We just returned from our annual week’s vacation at the family cottage on a lake in Connecticut … but I’m holding off on THAT post for now. I love my kids and all, but I need a break from them. Instead, today’s post is all about what I returned home to out in the garden.
The second I stepped out of the car upon arriving home, I attacked the task of watering full throttle. It was a super dry week and all of the plants were begging for a beverage or two. After their thirst was quenched, I had some time to check out how things had progressed since I had left. Here’s what I discovered:
Phlox paniculata ‘David’ is in full bloom and smells amazing:
I was even smart enough to cover up it’s ugly legs (I had a joke in here originally about the cover up of legs but no matter how hard I tried, it came off creepy):
I recently relocated a few Caryopteris (Bluebeard) ‘Sunshine Blue’ to a more prominent location but did so in the dry summer heat. I was happy to see they haven’t wilted under the conditions:
I am anxious for the late summer blooms that were hidden the past few years:
For whatever reason, no plant reseeds worse that this one as I have seedlings all over the yard. I need to remember to not let the seeds mature this fall:
I love Lobelia siphilitica (Blue cardinal flower) and the blooms are so close:
I smelled the blooms of the Clethra (Summersweet) ‘Hummingbird’ before I actually noticed it in full bloom and I friggin love it:
I planted a few Physostegia (Obedient plant) ‘Summer Snow’ last fall and they are thriving; some times it’s so damn easy:
I know I’m a broken record, but I love me some Eupatorium (Joe Pye Weed) ‘Gateway’. It is so imposing, in a good way:
Yeah for me, I actually successfully grew some annuals from seed, and they are still alive:
Oh yeah, the ornamental grasses still are rockin and rollin:
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| Miscanthus ‘Variegatus’ |
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| Chasmanthium latifolium (Northern Sea Oats) |
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| Miscanthus ‘Gracillimus’ |
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| Pennisetum ‘Karley Rose’ |
But the absolute coolest thing, was finding these three little guys nestled in an arborvitae. I made sure to disrupt as little as possible:
It’s always fun to get away from the garden for a while and then return to see what has transpired. Good times indeed.
We can’t even ignore our garden for more that 24 hours. without massive plant pass out. I wouldn’t even want to think what a week away would do. Of course, Mother Nature hasn’t helped us much — less than 5″ of rain since May 1. Glad you had something thriving to come home to.
Glad to see that the flowers and plants kept strong while you were gone. They probably new they’d take a beating on a post if they hadn’t! LOL! Your flowers and grasses look awesome. Your Lobelia is at the exact same stage mine is at.. I love the Obedient Plant.. have you ever tried Chelone? It’s a great compliment to that plant as well? The most common is called “Hot Lips”.. loves a damp location as well as the Obedient plant. The bird picture is cool. Did you do any photo editing on it? The beaks look so bright.. Oh, new trees? Can’t wait to read the post.. 😉
Man I wish I could get my Clethra to look half that good. Your garden looks great despite your absence. Congrats on the baby birds.
Your baby bird is so adorable! Wish I could find something that cute to photograph. Your garden is stunning, you bring life to the computer screen with all the beautiful plants. Thank you.
It’s hard to leave a garden-but yet kind of neat to see the changes too. I grew Physostegia from seed this past winter–hope it turns out as beautiful as yours!
It is fun to return to the gardens and see what has happened in your absence. Everything looks great!
Well, that’s the difference between you and me. You try amd mask your creepiness, and I just set mine loose. Let your freak flag fly I say!
I can’t go away for a week without watering. I have to have someone come over and water, or things will die. That’s in early spring. The rest of the summer, I can’t even keep up when I’m here, so I let everything die until fall.
I understand how you feel… There’s no place like home, I don’t care how many vacations I take, once I’m done I can’t wait to get back to my home and garden… Your garden is looking as lovely as always. By the way what specie of baby birds are those?
True Vetsy, Just returned home from a home away from home. And my New England garden was so thirsty…no one can take care of it the way I do…just have to grin and bear it…and pray for more rain and not torrential downpours when gone. Even the bird feeder was empty…ouch!
I am on vacation in Pennsylvania right now and can only hope my garden back in Iowa is doing well. It has been in the high 90’s with heat indexes well into the hundreds. I have someone watering my containers, but the rest of the garden is having to fend for itself. I think I miss my garden more than my dogs!
Everything’s looking great, and what a wonderful find in the arborvitae!