It's Heating Up

Baking here in Philly today. But actually some plants don't seem to mind. Asters, dusty miller, cosmos, and achillea don't appear phased. While creeping Jenny is showing it's dislike of warm, humid weather by laying down and appearing shriveled I guess to conserve water, what ever is left in it's leaves. Felt sorry for them and gave them a good watering and may again this evening. Showers may arrive tomorrow for some relief and a deep soaking.

Pleased with achillea in it's first year. I bought 2 plants. So far about 1 foot tall and hopefully still growing. Doesn't seem to mind the crowding in the flower bed and one with other perennials towering over it has still growing taller and in bloom. They must not be fussy plants, my type.

Really pleased with my native honeysuckle this year although I don't smell it's scent in the air. Not phased by the heat and humidity either. Wonder if the blooms will attract humming birds?

Gloriosa lily is starting to climb and will not be out shined by honeysuckle. I planted 4 bulbs but so far have only seen 2 emerge.

Salvia planted in the sidewalk containers are the only plant that seems to be wilting from the heat. Dusty miller, cosmos, and seedlings of dwarf sunflowers and zinnias seem okay. Don't recall seeing the green patches on the dusty miller before. Hope that's not a problem. Normally annual vinca is planted here for color but they're needy in the heat and drop a lot of dead blooms which require frequent sweeping so this year, almost care free plants. The problem will be, how many fall bulbs will I be able to squeeze in now that I've added some more perennials.

I love cosmos.

I remember some red lilies last spring but I also had very tall pink ones in a different spot. Don't know what happened to them. Hopefully someone didn't pull them up.

Allium Millenium

Zinnia and sunflower seedlings crowed in. Some insect has started to eat the leaves. Won't apply anything that would harm all the butterflies and bees I've seen in the flower bed already this spring.

Have to cut off the flower stalk from the allium. The head doesn't look pretty and it's bloom is finished.

Thought the aster I moved was dead. This one was the same size when purchased with the other one in the flower bed but hasn't thrived.