Summer Solstice

According to the calendar, tomorrow is the first day of summer and the heat is on.  Also known as the Summer Solstice, on this day the Sun is as far North as it will be all year.  This Swallowtail has already discovered the Pink Lemonade Honeysuckle is in bloom.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the amount of daylight hours between sunrise and sunset on June 21st will be close to 14 1/2 hours, making this the longest day of the year. 

I will fondly remember the Iris in bloom...

the shade loving, spring blooming, Bleeding Hearts...

as well as many brightly colored Tulips. 

Nearly gone are the Peonies.

Each season brings another set of expectations and new challenges.  I find myself referencing my 2012 garden notebook almost daily to compare with what is going on now in the garden.  When did the Smoke Bush tips explode with dainty puffs of flowers?  The first Liatris bloom?  Or what day did the Clematis trellis change from a mass of green leaves to purple flowers?  When did Raspberries become part of our daily menu?  Well, summer is here...My expectations are high and I'm looking forward to the challenges it brings.