The End Of August In The Garden

All summer the hollyhock flowers have been climbing toward the sky. They work their way up the stalk, leaving ripening seeds as they go. The hummingbird still visits these flowers, but I think it's safe to say they are the last hollyhock flowers for this year.



I had to get a picture of this Rudebeckia triloba with its perfectly matching bug. I'm not familiar with the bug but I assume he is always yellow and brown. He certainly looks perfect here. Rudebeckia triloba puts on a fabulous display this time of year. It almost makes me forget what a prolific self seeder it is. This spring I was thinking of removing it from the garden completely. I weeded out many plants, but I didn't get them all. Now the way they glow in the evening light makes me rethink my postion. One thing sure I will cut them back this year to try to keep them down to reasonable numbers.

Late August In The Garden

It's now late in August. That is crunch time for some plants that I love, but which really aren't that happy in zone 4. This year the purple angelica is putting on a terrific display. It's making up for the other times when it got nipped in the bud. I'm still waiting for the moonflowers and the tuberose. Trying to grow these plants here is a little like buying a gardening lottery ticket, but I'm still hopeful. This year for the very first time , the tuberose has sent up stems. Can flowers be far behind? Perhaps this is the year that I get to inhale that famous fragrance.




Lots of things in the garden are winding down and going to seed. I thought that this humming bird moth was dead. He let me get so close with the camera . As it turned out he was still alive and flew away, but obviously for him summer is coming to an end. Meanwhile the fresh tomatoes, squash , basil... are ours to enjoy while thay last!