HOT

When I look at the weather forecast, all I see are days and days of high temperatures, over 90 for forever. Some of those days include a "chance of rain" which means none. I've had to drag out the hose in the evening to encourage the droopers. It is only July; what will August be like?

It's too hot and dry to try to transplant anything, but there is plenty of other work to do. I have a few plants that I regret, in this case trumpet vine and forsythia, that I am eliminating by cutting back, then applying herbicide. The stuff I am using, Ortho Poison Ivy and Tough Brush Killer, doesn't seem to work very fast, but it did eliminate the poison ivy growing under the gold mop (plus a few hyacinth that were inadvertently sacrificed). I may try applying it to mulberry samplings, too.

After cutting back the trumpet vine on the inside of my privacy fence, I ventured into "no man's land", the area between the fence and my (now new) neighbor's privet hedge, to see if there was trumpet vine growing on that side. I was never able to convince the previous owner of the hedge to do anything to it, so I pruned back my side to keep the branches off the utility lines (cable and phone, not electrical) and allow me room to cut the grass and weeds. Last summer, though, I let the privet go because of my hip.

I have yet to meet my new neighbors, let alone discuss the privet, but initially they seemed to be making an effort to keep that area mowed. Then they gave up, perhaps after someone (I'm guessing the underground utility guy) pruned some branches, then let them lay where they fell. When I stepped through the gate this week, I found what looked like a Canada thistle farm.

It took me several morning sessions, but I cleared out the fallen branches, whacked the weeds, and "mowed" (with my string trimmer). The hedge needs some attention, however, as there is honeysuckle (the bad kind) and mulberry samplings (also the bad kind) growing there. The branches need to be pruned to protect the lines. Then I will borrow a truck to haul all the detritus to the compost site. Maybe while I am doing all this, I will get to meet the neighbors and try once again to broach the subject of what to do with the privet.

The west side of the house is as finished as it is going to be for now. We're all set for the AC to be serviced. I want to move the lilies sometime and fill that last bit with pebbles too.

I keep changing my mind about where to move the lilies, but once I get rid of one of the forsythias, they can join their brethren in a small bed of mixed lilies, like this one.

I have seen squirrels and chipmunks around the yard (no rabbits as of late), but I have also been finding dead voles in the back lawn when I pick up dog poop. Initially I suspected my outdoor cat, but Finn usually eats what he catches. From observing the dogs, I think maybe they are the ones trying to eliminate these pests. Good dogs!

A perennial (heh, heh) mystery is why some yarrow in my yard blooms while some does not. I gave my SO some yarrow and he experiences the same thing. I thought yarrow liked full sun, but now I have my doubts as the flowering plants receive afternoon shade while the non-bloomers are in the sun all day long. Anyone share this experience?

'Betty Corning' is just about done, but the 'Avant-garde' clematis is still blooming. My SO and I have been discussing alternative methods of supporting these vines, as they overwhelm everything I have tried so far. Maybe part of an antenna tower? Milkweed and bee balm is starting - they each have their distinctive aromas.

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.

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.

What's that smell?

The privet hedge is in bloom. The aroma is almost too cloying to be enjoyable. The bees are loving it, though.

We have received quite a bit a rain this spring, at least an inch a week, I think. Another inch fell over the past day or two, and now the yard is starting to sprout mushrooms.



Gadzukes! That's not all that's sprouting.



Every year I am overrun with zucchini, but last year I did not plant any due to the renovations and I missed it. The stuff from the grocery store just does not taste the same.

Finally, a halfway decent pic of blossoms on the honeysuckle vine.



At A Way to Garden, they were discussing aphids on honeysuckles. So that is why the blossoms sometimes curl up and die. More come on, but maybe I should add an aphid shower to my yard regime.

The yarrow is starting to bloom.



But it looks like the pestimon has bit the dust. I will plant more someday because the hummingbirds really like it.

I have generations of rabbits in my backyard habitat.



The ones in this nest have since ventured out, but they are the equivalent of toddlers. They hide in the coneflower, and mama comes around to nurse them now and then. I tried to get a photo of the latter, but was too cautious because I did not want to disturb them.

This guy is a teenager, I bet.



He used to be quite skittish, but now he just watches me with that "What's YOUR problem?" look on his face.

Otherwise, I am harvesting radishes and scallions, mowing grass between showers, and losing the battle of the weeds. So what else is new?

Dingleberry

After all my hard work, chopping and bundling brush, I forgot to put it out for trash pickup this morning. *sigh*

The thrill of spring is giving way to the steady rhythm of summer. The honeymoon is over, but there are still a few interesting things around the yard.

Up close and personal, the milkweed blossoms await their pollinators.



This plant grows from a crack between the driveway concrete and a wall of castle block. The volunteers in the 3B garden are not nearly as robust, in spite of having real dirt to grow in and lots of mulch to keep their feet moist.

The burning bush is starting to make these little fruit? seeds? that the sparrows like.



Hmmm. I just did a little research. The burning bush does produce fruit which the birds do like, BUT it is also considered a non-native invasive. I did not know that. I have not noticed my bush doing any invading in my yard, but the birds may be spreading the seeds far and wide. In my defense, this bush was here when I bought the house.

Yuccas are forever, but this one is struggling to bloom.



If memory serves me correctly, once upon a time I planted three yuccas in this spot. When I added more plants, I tried to eliminate some of the yuccas, but like a bad weed, more keep popping up. What remains has to compete with the asplenifolia and sandcherry for sunlight. The flower stem is quite spindly and not full at all. Not sure if I will do anything about it, though.

The next two pix were an attempt to showcase the 3B garden but my photog skills are lacking.



3B stands for Bees, Butterflies, Birds. This garden is successful in attracting all three. From a distance, it appears meadowlike, very green with highlights of color. The above photo shows the catmint and daisies, the picture below yarrow, pestemon, and keys of heaven.



The 3B is prettier in real life.

The two-leggeds need to eat as well.



The first pepper!

And here is the Mad Rabbit.

No Man's Land

There is an area behind my back fence, in front of the privat, that belongs to me. When I first moved in, the neighbors behind me were using it as a dumping ground. I didn't realize this until, while I was cleaning up the debris, they came out and apologized profusely for the mess; I had assumed the previous owners of my house had left the junk behind. These neighbors and I took turns mowing that stretch. When they moved away, the new neighbors and I had a few "discussions" about the privat and their fence, with me discouraging them from cutting down the privat and them trying to get me to do the trimming by their fence. Now I am the exclusive mower of the area, but I decline responsibility for the grass growing along their fence. These same neighbors share a swath between their fence and the fence of the people next door to them. Neither party seems to want to take responsibility for this area, so it gets a little ratty looking until finally one of them (I'm not sure which one) runs a mower through it. Do you have no-man's-land areas in your neighborhood that become passive-aggressive battle zones?

The weather forecasts are reliably unreliable, so yesterday and today were mowing days for me. Yesterday was also car washing day and garage cleaning day. Everyday is deadheading day and, since it hasn't rained in a while, water something or other day.

The weather this past week has been delightful, highs in the 70's, lows in the 50's. Today it climbed into the 80's, so I turned the AC on for a while. These temps have allowed the climbing rose to just keep going and going.



There is almost not enough room on the canes for the thick clusters of blooms.



I still haven't gathered any rose petals while I may. Sometimes enough is enough.

The early bird hosta is inching closer to full bloom.



Hummingbirds like these.

This photo does not do justice to the range of pastel colors in the yarrow.



There is white and yellow and pink and lavender.

A neighbor's yucca has burst forth with bloom while mine is just barely starting.



But his does not have to compete for sunlight with an asplenifolia.

I've been cruising the nurseries and nursery departments, looking for more 'Jethro Tull' and, since I inadvertently destroyed the last of the scabiosa, I have also been keeping an eye out for a replacement. Tonight I found both at Lowes.



This is Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' aka purple fountain grass. Now that I am taking a closer look at the plant tag, I realize I did not buy what I thought I was buying - this stuff is supposed to get huge. I may have to rethink where I plant it. (That pesky lack of mindfulness thing bites me once again.)

Several years ago, I received with a mail order plant shipment some free lilies. I stuck them in the ground here and there, with the intention of moving them someday. You know what they say about good intentions.



Here is this year's first bloomer of this group. It is growing in the pink and white flower bed, but it looks like a good candidate for the yellow and maroon side of the house. Since I will be planting 'Jethro Tull' tomorrow (weather permitting), maybe I will move this guy and replace him with some coneflower.

Maybe.