Best of the August Garden

Before the month ends, I thought I'd share some of the photos I've taken of our late summer flowers here. This tall day lily started blooming around the first of August and it is still loaded and going strong at month's end. We found it growing behind the garage three years ago and transplanted it to the side yard.

A photo of surprise lilies seems to be an annual ritual. The first of these bloomed on August 3, the day after our anniversary party.











These bulbs were in the ground when we bought our house in 2001, but we also had surprise lilies at our Ferguson house. This year we counted more than 90 stalks, in 5 clusters, a record. Perhaps it was the wet spring, or lack of a late freeze, or the compost mulch?

One small cluster of black- eyed susans graced the back border when we moved in. This year they had spread into a clump more than 6 feet in diameter. Next year, they may try to accost the house! They are so glorious, and are still blooming as well. The seed cones will attract birds all winter.

In addition to our many geraniums and house plants on the front porch, the sweet potato vines have been profuse this year as well. This one is so root bound we have to water it every day, or it wilts in the afternoon sun, but it is a cheerful sight when we pull in the driveway or walk up to the porch.

Soon the flowers of fall will be featured. We have some new chrysanthemum plants to get situated, and the wild white clemantis is blooming all over the village, including our front bank and back fence. It gives off a sweet scent when we walk around the block in the evening.