Star Gazing & Summer Thymes

Stargazer Lilies

All gardeners need a trick up their sleeve. High mountain gardeners need that and then some. Summer arrived as it always does ~ late, as usual, and blazingly hot just 2 short weeks after the last snowfall.

Your garden is probably in full bloom. Mine is just getting started! And that's where one of my favorite tricks comes in... transplanting a super spectacular perennial into my garden that's had a 4-month head start on summer. (I bought these Stargazer Lily bulbs in February and have been nurturing them indoors ever since.)

Definitely try this at home. It is guaranteed to make your neighbors green with envy.

Stargazers have a lovely fragrance and they're a lot tougher than they look. USDA zones 3 - 8, happy in most any type of soil. The only fussy aspect is that they love fun sun but want their roots shaded. That's where this little doll comes in:
Lemon Thyme's tiny little (about an 1/8th of an inch) flowers make a nice ground cover for taller perennials. When she's done blooming she's not done working. Dried Lemon Thyme tastes fabulous on chicken and fish. (USDA zones 3-8, very waterwise.)