Trying to Beat the Heat

I know I said post before last I would try not to put so many pictures on each entry, but I just can’t help myself. Yes, I have done it again. The pictures will be slowing down soon anyway as we approach fall. Jamie and I first concentrated on spring blooming plants, this year we worked on summer blooming plants and next year we will work on fall. So ya’ll just hang in there a little bit longer while I subject you to more images of the blooms from our garden.

The sun has been relentless the past couple of weeks and all the plants have really taken a beating. The two maples in the front yard and one of the dogwoods have a few crispy leaves on them where the battery went bad in the water sprinklers and we didn’t catch it in time. They aren’t dead, but they look like they’ve been in a war. I guess I should be thankful they are still alive, but I just don’t like them looking so tattered. Most especially when I spend the greater part of my free time perusing beautiful gardens online with flawless plants that look nothing like our pitiful trees. For once, I wish someone would post some pictures of their mistakes so I could confirm I’m not the only one that does it. Every now and then I would like to see a wilted shrub or a tree with half the leaves on it burnt to a crisp.

Last night we finally got some rain for the first time in weeks. It wasn’t a lot, but right now I’ll take whatever we can get. It’s been so dry I didn’t even bother to cut the grass last week. It was crunchy last night; hopefully it will be showing a little more green this afternoon. Well, why don’t we move ahead with some of the pictures and what better way to start than with a daylily?

‘Chorus Line’

Last winter I was visiting a friend’s garden and while I was there I found some seed pods on a trellis so, naturally I reached up there and pulled some them off. I had no idea what they were and since the actual gardener was gone no one could identify them. I planted them in the hopes that they might be Black Eye Susan vine. They turned out to be morning glory vines so I’m just going to snatch them up.

‘Frances Fay’

I got these mums from Lowes when they were half dead last year for 19¢ a piece. They’re so large this year they look like small shrubs. I have really enjoyed them this spring.

‘Frosty Jeanette’

‘Fragrant Treasure’

Jamie and I started a collection of cannas this past spring. We currently have 29 different varieties. I don’t think we will be adding anymore to the collection. They’re pretty, but I’m not as big a fan of them as I am the daylilies. If you happen to like them I highly recommend Horn Canna Farm. They range in price from $1.25 to $1.75 and you get large healthy tubers. The less expensive is the standard and the more expensive of the two prices are considered the Collectors Choice.

‘Tangelo’




‘Striped Beauty’




‘Joan Senior’




‘Indian Shot’




‘Little Girl’




‘Green Wyoming’




‘Irving Hepner’

Here are some glads we planted last year. We’ve considered planting more, but I’m sort of torn because the bloom time it so short lived. I suppose we could tuck them here and there.

‘Atom’




‘Chicago Mist’




‘Janet’




‘Kwanso’