Catching Up....

Black-Eyed Susans are still looking decent in my garden but, come mid-August, everything else is waning. I'm eager to trim most perennials way back and start making room for fall mums. The week of rain we had before vacation and the week after of catching up on household and kids' 'stuff ' have put me way behind schedule.

Some of these photos are from my July file...just to give you more viewing variety.

The texture on this Lilium 'Black Beauty' is quite unique...love the green starburst center.

I love this reseeding verbena for it's height and airiness look. Check out Catherine's much more beautiful photo of this annual here

Well deserving name for this beauty....'Aztec Princess' daylily.

I planted these blackberry lilies in early spring before the rose of sharon leaved out so they're actually being supported by the shrub...did I plan this? Absolutely...hehehe! One lone cicada spotted on this white dahlia. He's huge but cool looking, no?

'Honey Perfume' floribunda. Apricot-yellow buds mature to a soft cream. Planted bare root late this spring so she's blooming later than usual. Scent wise, she definitely lives up to her name! Bright Sunset's last few, but beautiful, blooms. Nikko Blue hydrangea did not perform well this year. Though the shrub is ginormous, I have but 3 heads of blossoms. Maybe time for dividing....? 'Autumn Minaret', a very late blooming daylily. At 6 1/2ft tall, this H. altissima hybrid comes from the father of daylily himself, A.B. Stout. Not very showy but, I love the cinnamon dusting. Supposed to bloom through September....we'll see. It's just 6:45am, a time when it's usually bright out, but, this morning, the garden out my window is still in dark shadows, thanks to Big Bad Hurricane Bill. Finally, a whole free day I can devote to the much heartfelt excitement of...what else...gardening! And I won't even mind getting a little wet. Watch out weeds! Here I come!