July Is Here!

The heat-wave-that-refuses-to-leave has taken my weather-wimpery to a whole new level. Garden chores are left undone while I spend early mornings and evenings dragging the hose around, saturating poor, thirsty plants. The rest of the day is spent in other places, usually indoors with a room AC unit that is so loud it could drown out a Boeing flyover. But I can't complain. Well, let's face it. I can, and I do because I'm a weather wuss. 

Despite the meteorological mayhem, the garden is doing surprisingly well. Granted I've resisted the impulse to dig up and move plants and I've even gone so far as to lay an old bed sheet over a few plants that I fear will get sunburned. My efforts have paid off. Nature is so forgiving. 

I'm not a huge fan of Daylilies (Hemerocallis ssp and cvs.) but I've always sort of wanted a white one. Last fall when I saw H x 'Early Snow' on clearance for a buck I grabbed it. Finally, it just started blooming. Ain't it perty?

Hemerocallis x 'Early Snow' 

I have a few pink daylilies too. This one really trips my trigger:

Hemerocallis 'Coming Up Roses' (I think)

While my pink 'Tri-Color' Alstroemerias are a bevy of blossoms, this one is much more demure.

Alstroemeria psittacina 'Variegata'

I've always had a soft spot for the genus Centaurea so, last winter, when I was flower-starved, I bought seeds for Centaurea rothrockii. It just started blooming. Check out the size of these babies! And the bees love them.

Centaurea rothrockii

Another newbie last year is Talinum calycinum, also called Rock Pink or Flame Flower. The tiny, one-inch blossoms only appear in the afternoon. And they drop their little seeds! I've already got a few baby plants popping up. 

Talinum calycinum

Another product of my flower-starved winter has also just started blooming. Check out this miniature Morning Glory, called "Rose Feathers." (Ipomoea quamoclit.)  I bought the seeds through Baker Creek. It's just starting to bloom. 

Ipomoea quamoclit

Here's what the foliage looks like--all soft and ferny.

Ipomoea quamoclit

Don't you love growing new plants?

Here's another newbie for me. I don't typically grow yellow flowers but when I saw this last fall at a plant sale, I succumbed. 

Kniphofia 'Pineapple Popsicle' 

Check out my Gardenia 'Frostproof.' Just in the last few days the fragrant flowers began to appear. I love it. 

Gardenia 'Frostproof'

Ditto for the Dahlias. Actually only this one so far but the others are making good progress.

Dahlia blossom... I don't know the name

Look at how happy the Portulaca plants are.

In other news, during a recent trip to the store, I (naturally) had to detour to the plant department. Check out this morbid plant abuse! Mulitple pots of Digplexis 'Illumination Flame' being tortured with 100 degree heat and little water. What are the store owners thinking?

Plant Abuse

Speaking of morbid, I instinctively reached for my camera when I saw this Trachycarpus casualty. What do you think, Mindy? Would your hubby cut this one down? LOL

And now, a few critters:

This snake thinks he's hiding but, come on dude.

At twilight, a Hummingbird rests just a few inches away from me. 

 Finally, a better photo of the aforementioned sweet little Song Sparrow who likes to sing to us.

I love this little guy!

I hope your garden and its inhabitants are making you happy.

As the Summer Winds Down

Summer isn't at all interested in shoving off and allowing autumn to take the stage and for this I give a wholehearted standing ovation. The drawback to its senescence is the threat of wildfires. Although none were burning close by, the smoke of a distant burn was directly overhead all day today. It was awful. Thankfully the winds have shifted and we can breathe deep this evening. It's a bit unnerving.

Here's a few happy plants.  

One of many Dianthus I've had in the garden for years, putting out a rare late-summer blossom. 

I've never grown Kniphofia because I'm not a fan of the usual orange color.
I do, however, love its structure and form and when I spotted this soft yellow
one at a plant sale last weekend, I grabbed it. (Kniphofia 'Pineapple Popsicle') 

I planted a small plug of Cup and Saucer vine last May.
Finally it's blooming. 

Even the buds are interesting.

The first blossom has fallen but what a sweet way to depart, don't you think?
Directly into the Nicotiana foliage. 

I also found a replacement for the Pitcher Plant I lost during last winter's cold.
(Sarracenia x Wrigleyana 'Scarlet Belle') 

Isn't this new, pink-flowered Delosperma cool? 

This industrious honey bee sure thinks so. 

Spiraea japonica 'Neon Flash' is in bloom again. I've found that giving
it water every now and then makes it happy. (Duh, right?)

Ditto for my roses. Here, 'Knock Out' puts out a perky cluster of goodness. 

And look at how happy my Clemmy 'Pagoda' is! 

One of my favorite flowers.

Yummy

I've had this rose forever. I am ambivalent of its existence but on rare occasion
when it blooms, all doubts evaporate.

There is something kind of magical about Kale, don't you think? 

This is the new birdbath I bought on Craigslist for... wait for it....
Twenty dollars! 

My youngest daughter Susan has no qualms about helping out
a sleepy bumblebee. 

Eventually, after gently setting him down on a leaf, he woke up and flew away.