A Garden Stroll on August 15th

Midsummer in the South! Hard baked clay, lack of rain, temperatures in the 90’s – day in – day out!

The Hosta are stressed – pots and baskets dry out if left without water for one day and insects are rampant! But some signs of summer are encouraging! The first mums are blooming – I saw a purple aster in bloom yesterday – Crepe Myrtle love the heat – Black-Eyed Susan are exploding – Butterflies and bees abound on aromatic blossoms – St John’s Wort is in a third blooming and roses in a fourth cycle. I have a number of projects underway and they seem to never end. With high temperatures and unforgiving humidity plus a knee that hurts, I am somewhat limited in time I can spend and some days after a morning 45 minutes, I am ready to go back inside and just read about gardening!

Projects include my shade garden which I began in late winter and my rock hillside which commenced a year ago and after over ten tons of rock, I am still finishing portions of the eight foot high clay bank. This Fall I will move Hosta to the shade garden and plant a half dozen azalea which I rescued from an errant planting by a wannabe landscaper who acted like he had to force the azaleas to enjoy a sunny planting in red clay. So let’s take a stroll on this hot morning and see what is new or changed since our July venture.

From the top of the clay bank, you can see the combination of terraces and rock on the completed area. Black-Eyed Susan love the location and a late blooming Day Lily hovers over a sweet potato vine that was supposed to climb down but stubbornly refuses to jump over the lip.

Looking the other way, gives you a sense of height of the clay bank. Nemo and friend are always munching the Peacock Lily below the Susans.

New rock are placed stone by stone to help prevent erosion and provide planting pockets .

Almost completed steep section which has to be adjusted and several stones relocated tomorrow morning! Already worn out today! Day Lilies fill pockets to the right.

The Shade Garden on the East side of the house is taking shape and with a recent addition of Green Ice Caladiums along the walkway, it is beginning to look like a real garden!

Caladiums add a cooler touch to complement the darker Coleus above.

A Fairy family has moved in the ln a lush area of the Shade garden. Note the Cricket drumsticks on the grill!

St, John’s Wort continue blooming all summer! Best addition to terraces ever!

The first Purple Aster of the season blossoms next to the ever-blooming White Periwinkle which blooms all summer.

Roses are in their fourth blooming yccle since late March thanks to relentless pruning in February and constant deadheading.

Mums are starting their blooming cycle for the third straight year which will continue through the first or second frost. Bermuda grass to the right thrives in the heat!

Purple azaleas are starting their Fall blooming cycle early.

Elephant Ears this year have not disappointed rising over six feet with leaves stretching a full two feet in length!

Crepe Myrtles enjoy the heat!

Roses also love the heat and sun!

Canna Lily have slowed a bit but remain “leaf roller” free thanks to treatments in the Spring.

Did I mention that azaleas were blooming? I did.

Insects like this Katydid are becoming more common as summer rumbles on.

I hear a distant roll of thunder but its become common every day. Few storms reach us and we have had only light sprinkles this week. Thank you for visiting!