe they are waiting for the first to open; maybe it's the disgusting rotten-egg stuff (which luckily fades to human senses within a few hours but I swear it smells stronger the longer it sits in the can in the garage).

Red bee-balm; the pink ones are coming up too, but the red is bigger and better.

Water-loving Japanese iris in the right spot at the front of the house.

This hydrangea bush came with the house and is growing bigger each year. The tiny florets in the center are a mix of pink and purple, and the surrounding four-petaled flowers are lavender. It is rather beautiful.