It has been a week in the garden that is just about as close to perfect as it gets. Over the last weekend, we got exactly five inches of much-needed rain, which totally negated the need to do any watering this week. And then the weather turned mild and full of sunshine, golden days that could hardly be improved upon. The only thing that might have made it better would have been if the garden fairies had pulled some weeds for me. Oh, well, we can't have everything, I guess.
The garden is actually full of blooms on this day before the beginning of fall. Let me show you some of them.
One of those weeds that needs pulling is this wild morning glory which has seeded itself in inconvenient places all around my backyard. It's so pretty - and the butterflies do love it - that I've postponed pulling it, but this weekend, it really has to go.
These are the glory days for
Hamelia patens.
A pretty Sulphur butterfly hangs from a
Hamelia blossom like an early Christmas ornament.
'Pride of Barbados' has finished its bloom cycle and it is now covered in these beans which show its kinship with the pea family.
Purple coneflowers still display their beauty.
These marigolds have been a major disappointment. They've hardly bloomed at all. I won't be planting them again!
The Monarchs are still migrating. Every day I see at least two of three of the beauties in my garden.
It's not only Monarchs that like milkweed. This Spicebush Swallowtail spent a long time sipping from the blossoms.
The Stapelia gigantea is still putting out more of its odoriferous blossoms. This bud will be opening soon.
Jerusalem artichokes continue to put out a few blooms, too.
And the volunteer red salvia is still offering its blooms to passing hummingbirds.
My favorite old cannas continue their bloom as well. They are also favored by Gulf Fritillaries and, of course, by the hummingbirds.
Gerbera daisies keep popping out these pretty blossoms.
And the "naked ladies" still shamelessly flaunt their charms.
It's less than twenty-four hours now until autumn officially reaches us. At 9:49 A.M. Saturday, our time, the autumnal equinox will arrive. I hope to be out in my garden ready to greet it.
Happy weekend and happy gardening!
That Gulf Fritillary is a gorgeous butterfly! Wish we had them around here.
ReplyDeleteThe Gulf Fritillary is mostly a southern butterfly, I believe, Jason, although the range maps show that it gets as far north as the lower Mid-West. Perhaps not as far north as Evanston though.
DeleteAw, I miss the Fritillaries from my childhood in Houston. Up here the only big butterflies I see are Swallowtails occasionally.
ReplyDeleteFritallaries are really abundant here at this time of year, as you may remember, Hannah.
DeleteOh, how I love Firebush ! Great Pics, and don`t give up on the Marigolds, they will do better!
ReplyDeleteI've had other marigolds that have done well for me in the past, but this particular variety was a bummer, Randy.
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