Wednesday, August 19, 2009

IT'S BEEN A SHORT SUMMER HERE!


I could feel fall in the air this morning when I went outside. It seems like summer has come and is almost gone in a very short time this year.



My flowers are beginning to look sort of ragged around the edges.





I planted a lot of new stuff this summer after having several big trees cut down. I now have sun in the backyard. Most of my plants in the front have to be shade plants such as impatients, hostas, vines and ferns like in the pot in the photo.





I planted a small double knockout rose bush about a month ago and it is full of blooms and has grown since it was put in the ground. I can't wait to see what it does next year.





The hen and chicks pot on the left has a succulent that I bought not long ago. It has put out this long tenacle that seems to be reaching for the sky. If anyone knows if this is going to bloom or seed or keep growing straight up or what, please let me know in a comment. I may need to put it in a bigger pot. I don't know if I need to bring it in for the winter either.

















I finally got some mint and herbs started in my yard this year in several places and planted two crepe myrtle bushes near the back fence.

My impatients flourished with all the shade. The pot on the right sits on the front porch of my home.



















I sit here on the concrete bench and rest for a spell when working in the yard.


The hanging baskets are overflowing with impatients, too.









I plan to grow some garden stuff next year and have lots of new flowers in my backyard.
Soon, the leaves will be falling and Bob and I will start our yearly raking and mulching. I won't have nearly as many this year but still enough to keep us pretty busy with the trees that are remaining.
I love fall and the cool, crisp, days and evenings but always feel sad when summer ends!
Do you have a favorite season of the year?

17 comments:

bobbie said...

I love your hen and chicks.

Why are people saying summer is almost gone? We have a little left. But just now I wish I could feel the fall coming. It's much, MUCH too hot here.

Balisha said...

Hi Judy,
Those hens a chicks are doing their thing...that is a flower growing straight up. I think that after they flower...that one particular hen is finished and will eventually dry up. New ones will grow from that one. I just leave the "mother" until you see others growing, then you can pull her out. Did I make myself clear or just confuse you?
Your flowers are so pretty. I went from shade to sun too...you have to get used to a new way of gardening.

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

The hen and chicks are lovely Judy, as for feeling like fall I quite agree with you, the leaves are already falling and would you believe this I HAD MY FIRST CHRISTMAS CARD YESTERDAY?

Enjoyed your post and pictures.

Yvonne.

Margaret Cloud said...

I like all your flowers especially the roses, my favorite of all. I don't seem to have good luck with flowers. Your little bench is so cute, I to am planning on growing some garden next year, the lord allowing. My tomatoes are finally changing color. Thank you for coming by, have a nice week.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Judy, Did you see my posts on Sempervivum (Chicks and Hens)??? I talked about the blooms. That is a bloom (???) and the Mama Chick will die.. However the babies will take over. I don't have any in a pot --so I don't know what you should do with them in winter. The ones in our ground do fine all winter just as they are.

It feels a little like autumn here this week also.. It's cooler and we've had some rain.

Hugs,
Betsy

Amber Star said...

Judy,
It has been in the 100 degree area for all of last week and some of this one. The weather guy says there is a cool front coming and it will get down to 94!! Maybe it won't be so humid.

btw-I think I have gotten my comments section fixed. Sorry for the hassle.

Kate said...

Hi Judy, Gosh your garden looks really great and is what most gardens aim to be - an oasis in chaos. Mine ? it is a postage stamp of grass! We do have a tree though, most of which my downstairs neighbour cut down the week we moved here (along with the lilac bush)! He's been talking about chopping it right down - so help me Judy if he does I'll be hauled up for murder !! He thinks that because he does the gardening here that he can do as he wishes - nice huh ??

As for our summer weather, we had that a few weeks ago it lasted all of three weeks... well, eh slight exaggeration 10 days hehe !! The last couple of nights it has been very cold and I will need to bring down the 15 tog rated duvet from the loft and turn the central heating thermostat up ! You think I'd kidding ? I'm really not ... This is the kind of weather you get in the land of the tartan - you can't have hot weather and glorius 'GREEN GREEN' grass all the time.... It soo would be great to see a 'bit' more of the sun though!

Cheers for now Kate x.

Kate said...

me again ! Just noticed Amber's comment about 100 degrees hehehe yesterday we had 12 degrees hmmmmm why can't we get a bit more sun ?

Will have to be having a few words with the 'big man' upstairs asking him to spread the sunshine a bit more evenly don't you think?

Beth said...

Hi, Judy. Your flowers are lovely, especially the ones on the top---such a pretty pot. I love impatiens, but I know you must be thrilled to be able to grow "sun" flowers now. I have welcomed the cooler weather---ever since menopause, I've suffered greatly in the heat.

As for my favorite season----it used to be fall, and I still love autumn. But as I've grown older, I've become quite fond of spring.

The Retired One said...

Because our winters here are so long and so harsh, spring is my favorite season. I have over 500 tulips throughout my yard, so I await their blooming every spring.
Autumn here is spectacular with oaks and colored leaves, etc. but it is a glimpse of the hard winter coming, so it is bittersweet.

Ann said...

You are going to have some beauties next year when they really take hold.

Sunny said...

They are pretty flowers :) Yes, it seems Summer is about gone...

even here, a friend and I were talking this morning out on the porch, and it felt like Fall was in the air.

By the time afternoon rolled 'round, I could tell...it's still Summer, lol.

June Saville said...

G'day Judy - our winter was very short and now we seem to be almost to spring already, with really warm days. The poor plants are completely mystified.
June in Oz

Joanna Jenkins said...

I'm with you! Summer's l most over and it hardly feels like it started yet!

I'm a spring and fall gal which is a problem in Southern California where we pretty much don't have any seasons at all. I always try to spend time with my family in the midwest to get a taste of the seasons.

Have a fun weekend.
xo

JunieRose2005 said...

Hi Judy,


All your flowers are very pretty!

I'm wishing for some cooler weather , myself!Our summers get me down!



Junie

Anonymous said...

I love all the seasons for different reasons

Rachel said...

Loved all your flowers Judy! So pretty!