Shadow Shot Sunday

I was out taking pictures of butterflies in the garden and as usual this one got away but not before I captured its shadow on the leaf where it was resting. You can see the wing of the butterfly in the upper left of the photo.

Happy Shadow Shot Sunday to all. For more shadow shots go here.

Droughty Fall

The garden is sure looking sad this year. Usually at this time it is recooperating from the late summer drought we normally have. However this year has not been normal in any stretch of the imagination.

I will say that there are finally a few pretty bugs in the garden. The above Red Admiral looks a little tattered but it isn't the only one that has been to visit lately.

As this Gray Hairstreak is taking advantage of the holes that the hummers have been making in the hosta flowers so have the Red Admirals like the one on the header photo.

After having a sip from the butterfly bush this Monarch was seen on a milk weed vine. I wonder if it was looking for a place to lay eggs.

The Silver Spotted Skippers have been in evidence all summer. Nothing seems to put them off schedule.

It is a bit surprising to have honey bees but I am happy to see them buzzing around.

Another pleasant surprise this summer was the vine growing beside the compost bin. These big yellow-orange blooms started developing.  

Then we started finding some little green fruits that developed into...

Yes, you guessed right, an Acorn Squash.  The best part is this is not the first one we got from this vine. Let me tell you. This hasn't been watered this summer. It would be a good veggie to plant if you have dry growing conditions.  As far as I can tell it hasn't had any bugs adversely bothering it.

I am trying to put on my happy face about this growing season but it is a struggle. I just keep telling myself that there are people out there with worse problems. When I look around and see the dwarf mondo grass dieing...

And the last of my standing dogwoods looking like this I begin to lose heart. 

I haven't felt this way about the garden since my Mother passed away. It is difficult to even get the nerve up to go out and water. Oh well, enough of that. Buck up girl. I know I can do it. Just look at this pretty little wall hanging planter that was given to me at the beginning of the season. To read more about that you can go here.  It has grown into it's own. I could hang it on the wall if I had a spot. I don't really have a place to hang it so it sits propped up  on a shelf. It must be happy enough because a couple of the plants are blooming. 

They have the sweetest little white bloom. 

I have had another amazing discovery.  Quite by accident too. It seems that Lowes had geranium starts and alyssum to practically give away so I put them in my knot garden for a little summer color. I am thrilled to say they have been watered only three times in the past three months and they look great.

On this happy note I am going to sign off. I debated on wheter to post this whiny diatribe about this growing season since it seemed like I went from Bloom Day to Gloom Day. I think I feel better about it so thanks so much for listening.  I do want to let you know that we here at Greenbow are alive and hopeful. I hope that you are too.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - August 2011

My garden doesn't feel like it is full of blooms but when I walked around with my garden journal making a list of blooms I was surprised to see what all was blooming. It seems there just aren't masses of blooms. Blooms here and there. So here I am going to show a few of them.

Japanese Toad Lily 'Togen'. It is the only Toad Lily Blooming. I think it is because it is by a tree that I am watering to keep alive. This heat and drought is being rough on my garden. 

This is an unnamed clematis that I bought at a sell out at one of the big box stores. I needed a vine to go on an arch. This one wasn't even blooming when I bought it. It was the right price. Luckily it is not one I already have. It has a deeper color than what is in this photo. 

This rascally juvenile male Hummingbird has been working on the Hosta flowers. He is contemplating how to get at the nectar at teh base of the flower since the flower is too big for him to dip into. 

Smart boy poked a hole at the base and sipped the nectar. This is a big reason why I don't replace these old fashioned dark green hostas in my garden. They make a wonderful back drop for other plants and the lily-like blooms are gorgeous and the hummingbirds would be so disappointed. 

This last picture isn't really a bloom as yet. This night blooming cereus has already bloomed a couple other times. You can see the rag-like spent blossom in the background. I have another bud working its way to a blossom. I can't hardly wait. I don't know what has been different this summer other than the incredible heat. Maybe that is what it takes to make it bloom more. Usually it blooms only one time, often with more than one bloom at a time.

So what is blooming in your garden at this time? Anything unusual?? Below you will find a list of all that is blooming in my garden today.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is brought to us by Carol at May Dreams Garden. You can go here to see blooms from all over the world. Thank you Carol for supporting our habit.

Surprise Lilies; Clematis 'Ramona', 'Unnamed' 'Jackmanni'; Hostas; Tall Phlox 'David' 'Robert Poore'
'Blue'; Rudebecia; Geranium; Hydrangea 'Lime Light', 'Nikko Blue', 'Elegant', 'SNowball'; Corydalis; Cyclamen; Lonicera; Datura; Coreopsis; Bronze Fennel; Red Monarda; White CLimbing Rose (1bloom)
Red climbing Rose (2 blooms); Butterfly bush; Toad Lily; Yellow Trumpet Vine; Comfrey; Russian Sage; Curly mint; Lucifer Crocosmia; Beauty Berry shrub (just beginning); Perescaria; Butterfly Weed;Echinacea; Pink Anemone (just starting); Joe Pye Weed; Crepe Hardy Hibiscus; Annuals in pots.

Sunday Safari

 Early this morning the day seemed to be starting out hot as it has been lately. The windows were fogged but I noticed a distinct difference. There was a tiny snail meandering through the moisture on the windows.

I am such a weenie during these heat spells. Unfortunately this entire summer has been a heat spell. So I stayed inside after we got home from our usual Sunday bird outing.

I wasn't alone though. I had several visitors at my window. 

This guy wouldn't hardly take no as an answer to a request for me to come out and play. 

I haven't felt lonesome at all the last few weeks. The poor bedraggled House Wren is busy feeding her second brood outside my window. The poor dear is working her tail feathers off bringing food to the little ones. It won't be much longer and they will be fledging. I can hear them calling for food when I am across the room from them.

I hope you all had a fine weekend. For more Sunday Safari notes go to Sherry's here and over to Cheryl's here.

The Big Splash

The Gray Catbirds continue to entertain me this summer. Now that it has become so infernally hot the water feature is a great draw. You will have to pardon my photos as I took them through the patio doors. The water feature is just across the patio from the doors and the birds don't like it if I even open the door let alone sit on the patio to photograph them. Catbirds are very wary.

Ahh yes this water seems about right.

A good splash and she feels like she can go on sitting. I do believe they have a second nest going. I haven't found it as yet. 

A good splash makes her feel better. 

Why do I think it is "her" since you can't look at them and tell the difference?  "He" is not too far away. Ever watchful. Escorting her to and from a certain direction where I think the new nest is situated. 

He even watches as she has a bite of blackberry jelly before they depart. He doesn't dine while she is out and about. He is ever vigilant, his job is to protect her.

Of course the Catbirds aren't the only ones partaking in the cooling bath. The Robins take turns making the big splash. After a couple of them bathe I have to go out and add water. After all you can't have the water too deep because you don't want your birds to accidently drown.

Robins are the Masters of the bath. They don't like to share while bathing. All others await their finish before diving in. This male House Sparrow is patiently awaiting the Robin's permission to go ahead.

The House Finches are way back on the pecking order. They have to await some time before they can move in for a cooling bath.

 

Or they can do as some of the more shy birds, such as the Cardinals, and use a different bird bath. 

Are your bird baths quite busy in the bird bath this time of year?



Foliage Follow Up - July 2011

As the heat settles on the garden and we slip into those lazy hazy days of summer foliage plays a big part in the garden.

Green is the operating word here at Greenbow. Where in the flower beds there are a lot of greens and then take many forms.  Barren Wort (epimedium), Ginger and Sensitive Ferns huddle together.

I saw in a magazine a picture of black grass popping up in a spread of golden creeping jenny. It works but the creeping jenny has to be tamed from time to time as it trys to take over the world. In my garden the "golden" creeper turns more green this time of year. I would like it better if it stayed its golden color longer. 

Hostas play a big part in my shade garden. They tend to hold the colors that they are supposed to be. 

Do you have any interesing foliage combos in your garden?  If so Pam at Digging would love to have you post a foliage follow up to Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. I would love to see them too. So if you need inspiration for foliage in your garden head over to Digging and have a look at other foliage combos.  Have a great weekend everyone.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - July 2011

Happy Garden Bloggers Bloom Day to all of you that have stopped by via Carol's,  our hostess's blog, May Dreams Garden.

To start our tour here at Greenbow I have to show you the Robert Poore tall garden phlox that is the absolute best phlox in the garden here. He pours the sweetest fragrance all through the garden. I have placed clumps of this through out my garden to have this sweet smell as one strolls through. It is fun to see how tall it grows in various places too. I am sure that light is a factor in some places but the height differences are interesting. Here by the fence it is about 4' tall. I have a spot that is almost 6' tall and it doesn't need staking.  Then there are some short three footers too. All are generous with the scent.

This white phlox I have moved from the front garden to the back by the patio so we can see it more often. As I have often said I don't go out front much. Along the edge of the patio, behind the phlox you can see some hostas blooming and the last of those pretty yellow daylilies. 

On the back fence the yellow trumpet vine is blooming up a storm. The hummers and other nectar feeders keep busy on this vine. 

The red mondara and blue phlox are fighting to get some sun here. I do like the combo so I should move them out to the front of the border where they can gather the rays they need. 

Russian Sage is so pretty in the morning light. 

This is the latest Cranesbill that I have planted. It has been in the garden since last summer. It has small leeaves and blooms but it has ignored the drought and flood seasons here an bloomed up a storm. It is sweet how it spreads so willingly in it's alloted area. 

The cushion blooms of the limey green tansy are going strong. The Lucifer Crocosmia that is right beside it is lying down on the job. hmmmm Must remember to stake the Crocosmia. It would look so pretty if it would stand up 

The old fashioned hibiscus is beginning to bloom.

The Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea is blooming up a storm. I can't wait to see when the strawberry affect kicks in. It has been in the vanilla stage for some time. 

The goosneck loosestrife is about finished blooming. There are lots of hosta blooms. the butterfly bush is blooming up a storm and several other things setting blooms.

I hope you enjoyed your boom tour. If you want to see other blooms all over the world do check out Carol's Blog. Or if you wish to participate do make a post and add your garden to Mr Linky.