Easing into autumn

After fall-like weather in August, it feels more summer-ish in September. But the sun is at a more southern angle, the sky is a paler shade of blue, and the nighttime temps are in the 50's and 60's, so it feels rather delightful. Not knowing how to dress is an issue I can live with.

The yard is easing into autumn as well. The lack of rain is causing some leaves to fall from dryness, and the lawn is on pause. The riot of summer is over, but a few things bear observation.

The Canada geese are migrating.

I love a parade!

Despite my neglect, this sweet potato vine is hanging in there.

Goldern arches

'Blue Muffin' continues to disappoint, but 'Chicago Lustre' is making up for that this year.

Bird food

I can barely get through the areas north (hostas and goldenrod) and south (norther sea oats, bee balm, goldenrod, rudbeckia, unwanted lambs quarter) of the house. I can't view the north side from inside the house (it runs along the garage), but I look out on this mess from bedroom and bathroom windows.

Bee Alley

Today's "word of the day" is "pensive" - and that is how I'm feeling.

Fireflies and blooms (and booms)

In the gloaming, I like to sit on the deck and watch the fireflies. There are a LOT in my yard this year. I like to think my yardening practices have something to do with that. The larva winter over in the ground or under tree bark. I assume my habit of eschewing mulch, doing fall cleanup in the spring, and favoring native plants all help. With over 2000 species, I hate to be more specific about them, but in general the light-emitting ones are females attracting a male, to mate or eat.

The summer blooms are starting to come out. Is it early? I think not - tomorrow is July 1. It just feels early, probably because of our erratic weather patterns.

Coneflower

Common milkweed

Bee on milkweed

Bee balm

I've been relatively diligent about removing blossoms from the strawberry plants, but have missed a few. The resulting fruit is delicious! There is nothing like a sun-warmed strawberry plucked right off the plant.

A few cherry tomatoes have developed, so I am looking forward to dining on those as well in the near future.

I've been lacksidaisical about staking my one and only tomato plant, and this is what happened. I'm also learning that container plants require a daily watering no matter how much rain has fallen.

Now a pet peeve. Here in Indiana, individuals can purchase their own fireworks. In my city, there are limits as to when one can set them off. However, I live near the edge of the city limits and the county has no such rules. Fortunately, Clio is relatively okay with the noise as long as she is inside and near me.

And while we are on the subject, once upon a time, fireworks displays were limited to once or twice a year, thereby making them special events. Now it seems like almost any reason is cause for fireworks. At least xmas is still only once a year.

End of grumpy rant.

Under the (heat) dome

The past week has been HOT. It's not so bad when there is a breeze or when there is a cloud cover. But when there is sun and no breeze? Ugh. And HUMID. And DRY - no rain. Tomorrow's high should be 80, which will feel chilly. There may be rain, which would be a relief.

My day used to start with coffee and news, breakfast, then dog walking. Then it shifted to coffee and news, dog walking, then breakfast. This past week each day started with a token dog walk, then coffee and news, then breakfast. Once we reach the driveway, Clio turns to go in because she is DONE.

I'm still a bit flummoxed about how few bugs there are this year. The bee balm is now blooming, which is attracting bees, naturally, but not as many as other years. I wonder if our crazy weather has thrown Mother Nature into disarray. Maybe that is why the robins did not eat the serviceberries this year - bad timing.

The coneflower I planted last spring is blooming, and so tall I can't see the rudbeckia behind it. Goldfinch love the coneflower seeds; we'll see if they show up. I'm losing faith in what's "normal" in the backyard gardening world.

I'm behind in weed control while I've been busy watering all the newbies (and a few oldies). Speaking of which, I'd better get to that right now.

Nothing like a good rain

Last Sunday, we received 1.75" of rainfall, then another 0.25" on Monday. Just what all the plants needed. I've been watering through the dry spells, but there is some kind of magic in actual rain.

Just as I hoped/predicted last week, a few things are blooming. There is one blossom on one of the potted butterfly bushes, but more are on their way. The honeysuckle vine has been blooming all along, but after that rain, it really popped.

And the menarda is joining the pretty party.

The zinnias (my favorite annual) are in pots, but that didn't discourage them from expanding their blossom count after the rain.

My dream of green beans is off to a slow start, but at least I will have tomatoes.

All that moisture has also brought out the fungi. These little guys are popping up all over the yard.

Every year volunteer sunflowers emerge, thanks to the bird feeders. This year is no exception, but what is unusual are the clusters of sunflowers, presumably the result of chipmunks or squirrels burying mouthsful of seeds. I've been letting them grow, as I'm hoping it will attract the goldfinch that seem to be MIA this year.

Speaking of birds, there are baby bluebirds in the nesting box. Squeee! When mom or dad come to feed them, they chirp, chirp, chirp. Sparrows are nesting in the Goodwill sign.

The rainfall revealed that some of my gutters were plugged up, so I tackled that chore this past week. My dad lived in his house into his 90's by slowly outsourcing chores, from snow removal to housecleaning. I think gutter cleaning may be my first chore to be outsourced. At least, my new shoulders can now haul the ladders around.

Due to the wildfires in Canada, the air quality has been rather poor this past week, so I spent a lot of time inside. This is also week one of colorguard camp for my granddaughter, and I've been helping with transportation. And then there are the fireworks, which my dogs hate; they want out to chase the squirrels, then frantically scratch at the patio door to be let back in when one of those big booming ones is set off. Keeps me hopping.

Have an independent week!

Rain!

It is not unusual for storm systems to slip past Fort Wayne, either to the north or the south. Very frustrating to watch on Weather Bug. This past week we caught a break, though: a solid inch one day, 3/4 of an inch several days later. It's not enough but better than nothing.

The temps have been more moderate (except for today when we are under a heat advisory), so I've continued working on the garden downsizing plan. All the raised bed frames that I am going to move right now have been moved. I like how they look scattered here and there around shrubs and other plantings. It changes the view.

It will take a while (and a LOT more rain) before I clear away the contents of the raised beds. Because of last summer's neglect, they are full of weeds and quack grass. I want to make sure as much as possible of that detritus goes into the trash can. Also, I am toying with the idea of using the soil as modeling clay, as described here.

Speaking of views, I did not foresee how much time I would spend on the deck, contemplating the yard, and how much the morning glory trellises would block my ability to see what I am contemplating. My goal with the morning glory was to add more shade to the deck, but I'm not sure that will happen, at least not to the extent I had hoped. The jury is still out, but I'm now contemplating Virginia creeper instead, as it will climb the posts and not need any trellis. Has any of you deliberately grown Virginia creeper on a pergola?

While wandering the yard, I snapped a few pics just for fun; the purple coneflower continues to come on strong. This bed was formerly known as the asparagus bed and its walls are of concrete blocks. Over the years, I have tried growing a variety of flowers in the holes of the blocks. This year I chose zinnias and sunflowers.

The only reason this bee is in focus is it was still asleep on the bee balm.

I blocked the north and south sides of the house from the dogs because of their digging and trampling. While watering the above mentioned bed, I discovered this hole in the middle.

And while eyeballing the milkweed field (an area that continues to be neglected), I found this hole. I can't wall off all the garden beds but I am sorely tempted.

The cup plant is blooming. The smoke bushes are not, or just barely. Next up is the rudbeckia, which is taller than the coneflower, something I had not anticipated.

It's a jungle out there!

The heat wave finally broke, so I took advantage of the lower temps and overcast sky to mow and trim and weed a bit, mostly in the front yard. I tell myself to just pull a garden cart full of weeds each day and the yard will look halfway decent, but like housework, it is too easy to say mañana.

In previous years, I have complained bitterly about the lack of blue berries on the Viburnum dendatum 'Blue Muffin'. For whatever reason - polar vortex? rainy spring? heat wave? = it looks like it will have a bumper crop this year. For the same or different reason, the bishop's weed had very few seed heads while the yarrow decided to bloom.

As I mentioned in the previous post, the butterflyweed looks good this year AND now I can report it is doing its job of attracting monarchs. This fellow hung around just long enough for a couple of decent shots.

I was equally happy to find (bumble?) bees on the bee balm, aka monarda. Many years ago I had plenty of this in the so-called meadow, but somehow it all disappeared. I'm happy to have it back with its unique scent.

In an unrelated note, I am attempting to improve my drawing skills by rendering one flower a day, in a range of mediums, mostly colored pencil or markers. Needless to say, my first efforts are obviously first efforts. For days when the weather is uncooperative, I am capturing some closeups of blossoms, so I can continue this pursuit indoors. The drawing results are posted on my IG account, under bittenbyknittin.

Here's hoping the milder weather continues for a while.

More HOT

More oppressively hot weather is here for a couple of days. And it is dry to boot, so most of my gardening has been watering. I have two rain barrels and the kits for attaching them to the downspouts, but I have not been able to bring myself to cut up the downspouts. Good thing the outside faucets are on the old well.

Rattlesnake master is one plant that looks like it is made for the heat.

This is daylily season

Coneflowers are starting

Bee balm is also doing well

I think this coreopsis needs to be divided... in the fall

Hope you are keeping cool this weekend!

Flower power

My yard is on the large size, so while I have lots of plants in bloom, they lack visual impact because they aren't planted in drifts. This year I have been moving things around, so the nomads are not blooming hot and heavy yet either. Here is what's in bloom right now.

The tiger lilies are done, but daylily season is here.

Midsummer is also coreopsis season.

'Zagreb' coreopsis

'Tequila Sunrise' (I think) coreopsis

Lanceleaf coreopsis

The clematis is hanging on.

'Avant-garde' clematis

'Betty Corning' clematis

The first Rose of Sharon is shy, facing the wrong way.

Hibiscus syriacus 'Aphrodite'

This is the first year for smooth hydrangea. I guess this is as good as it gets bloomwise.

The catmint is basically done, but the catnip is making up for it. I checked my wildflower book - catnip is an alien, so I have started eliminating it from the yard. Don't tell Finn.

Some volunteers are native.

Pokeweed

Fleabane

Other volunteers are a mystery, but I'm guessing this is a weed.

The coneflowers have been up and at 'em for a while, but the rudbekia is just starting.

Despite my neglect, some bee balm and yarrow have survived.

My prairie smoke didn't smoke this year, but the smoke bush is.

Can anyone explain to me why sweet alyssum continues blooming when crowded in a pot, but if planted by its lonesome, the blooming stops?

Gardening is always full of surprises: some columbine continues to bloom while the early flowering hostas seem sparse this year.

And last but not least, some butterfly attractants.

Common milkweed

Buddleia 'Miss Violet'

I actually saw a butterfly today that wasn't a paper white. Maybe a black swallowtail? It flitted around, not settling on anything despite my efforts to provide a variety of choices.