Tales from the Garden

It's HOT out there.

Too hot, really, to be comfortable outside for very long.

So the weeds are taking over in my garden.  And I'm back to dragging hoses where my sprinkling system doesn't reach (pretty much all the border beds) (yay).  And my containers look like C.R.A.P.

Ah, yes!  Gardening is tough . . . in the hot months.  (But so much better than NO gardening in the cold months, y'know?)

So.  Let's look on the bright side, shall we?  
Here are three Tales from the Garden that focus on some good things in my garden today.

1 - Resilient Lilies

Earlier this summer, I told you about the Asian lilies I impulse-purchased last year at Lowes.  And never planted.  They defied odds and made it through the winter.  

Well.

I planted them.  And they are thriving!  A happy ending all around.  (And now maybe you can see how the impulse-purchase happened in the first place.)  (Because lovely, non?)

2 - Water Lilies

I have had this hardy lily in my pond for a couple of years now.  It was an expensive plant, and I was disappointed in it.  It threw up a few lily pads in those past years, but nothing impressive.

Well.

This year, it's not only sending up the pads -- but lovely lily after lily as well!  What a treat.  (I'm thinking it's the new presence of my Garden Buddha.)  (Seriously.)

3 - Finch Ferns

Every year, I have two hanging Boston ferns on my patio.  Tom and the kids used to get them for me for Mother's Day.  And as soon as those ferns were in place on the patio, finches would move in and nest in the ferns. Every. Year.  (And sometimes multiple generations through the summer.  Kind of . . . a condo development for the finches!)  

Now that the kids are older and on their own (and do other things like send wine and flowers), I get the ferns myself.  This year, I got them quite late in the season -- not until mid-June, when usually it's mid-May (because Mother's Day).  I figured we'd missed out on the finches; that they'd nested elsewhere.

Well.

Nope.  As soon as I hung the ferns, a finch family moved in!  (Some things never change.)  (Obviously a popular finch neighborhood. . . )

=

So.  Bottom line:  Even when the gardening is tough, the gardening is good!

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Be sure to head over to Carole's today for more Three on Thursday posts.

 

 

Comments

[Patty]

I'm surprised the finches weren't singing outside your window for weeks! :-) Good gardening all around! (Our lily explosion is beginnning!)

[Jo]

Oh my, you just reminded me that I need to get outside and water my flowers! Our cherry tree went crazy with fruit — the pie I baked was to die for! Your Boston ferns are wonderful.

[Carole]

It IS hot out there! Dale weeded the herb garden after we got home from Maine and he gets HUGE props for that! Your flowers are lovely, as always.

[Vicki]

Oh, man, YES to that impulse purchase of Asian lilies! That's one of the prettiest I've ever seen!

[Kat]

This heat... the birds don't even like it! I am filling the bird bath multiple times a day for them! Those lilies are gorgeous and bravo to those uber-smart finches.

[Juliann]

I have come in for a cooling break after spending about 4 hours puttering in the garden. Will head ball out when the sun moved and the garden is in the shade. We used to have quail bit they haven’t visited in a few years which is sad.

[Julia in KW]

I have serious lily envy! Squirrels have wrecked havoc in my yard, taking the buds off my stargazer lilies, so I’m not feeling charitable toward them this summer! Your gardens are beautiful!

[Jane]

Your lilies look beautiful. I like them - they seem to grow no matter the weather around here. I love your 4th of July post. What a good idea to raise the flag on a promise of hope.

[margene]

ALL the lilies are magnificent! I'm sure Buddha's blessing made a difference! I, for one, am very happy the finches are back. It's tradition at this point!

[Lora]

I hang two fuschias on my patio every year. And every year chickadees make a nest and have their babies in the plant on the right. Only the one of the right, never the left. It cracks me up.

[Mary]

I must say, this is the happiest post I've seen in weeks about gardening in this hottest of hot summers. Thank you!

[Annette]

Yes, those finches - they must like ferns everywhere. Plus having fights with the wrens. And fussing when we sit next to the ferns, like only 10 feet away, what’s the deal?
The lilies are beautiful, and like the finches are everywhere this year.

[Honore]

What a cooling and delightful post for those super hot days...never had any finches in my ferns and haven’t bought any this year...don’t know why...still time tho’
Cheers~