Summer in Wendy’s Garden

Today we’re visiting Wendy’s garden in Cleveland Township in northern Michigan.

In high summer, lush greenery is dotted with flowers, and there are lots of places to sit, look out, and enjoy it.

A beautiful sun casts its glow over peacock gladiolus (Gladiolus murielae, Zones 6–10 or as a tender bulb). This beautiful bulb used to be classified in its own genus but has been moved into gladiolus. Unlike typical gladiolus, the elegant flowers are strongly fragrant, especially in the evening. They tend to bloom at the end of summer, sending the season out on a beautiful note.

Every inch of this garden is planted, giving it a full, wild look, and minimizing the chances for weeds to establish.

A variety of different roses are in full summer bloom. Thick plantings around the roses help show them off. Some rose varieties tend to have awkward, bare bottoms to the plants, so this style makes them look their best.

Squash and cucumbers join the flowers to give food as well as beauty. And a Mandevilla (Zones 9–11 or as an annual) in a hanging basket has climbed up the rope supporting the basket to create a column of bloom.

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

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