Can you believe it is the end of July ? .... I know I said I can't wait until Autumn, but was I in some sort of time machine or something ... most likely in hibernation mode I think .. from the heat and drought, and a sad event.
My magical chrysalis STOPPED evolving ...
We have no idea what caused the transformation to hault.
It really got to me ... I was so happy to see this little miracle happening and it just STOPPED
You can see where the top part cracked .. Garden PA said he thought it was the heat.
But I can't reconcile myself to that .. I just don't understand it .. a little heart broken in fact.
I have to move on though ... the drought has been BAD .. but we have the sprinklers going and the gardens seem to be fine.
We do have loads of bees and beneficial insects hovering around and I saw a gorgeous Monarch fluttering from the flowers, of course too fast for a photo.
Little Lamb hydrangea is BURSTING with flowers as usual .. it was my first hydrangea over 17 years ago !
Casa Blanca shimmers in the shade
The Tiger Moon lilies have escaped most of the Lily beetle attacks ...
A white rose lily has also evaded the lily beetle, I think because it has no scent but it GLOWS in the shade and I am smitten with it .. will have to order more in the Spring !
Sun King aralia is happy .. so happy it is GROWING like a weed .. I have to trim it up a bit so the epimedium "Purple Pixie" can breath .. but my shady side is smiling.
A little hydrangea I picked up at Costco is amazing .. it is supposed to be blue but my soil isn't quite right for that color choice ? .. still it catches the eye and a tiny little spider as well.
At Last rose had this look I couldn't resist ... I know switching from pink to apricot ? is a shock but they both share that come hither look ?
I don't usually have pictures of the front garden .. just keep forgetting .. or working too hard to remember? .. that sounds better, right? wink wink
It is in the shadows when I took these pictures, so the colors don't pop as much.
Usually the gold barberry really shines between the Japanese maple (Bloodgood) and Spilled Wine weigela .. plus Amber Moon astilbe emphasizes that gold .. but, since losing my big Crimson King maple from the front plants that had a bit more shade are exhausted from so much sun and heat.
On a happy note .. the second batch of baby robins have been leaving the nest .. this was the last one I could catch before he/she decided it was time to leave home.
I will miss that incredible chatter they made when the parents came to feed them .. it was sweet to hear so much life going on in our back garden.
18 comments:
I'm so sorry your chrysalis stopped developing, what a disappointment. However your garden certainly doesn't disappoint! So much beauty to admire. Everything looks grand! Enjoy the rest of the summer while you can.
Your front garden looks gorgeous and I do love the pink hydrangea. Our soil is much too alkaline so we'll never have blue hydrangeas here (or blueberries, apparently, no matter how much I try to change the soil pH!) So sad about the chrysalis...
Despite the heat and drought your garden looks fabulous. Fun to see the front garden for a change. Just so many interesting plants to see!
I'm so sorry about the cocoon. Darn stupid heat! We've had it here too. Today is supposed to be the last day and they'd better be right. Your garden is fabulous, Girl! The water makes all the difference. I'm glad you're able to get out and enjoy it. I hope you're feeling well. Hugs.
Oh no. I'm really sad about your chrysalis too. :( I wonder what happened?? I get so bummed about stuff like that in my garden, just like you. Nature can be very heartbreaking.
We have so many of the same things happening in our gardens tho. I just saw my first Monarch of the season today! Hoping she finds my milkweed. We had a little break from the heat but now back up into the 90's we go. ugh. Hang in there ~ it will be fall soon.
Hello there Peter and thank you !
Yup .. it was a huge disappointment .. and we will never know what happened .. but that is the nature of Nature right ? .. yes if we can bear the heat and drought we might enjoy a bit of summer ? LOL
Thank you so much Margaret : ) it is funny about that ink hydrangea .. it is determined to make me LIKE it when I really wasn't keen on a ball hydrangea, but it is so darn CUTE ! haha
Lisa girl I have a few things t switch around in the front garden but I thought why not finally get some pictures of it .. thank you ! I try to keep it "different" if possible.
I miss our big tree that used to add to the mix there .. might try to plant a smaller one in the Fall.
Gracie girl thank you : )
Yes if it wasn't for the sprinklers things would look a lot more drastic .. we just don't have the energy to stand and water for hours on end .. so I am grateful for that system !
I have to ask you about Y&R !! LOL
Hello Kathleen : ) .. I just saw my first Monarch a couple of days ago, but they could have been in the garden earlier .. it is all in the timing right ? haha
Yes ... I am so looking forward to Autumn, but I know there is no rushing summer .. YET?LOL
Oh my sweet, I can empathise with your pain for the chrysalis. It would be so exciting to watch a new live/transformation happen before your eyes.
LOVE all your photos again.
We just got a new white climbing hydrangea (seemannii)for the back garden I look forward to it blooming; but yours is a stunner!
Love and hugs
C xx
Thank you so much Carrie girl : ) I know your hydrangea will look stunning once it finds it's feet in your gorgeous little garden ! Loved your last post and those photos ! I felt like I was there with you guys .. midges, rain and ale ! LOL
Hello Joy,
I've not been here some time and I see your garden is pretty as always. Love your gold barberry, white lilies and red or purple hydrangea. I also like the shady paths, stony and tidy.
Happy August!
Thanks Nadezda and for stopping by : ) .. I too love my shady paths especially since each summer seems to get more extreme .. the gold barberry is eye candy but I have fewer and fewer sun patches to keep it in .. so I have to appreciate what I do have for certain.
Who doesn't love stone in the garden .. plants, stone and water .. essentials if you can manage them!
I am very happy to hear that you have American Robins breeding in your garden. Even the smallest domestic garden can provide habitat for wildlife. On another note entirely, I suspect that heat and drought maybe the norm in the future. I hope that our native organisms will adapt.
Hi David, thanks for dropping by ... this in fact is their 4th year of nesting in our back garden but they finally agreed with us that our big maple was the best place for their little ones to learn how to fly from. Sadly , yes ... the heat and drought are going to be the norm sso I also hope as well that all of our natives can adapt to it .. including us ? LOL
How lovely that your Robins fledged. May they eat lots and lots of bad bugs.
Sad that the chrysalis did not survive, but there may be many others in more hidden places that did.
Your photos of your beautiful garden are excellent. I enjoyed seeing them--thank you!
Hey there Hoover Boo .. I just saw in your profile that your interests are in "plants and ice cream" .. haha .. we share THAT ! LOL
Thank you so much for your comments on my photos/garden .. it has taken years to get to this point but it is satisfying : ) and yes ! I so hope they have found many other places to have their chrysalis(s) come to fruition !
Hello Joy, disappointment, yes, but look at the success you have had with your garden, I love it. (bits n pieces - Dave Clark Five -1964)
Our 'Casa Blanca' is also in bloom. Definitely my favorite Oriental Lily.
Are you sure your chrysalis didn’t just hatch and go on its merry way? Another possibility is that a predator had it for a snack. So sorry! I have a swallowtail chrysalis in a small cage in my kitchen as we speak, plus two tiny caterpillars with it. So not only am I a monarch nut, apparently I’m crazy for swallowtails too. I have At Last rose too, and though the plant is small, it put out such stunning blooms. I’m already smitten by it.
Hello Alistair : )
Thank you so much ... the success has been greatly aided by our sprinkler system, otherwise I am sure the garden would be suffering terribly by now .. each year the heat and drought becomes worse .. it is scary !
Hi Jason .. very nice post on the pollinators ! .. It seems to me that Casa bloomed later than usual this year .. I have to look at last year's records but some how I have a feeling about it !
Robin girl hello there .. no the chrysalis absolutely stalled with the little "guy" in there .. I have never seen that happen before , so I don't know what caused it.
Hey you are having wonderful success with all these babies come butterflies ! Well done you!!! .. Yes .. the At Last rose is a little smaller but that is what I need in my crowded garden .. it is a beauty and smells heavenly though eh ? .. I am smitten to ! LOL
Post a Comment