Hot Summer - Hot Colors~

The heat is here!  My least favorite time of year...  Below normal for rainfall, above normal for heat.  Trying to keep my plants alive in the timber is a full-time job now.  It seems every year I learn something new - when it comes to my gardening aspirations & what I can actually accomplish.

Lower end of the hill~

We tried a new preemergent, with the hope my weeding would be cut down along the marigolds on the south fence line.  It killed the entire row & Zinnia's too...  Thank heaven, Butch only used it there & not on the new row I planted along the timber.  I will have seeds for next season!  It also killed the smallest of my red germaniums planted in the flower beds up by the cabin.  The largest plants survived, to continue the legacy.

Second, the moles have been horrible!  When I put water on the red Clematis I'd planted by the utility pole, the ground just fell away from the roots of the little plant.  I can only hope I can keep it alive.  Of all the new Rhododendron  bushes I planted along the trail this spring, they've killed two.  Each day they are dug out of the ground, no matter how many times I put more soil around them.  Yesterday, I walked down the hill & my foot literally sunk 6" deep in one of their furrows.  It looks like I hired an excavator to go through the timber.    

Echinacea~

On the positive side, the Echinacea I planted last year, just ready to bloom the end of Aug. & then were run over by our own truck when it was hit,  are blooming profusely!  They look just beautiful around the light post at the front of the Cabin.  The Monarch's have found them!  I have a purple Clematis planted here too, it's just managing to hold it's own.

The Marsh~

I've finished the last of the signs for the posts!  I'm still waiting for one more glass cap.  I hope they'll hold up to the extremes of temperature here.

White blooming Phlox~

As the flowers Clara gave me this spring start to bloom, it's a surprise as to what colors they will be!  The first to bloom have been the white.  They brighten the shaded area & I'm enjoying them so much.

Hemerocallis fulva 'Kwanso'

Clara also spotted the double blooms of the daylily above, last season, among all the old-fashioned daylily's growing on the hill.   This spring I started transplanting them both along the creek & around the utility pole.

East End of the deck~

The house to our east has been under some type of re-construction for over a year - more off than on.  I was tired of looking at it, so Butch added diffusing panels to the end of the deck.  I appreciate the privacy & the relief from the strong east sun.  The Lantana's are one flower I plant every year now.  They manage to hold up to the heat all the way through to fall.

The Lowlands~

I planted red-daylily's around the signpost for the Lowlands.  It's the one place name I carried over from the Homestead.  While I was planting these, I ended up with chigger bites.  They are the most horrible bite ever.  You can't feel it when you're bitten, but once the itch hits - it lasts for days & days!  I had sprayed myself, but not well enough.  Now, I use both a wrist band & a Heavy coat of repellant!

Marigolds~

I'm going to have to be satisfied with plants I know will survive with minimal watering, once established.  Probably daylily's will be a mainstay, since I have plenty & know where to get more!  They survive the moles, bugs & lack of water.  I'm keeping the marigolds watered, they are thriving so far.  All the transplanted ferns are now flat to the ground, but I've been told they will come back stronger than ever next spring!

I don't expect to get Speedy out on the trail for a week or two at least.  It's so hot & watering is a full-time job.

Spring Xplosion!

Last week, when I thought I was done transplanting, my friend Clara called again!  All Thursday afternoon I spent digging & planting!   I sat up the sprinkler to water & the birds had an amazing time!  They flew through the water, stood in the sprinkling water & chirped about it!  If I hadn't been covered with dirt, I would have gone for the camera.

New Weigela showing pink blooms~

As the day ended, I was wishing for rain.  It's been so very dry.  By Friday, I'd planned to get my germaniums out of the house & into the ground, but Clara visited again, this time with ferns!

Newly transplanted wood fern!

I've missed ferns so much!  From being so thick, they were a groundcover in WA, they seem to be hard to find here.  As I was planting, dark clouds rolled over.  Rain!   It seems as though I've waited forever!

Chickadee in the timber~

Saturday, we drove to Malvern.  The Blooming Barn was open for business & they carry such a variety of bedding plants.  Over the past couple years, I've learned what works in the planters out front & found what I needed.   Next, a stop at Sherbondy's in Council Bluffs for bushes.  After moving two piles of wood debris Fri., I wanted shrubs to mark the path. Butch helped & by the time we were done, it was raining again!  Perfect timing.

Pink Sparkler Birchleaf Spirea

Sunday, we spent working at home.  Butch can get more done in a day, than I can in a week!  I took the germaniums out & made several starts for the gardens by the cabin.

Red Germanium 

They look a little weak, but last nights rain really helped.  I'll have leaves to cut off, but if they do as well as they did last year, I'll be happy.

This morning dawned sunny & bright!  It's hard to ignore nature this time of year.  Another big thunderstorm rolled through late last night - Nika wore her thunder shirt, but was still very distressed.

Ms. Quail has joined Mr. Quail

My challenge now, is differentiating between actual weeds & plants that may be considered a weed in a flower garden, but are a native of value in a woodland setting.

Daffodils!

Out of the 100 daffodil bulbs I planted last fall, probably half have bloomed.  Even half have given me a good start on naturalizing the marsh.

Tulips~

The new tulips, have their buds & I'm looking forward to blooms!  At least with these, I planted twelve & have twelve flowers!

Honeysuckle down...

But - we do have neighbors...  This one can't do anything without a backhoe.  Yesterday, he decided to do some bulldozing along his side of the creek & left the above honeysuckle pushed down & into the creek...  If we get a heavy rain it will cause the water to back up & create more erosion on our side.  He has put large chunks of concrete along his side.

New glass signpost caps!

I had to do some searching to find a company that sells glass post caps.  When I called, Island Post Cap,  I was told that the blue I wanted was sitting on a ship sailing over from China.  (The factory had been closed due to the virus.)  They did have one green & red I wanted, ready to ship.  Today, the box arrived by UPS.  Even with great packaging, the red one, still in it's tight, reinforced box, was shattered.  I called John & he'll ship the replacement when the blue arrives.

Next, I have to find time to letter & paint the signs!  This time of year, actually any time of year, I can hardly be inside, it's so beautiful outside.  Plenty of projects & I love doing them.