The Summer Garden

This time of year is usually not my favorite due to extreme weather with high temperatures and little rain. It was wonderful not to have to water anything since Spring because we have had so much rain. That seems to be over. In Philly we have a heat warning and today the temp is 94. This will not be the hottest day of the week. Yesterday it was 95 and we are possibly expecting temperatures near 100 degrees before the end off the week. I normally don't water much any way unless I see the plants are really suffering and it's really dry. It's easier to water the ones in the front of the house because I only use a 2 gallon watering container. In the yard I have to use the hose which has to be brought through the basement to the outside.

The vegetables have suffered the most and do need daily watering. This is why I really don't need to plant vegetables because when the weather gets real hot I don't want to go out to water every day. If I do grow edibles next year maybe I will be able to invest in self watering containers or make some myself. There are many resources on the web that show you how to make them.  My flower boarder out front and pots need tidying up. I need to dead head some, pull some plants, trim back others, and plant some annuals in bear spots. I read a good article about perennials at Mt. Cuba Center web site titled "Pruning Perennials". If you click the link the article is posted on the home page. Flower and plants are so beautiful in Spring. When Summer arrives perennials can not be as pretty and some may need to be cut back to encourage new growth and maybe more blooms. Some plants may need to be stalked like dahlias because they grow so tall. Annuals like pansies if still living may be past their prime like mine. They did well to live this long. So on to work in the front of the house.

Stoop Planter

Another View

Coleus from Rosy Dawn Gardens

Coleus from Rosy Dawn gardens, I think named inky fingers or inky toes.

Lirope in Bloom

Something is still eating the leaves. More insecticidal soap needed.

Window Box

Tidy Up Ivy

Remove flags, cut down peony and salvia. Trim coreopsis and sedum, stalk balloon flower.

Peony did not bloom this year. Probably overcrowded. Will remove in the Fall.

Volunteer plant. I don't know the name of it by my neighbor has some and I think that's were the seeds came from. It came up in a crack. I will plant it in the boarder. Hen and chick blooming under the lambs ear. Ajuga in cracks. Thought I pulled it all out the bed in the Spring.

My lambs ear seedling doing well.

Poppy Bloomed in the Spring. Deadhead balloon flower. Fungus or something on coneflower.

Lets get Started

Peony blocks the salvia and lambs ear under it and will have to go.

Making progress