Nearing August's End

Out front this morning, with my daughter's help I tired to tied up Montauk daisies so they looked more tidy. I laughed and she wasn't pleased as she pleaded for help. As she held the bush the way I told her to she spotted a praying mantis near where she was holding it. It was huge and long. The largest I've ever seen. Afraid to let go of the bush she said, "it's going to jump on me if I let go." I laughed and told her to let go. It took a while to get the mantis to climb on my garden trowel. It eventually did and I relocated it to the side walk planter. This is why she doesn't help me garden. There were also caterpillars on the bush. There may be no beautiful daisies this fall but there's next year. I pruned everything off and low but will cut it even lower in the fall. Didn't dig it up though I'll  have to prune it several times in the spring to keep it a manageable size.

Two tick weeds planted, and the anemone and aster I bought a couple of weeks ago. They should all return in the spring.

Anemone and tick weed.

Honey suckle and hyacinth bean vine on the trellis. I'd hoped to have some blooms on the hyacinth by now but I have until frost and hopefully it'll give me seeds for next year.

Angelonia didn't seem to mind the heat all summer and has been in constant bloom.

Lantana

Japanese Anemone x hybrid Rosenschale

The pruned Montauk daisy.

Second one. Coreopsis Up Tick cream and red.  I love the yellow blooms.

Daisy Mae Kalimeris Integrifolia Asian Aster.

Waiting for more blooms from balloon flower.

Going to put tulips in that mulched spot in the fall and after they bloom a different shade perennial. The hosta struggles there. I'll remove it and transplant to the yard.

Foxgloves

Hope to locate some rocks so I can build up this area and keep the soil and mulch from leaching out.

Hibiscus is such a show off. Just make sure to give it lots of water. It's a thirsty plant in full sun.

Torenia have started to bloom again. They stopped for a while in the heat. New Guinea Impatiens haven't bloomed in a while. It must be too hot for them.

There's room for one more. Come sit a while and let's have a glass of iced tea although you may want a water ice. I've been digging in the plants out front and it's hot. So I'm on the porch recuperating.

Window box in the shade.

My ivy leaf pelargonium seedlings never bloomed. If I take them indoors this fall maybe they will. But I may not take them indoors.

These pelargoniums haven't bloomed again since the first blooms. Maybe it's the heat. Hope you're enjoying your day. Happy Gardening.

Let's Share

Adventures in the city yard. My kitty spends all day sitting in the window watching the show. When I have time, I sit next to him.

Okay, lets get up the pole.

Doesn't care who's watching.

Let's share.

I think some are baby cardinals. Some may be sparrows. They come to the feeder now by themselves but sometimes with a female cardinal. One has a head and feather that's starting to turn  red.

The bird on the top of the shepherd's hook is a baby female cardinal. Sorry I couldn't get a good picture.

Couldn't get the best pictures but the  head feathers of the bird on the left is turning red. I guess before winter I'll have a flock of cardinals in the yard. We counted as many as 15 waiting for their turn on the feeder. Can't wait to see how many are male and how many female. I've seen 2 female mother together in the yard but only one male at a time.

The Culprits

By the light of the moon. Accused the squirrels of eating my tomatoes and strawberries and tearing up plants in my yard. Tonight I jumped from my bed when the security light went off to make sure no was in the yard. There is the culprit. A raccoon. Not one but 3 in the yard. One was swinging from the bird feeder. Don't know how as large as he was. The raccoon went through every pot in search of tomatoes and strawberries then jumped down.

How he got up a shepherd's rod I don't know.

They are cute.

So they're the ones ripping up and tearing up the canna.

Looking for seeds on the ground.

Okay they interrupted my sleep and it's past my bed time. Tomorrow work day. Have a good night.