While touring gardens this summer, you're likely to pick up good ideas for your own paradise. Purchase new and alluring plants when you find them because the best stuff goes fast. Plan to add them when temperatures are cooler and rains dependable. In the meantime, keep them watered and keep those black pots out of the sun. One technique used in the Lazy Garden is to simply leave new treasures in the pot and arrange them in and among existing plantings.
Lush foliage hides and shades the pots.
The beautiful new Entry Garden at the North SeaTac Park Community Center has me itching to create better flower beds for next year. I just might do something good enough to show off in a garden tour. Like most of us, plants don't like to be disturbed at the wrong times. It's a broad rule with many exceptions. Examples include woody herbs like Rosemary, Lavender and Sage.