Pumpkin blossom

Last winter when we pruned trees we put some of the branches on the ground for 'decor'.  The pumpkin vine has twined through one of them as shown here. So pretty!

Busy bees

Look at the pollen sacs on this bee!  Amazing!  I wonder if the pollen from this chocolate cosmos is chocolate flavored?  : ) 

Changes

This pelargonium was sitting in a cluster of pots near my shady, woodsy garden ever since I got it.  I was vaguely dissatisfied with it, but liked the splash of color so it sat there for a couple of years.  This week I moved it, here by my herb pots, and now it is a feature plant and the only color here.  I think it looks great.  It's like getting a whole new garden.  : ) Moving plants in the ground too often can hold them back from growing, but since this one is in a pot it didn't phase it at all.  Go red!

Hummingbird feeder

A couple of years ago I started wishing for a 'cool and cute' hummingbird feeder.  Thanks in part to Robby and Candace, I tried at least four styles. For various reasons they were all rejected and we are back to the standard red plastic with glass bottle.  It seemed the little birds did not care for cool, and just wanted good access.  With the new feeder, they are downing a pint a week and clearly like this one the best.  Here is our baby, busy eating. 

Lilacs

My lilac bush is dying limb by limb.  : (   I have loved lilacs as long as I can remember.  Alcott's influence perhaps? One of my favorite scents since childhood, yet I do not recall ever seeing a real shrub, being born and raised in San Diego.  If we cannot save this one, I will be planting more.  This is a shrub that just sits there most of the year and does nothing, but those few weeks in April earn its place in the garden.

Still to come

I wandered around today thinking about what perennials will bloom later.  In the shady garden there is a hosta, Japanese anenome, eupatorium 'Chocolate', and Kirengeshoma palmata (except that in spite of continuing to try to grow it just gives up along about now and doesn't really bloom at all).  The phlox paniculata 'David' should be blooming by now and isn't so hopefully that is still to come. 
Out in the back garden there are helenium starting to bud up, as well as asters and mums.  The penstemon is regrowing after transplanting and will probably start blooming once the weather cools. It is nice to have more to look forward to when everything is drooping in the heat.

Mid summer, but fall's a comin'

Today's bouquet is so fall!  I love fall.