The Courtyard of the Beltsville Library looking north by northwest

Got an early start this morning so I stopped by on the way to work. I had watered Saturday and it rained a bit Wednesday night (~.2").  The 18th week of the year is usually a good time for gardens hereabouts and this one is no exception. The roses are blooming, only one is visible to the left of the Birch trunks, as are a number of perennials (Dianthus, Salvia, Phlox, Lilium, Hemerocallis, Iris, ...)  none of which are visible from this angle. Still, I had to use this picture because this is the first "landscape shot" when the garden has looked good. It took two years!

So far I have been free to plant whatever I choose so, of course there are a goodly number of root-hardy tropicals that won't make much of a show for a month or six weeks. For example, Cestrum auranticum, Jacobinia carnea, Hedychium coronarium, H. coccineum, Musa basjoo, and no doubt some I've forgotten. 

There are quite a few natives including Monarda spp, Phlox spp., Celastrus scandens, Morella, Fothergilla, Rhapidophyllum hystrix (near native), Lonicera sempervirens, Campsis radicans, ... .