Way back on May 12th, I posted a photo from Sarah Post Lee (refresh your memory here) that showed her spring garden in St. George, Utah, that utilizes lots of winter-hardy annuals for early color. Sara recently sent in a photo of what the garden looks like now, and it’s fascinating to see the progression! Of this photo, she says, “Here is a photo of the same part of the garden taken this morning (June 13th).  What a difference a month makes!  My favorites are up and running now – the extremely waterwise Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia, USDA Hardiness Zones 6-9), red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora, Zones 6-11), and paperflowers (Psilostrophe sp.) are beginning to come into their own and dominate the landscape.  The dianthus is still blooming, along with a few snapdragons, but the pansies are beginning to fade in our 95-degree heat.  The low lavender flowers in the very front that echo the perovskia are catmint (Nepeta mussinii, syn. Nepeta racemosa, Zones 4-8).  What survives from now on are the xeriscape plants, which, in their own way, are every bit as lush and gorgeous as the spring flowers.  Our gardens delight us in every season, and now mine brings me a fresh, colorful sight during our long, hot summer.”

Thanks, Sara, for sending in this update! **Click on the second photo for the early spring shot to compare the scene in two seasons.**

**New feature! Click directly on the photo to enlarge it in a pop-up window.**

Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY blog! Every weekday we post a new photo of a great garden, a spectacular plant, a stunning plant combination, or any number of other subjects. Think of it as your morning jolt of green.

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