The Back Garden From Above

We had an outfit come out to give us an estimate on a new roof. Our roof is 24years old so it is time. We have had a couple of issues. The fellow that was on the roof measuring and looking things over has been here before, a really nice fellow. I asked him if he would mind to take pictures of the back garden when he finished. He said sure. The following is a short video he did. I didn't realize he was going to do that and came around the corner of the house to tell him not to worry too much about all the tree limbs in the way. I think he did a good job with what he had to work with.

I hope you enjoyed the short tour. Have a great weekend.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - August 2019

I am so pleased to say that I have several  blooms that are quite exciting to me this month. First up is the Cardinal Flower. It is planted here with some tall Blue Lobelia and a wonder of wonders a Dusty Miller that lived through the winter. It was something of a surprise that the Dusty Miller lasted because the rabbits ate the other ones. I didn't expect it to live in the first place since none had ever done so before. Neither had Cardinal Flower so that is why I am excited about this one.

Now don't go noticing those papers on the ground. There are other things happening to this flower bed that I will talk about another time.  

Look at this rather delicate looking vine going up the post with chicken wire around it. It is Passiflower Lutea, our native Passionflower. I planted it as a tiny tendril last year. The rabbits ate it to the ground, not once but twice. Then this year it took off.

It started budding up this past week. Then we got some rain day before yesterday and POP. We have blooms.

They are so small but they are sweet. I asked my DB to take pictures of the blooms. I couldn't get anything that resembled the flower. 

They look like little stars. I hope they lure Fritillaries into the garden as they use this for laying eggs. 

  

Rattlesnake Master (eryngium yuccifolium) is another plant that has taken me several tries to get established. I think I finally found a spot it likes. You can see that it will have to duke it out with the Northern Sea Oats.

This hardy Hibiscus isn't one of the new huge ones. I have had this plant for 40 years. I have moved pieces of it with me through all my moves. It reminds me of my childhood. I moved it once again this spring. It was out by the mailbox and was a pill to mow around so I moved it to the back garden. It doesn't get as much sun and I wondered if it would even take but here it is blooming once again.

If you look down this path, you can see that the rest of my blooms seem to be the stalwarts of this time of year. Hostas, black eyed Susans, tall Phlox, Monarda. In the  bed on the right I have been removing some and planting others so there will be more of a mix next year.

How about your garden? What is blooming this 15th of August? Please do go over to Carol's at May Dreams Garden where many post about their blooms on the 15 of the month.

Thankful Thursday

I have been wondering how I was going to broach this subject with you. Today being Thursday and many people write about things to be thankful for so this being one of them for me I thought this is it.

I was walking through the garden the other day and I noticed what I thought might be a leaf blowing across the ground. No that wasn't it. Do you see him down there?

A sweet little toad making its way. It stopped between the miniature hostas. So you can imagine the size of this toad.

It appeared to not pay much attention that I was giving him my full attention. I wondered where it was off to. Then all of a sudden instead of going around the largest stone I have in the garden. It hopped right aboard.

I wondered what drew it up onto the stone. Perhaps it was wanting to play king on the mountain. It sat there for a little bit. Along came a tiny ant and it slurped it right up. I sure wish I had video of this encounter. It would have been a good one.  I suppose it was waiting for another ant to wander by for it out waited me. It is definitely more patient than I.

This spring being so wet for so long encouraged the toad population. I am hopeful that there is more than one toad in the garden. I took a close up of the pattern on its back so if I see another toad and get a photo I can compare the spots to see if it is same or different individual.

Simple pleasures often come in small packages. Do you have anything you are thankful for today?

I am also thankful for all the comments and encouragement from all of my readers. Cheers.

Small Patches Great Satisfaction

After years of reading about Jason's small patch of Tithonia and a friend of mine talking about her Tithonia right outside her kitchen window I finally planted a small patch of my own.

The Tithonia is taller than our 4' fence that I hate to look at. It pleases me to no end that it camouflages the fence. 

Photo above by my DB.

Along with the Tithonia I also planted Zinnias. Not a lot but enough to bring in several different butterflies.

Tiger Swallowtails

Folded wing skipper of some sort. 

Silver spotted skipper. 

Photo above by my DB

Just enough to keep me going out there to see what else is drawn to these blooms.

Just across the path from them is a huge Clethra shrub in high bloom. So if you tire of watching butterflies you can count bumble bees and a great assortment of bugs drawn to the fragrance and nectar rich blooms of the Clethra.

You know what I will be doing this weekend. I hope you have fun plans for the weekend too.