Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - August 2016

This has been a month of ups and downs. The temperatures have been up and the rain has finally come down bringing the temperatures with it. It is a sweet relief

A lot that has been blooming have been the annuals in the garden. Zinnias, 

daturas and the colorful gladiolas that I just love but they reach for the sun here and do a lot of flopping. 

I can tell when the days are shortening. The orchids begin their blooming session. 

Wendy's Wish Salvia has been fearless in the heat. I keep it watered and the humming birds thank me by keeping the blooms well tended. 

The honeysuckles are happy with all this rain. They are putting out some blooms. Not as many as during their spring/early summer bloom but enough to appreciate. 

Another late summer bloomer is the clump of turtle heads.  

Everything is a bit heavy with all the rain.  

Even the stalwart Limelight hydrangea is bowing with all the rain. I don't mind this. We needed the rain. 

The Weigelia out front decided to bloom up a storm in thanks for all the rain.

The larger hostas are putting on a show. 

The hummers are also keeping these blooms tended. These old fashioned white blooms scent the air as you walk by reminding me of why I like them so much.

The greening of the garden is proceeding. It is that time of year when the blooming plants are more sporadic and green comes to the fore. So if you are wanting to see more blooms head over to 

Carol's, she is hosting her Garden Bloggers Bloom Day today and every month on the 15th. Be sure to head over here to see what is blooming in everyone's gardens.

Other plants blooming:

Crepe Myrtle

Rudbekia tribola

Periscaria 'Dragon's Tongue'

Annuals

Garden Surprises

 There has been a very interesting surprise in our garden. No, I am not talking about the Naked Ladies popping up here and there around the garden.

When we came home the other evening. As soon as I stepped into the kitchen I looked out the back door and saw a bit of brown in the hole of a bird house that hangs straight out from that door. I couldn't tell what sort of creature was in the hole. I figured it was a house sparrow that got it's head stuck in the hole because the hole is so small that only Chickadees have ever used this box. I went and got my binoculars to have a closer look.

When I looked I almost shouted to my DB ' A flying squirrel...no a big mouse...no A FLYING SQUIRREL!!!'

DB quickly got his bins to confirm. I couldn't hardly believe it. I had only seen a flying squirrel one other time in my life. That one was in Ferdinand State Forest one spring when I was helping a friend clean out bluebird boxes. We found a nest with young flying squirrels.

This little critter is in my garden. Just look at that cute little face.  I took these photos through dirty glass and the house was back lit, but I didn't want to miss the photo opportunity. I didn't think anyone would believe me. I couldn't hardly believe me. I didn't know they were in the neighborhood let alone in our garden. After watching the little rodent peeking out of the hole and disappearing inside I started thinking about a few clues that should have warned me there might be a different critter in the garden.

Last October I cleaned out the nest boxes. In this yellow box I found a layer of acorns below a downy soft nest.  

I knew that the Chickadee didn't nest in that box last year. Is this the nest of a Flying Squirrel? I bet it is. Why? Because of the acorns in the box, and the thick densely packed nest. Does anyone have any experience with this creature and it's ways?  

I have read that their preferred food is acorn. After finding this cache in the nest box I thought maybe some of the grey squirrels that frequent our feeders had stuffed acorns into this box and then chewed the hole trying to get to them again.

 Yes, that little turd I found on the shelving that holds several different types of bird houses.Should have been a clue. I think it might belong to the flying squirrel. When I first saw it this past week I thought rat...I rest my case. (S)he might have been checking out the other houses.

 I now think this little nocturnal flying squirrel has been the one bringing acorns into the garden and planting them everywhere. All this time I have been blaming the grey squirrels. I bet he is also the one who took away one of my air plants. I wonder if (s)he thought it would be a good padding in it's nest or it was just a tasty treat?

August Greeting 2016

August has come in like a lamb.  I know that here August is a real dry heat monger and isn't really like this first day, a fantasy of mild 80°F with a much needed dousing of 3/4" of rain. August is just giving this little respite before coming into it's own.  I am gladly accepting this gift of mild weather and taking advantage by getting out and doing some weedin. I even got to pull-up the hose onto the path for a day. Maybe even longer if we get more rain. It is trying it's best to rain more. Here is hope.

As you can see there is a whole lot of green going on in the garden now. July was so hot and dry I kept thinking it was August. My garden helper and I decided to walk around on the now softened grass to see how the garden was after this gift of moisture.

On these short forays through the garden my mind just can't help but start ticking off all the garden chores that need to be done. Like cutting back the iris foliage.

The laybrinth is holding it's own this summer. That is one thing I can say for Zoysia grass, it is very forgiving of drought times.

There is a lot of green in the garden now. If you look around a bit you can find shots of color.

Let us walk around back to see if there is more color.

Annie tried to convince me that there was a rabbit rustling around over in the side lot. We aren't going there. We will walk around a path or two to try to find some color.

 It is a good thing I like green.

You have to look fairly close. To find shots of color.

Of course there is color here and there. I just need to be watchful I guess.

 I will have to close for now.

The next time I will be zooming in for some colorful treats. That is if I can convince the plants to cooperate. 

Do  you still have a lot of color in your garden?