Simple Signs

 Summer is packing her bags up ... slowly

Little signs here and there as Autumn advances or dances ? in  .. I think I miss the traditional ORANGE pumpkin, even though the white one caught my eye. Korean Yellow Waxbell  flowers have formed even though their foliage took a terrible beating this season .. it is a stubborn plant ?

Variegated Porcelain Berry vine in different shades of berries 

My Japanese Maples are gorgeous in the morning and early evening sun

That shimmering glow is so eye catching but so quick to disappear

This little Chickadee was patiently drinking water in a hollow of the arm from the garden bench

The moon these last few nights has been glorious  .. almost a Harvest moon .. but missing the golden glow that makes it look so amazing for this time of year.

A few signs of Autumn refreshes the air and is very welcome here.

September is a Shy Month

 September seems to be a shy month to me .. slowly dialing the light back bit by bit.

My vines are feeling confident that they can creep along anywhere . This is not a well used birdhouse sadly but the wood is a pretty contrast to that green vine which will be turning all sorts of oranges and reds not too long from now.

I finally got to see a hummingbird have it's way with Mrs. Harvey clematis. It was fantastic to watch it buzz in and out of the blue bells with amazing efficiency , but I think there was an element of fun for it as well. I highly recommend Mrs. Harvey for a very long bloom time with the added bonus of being a hummingbird magnet ?

One of my favorite late summer early Autumn flowers is a double anemone .. I think this is a "Party Dress" type in deep pink ... loaded with buds .. a blooming machine !

I transplanted "At Last" rose and it is finally smiling .. I was a bit worried that it would shut down blooming to adjust and feel at home in it's new spot in the garden. I'm so glad to see those gorgeous roses again.

I have transplanted " Julia Child " way too many times and for some reason she has stuck it out for me.

All that bright gold is an eye full , it helps with the wind down of the garden. You get to have that last glorious blast of colour .

This was a dull day picture , and indeed this view looks very dull after the riot of colour it produced.

However I know the hidden potential that is sleeping here and this view will be gorgeous once again.

Joe Pye, to the right of the picture, has been buzzing with activity. It is such a favorite of the pollinators and I am glad I kept it for them. Rozanne geranium, dots the pictures with a touch of blue. Another great workhorse in the garden that I like and recommend. It can sprawl but just give it some support and it will look fine. I use it to surround the lower part of my Fringe Tree aka Chionanthus virginicus

One last shot of "At Last" .. it is mesmerizing me because of that center light, it looks as if it is glowing.

A struggle ....

White Oriental Roselily Corolla has been an amazing beauty this year .. I feel guilty for not keeping up with the neem oil spray to protect it even further. It has put on a beautiful show in the garden and I had to cut a stalk or two to bring into the house .. it is still going strong and gives off a unusual scent that Garden PA says smells like cinnamon .. I'm not sure myself but what ever the scent is the flowers shine.

It is so beautiful it almost looks artificial , the beetle damage hits home to the reality of it being natural and a victim of beetle bites ? .. I am a fan of the "no" pollen type of lily

 Details with a filipendula flower caught my eye, especially with the little hoverfly.

A hot pink flower with some interesting seed heads drying out on this clematis.

Delft Lace astilbe is coming into it's own now. It is a later season astilbe and is very pretty with its dark red stems through out the foliage. The soft pink flower blends in nicely with the other plants.

Little Lamb hydrangea is blooming out quickly. I have to watch for the right moment when it starts to go pink/rose so I can dry some flowers to look at this winter.

My gaggle of geese are so quick right now I almost have to start dead heading to keep the fresh flowers blooming. I don't know what it is but they make me laugh when I see them .. 

I really think of beautiful plump white geese in a gaggle.

They almost look like they are talking to each other ?

A little gaggle snuck into the back garden by the Ostrich ferns and giant grass. 

That is tough competition to survive !

Talking about tough I have another volunteer Japanese Painted fern growing in-between the stones. 

You have to like that right ?

There was an amazing cloud mass last night . I couldn't resist taking a few pictures of it even though I knew the low light would not do it justice for what my eyes saw.

Almost like a bomb blast but thankfully no huge thunder storm happened.

Inuvik a July Pick

 Well it was only a matter of time and negligence on my part .. I have fallen behind my neem oil routine so you have to know those nameless BEETLES have been rampant and made me think "why do I do lilies ?"

Well .. because sometimes they just look so fabulous right ? .. Inuvik .. just a plain, but glowing white lily that emits such a fresh feeling in the crowds of greenery.

 I have a thing for the white tiger lily .. I have lost the exact name to this one but it is beautiful even after the sprinklers have done their deed.

Another cool white flower with a story ... this is Pee Gee standard hydrangea still stuck in it's pot from when I bought it months ago. I can't plant it yet because I have to dig out my dead lilac which acts as a frame for three clematis vines .. it is complicated. To top it off  (literally) ? I had to cut off these gorgeous flowers because when it rained, and for some strange reason it is raining here a LOT. Well the little "tree" with it's spindly trunk ? kept falling over, it couldn't take the soaked top weight. Sadly now it has no flowers. 

Strutter's Ball is a day lily that gives a great big bang of colour in the ally way garden.

Giant Fleece Flower can't help but draw your attention down the ally way garden right ?

I'm really beginning to encroach more and more on my neighbor's side, but I do so love a big panicum grass with showy seed heads and flashing Fall colours as it ages. This is a new one to me "Blood Brothers" .. I know it will take a few years for it to look really impressive but it is a start.

Meanwhile in the back garden the native culver's root (veronicastrum virginicum) is growing quickly with all the rain we have had. I have two types of bug bane to the left of it with their flowering time lagging a few weeks after each other.

I was surprised to read that my Japanese Holly fern is graded for zone 6 .. I am 5b here but I think having an 8 foot fence creates a micro climate for some plants .

I have work to do with my patch of iris, they caught me off guard and crowded in quickly.

Blue Mouse Ears are on either ends of this planting . They also should be spilt up, the list of chores to do is becoming long to say the least and I am so in the mood for Autumn right now.

It may be hard to get perspective of the size of this little bunny who has been nibbling on the grass out front. It is very young, not much more than a baby really. It was remarkable Garden PA saw it while we were backing into the driveway .. it took me a few minutes to see the little guy/gal before it jumped under the large purple barberry .. I always find it remarkable to see little wildlife like this.