Delightful Dahlias

'Excentric' Dahlia

A hot wind blows across the north 40. (Which, in reality, is the east one half. But, north 40 sounds way cooler, don't you think?)

I flip on a sprinkler, for the 3rd day in a row, all the while admitting it's a day late, buck short. There's no hope for the pasture grass, have not irrigated all summer long.

'Betty Ann' Dahlia (Heirloom: 1928)

But, it keeps my weather-weary horses occupied. Like 1,500 pound kids, they love running through that sprinkler. Cooling down their big bodies, keeping those pesky flies at bay.

Made a half-hearted effort to pull some weeds, trim one tree, then abandoned my chores for the comfort of an air-conditioned house.

'Junkyard Dog' Dahlia (isn't that a terrible name for such a pretty flower??)

I am eternally grateful that I have AC ~ I think it's one of the premiere achievements of modern man. Partly because I'm a Minnesotan and never learned how to cope with hot weather.

And, also because I grew up in what I call a hot family. (Which had nothin' to do with being good-lookin.) My Mom and Brother never saw a need for air conditioning, sitting comfortably in an 85 degree house with nary a complaint. While I was melting like that proverbial wicked witch.

'Bahama Mama' Dahlia

That's probably why I ended up living so high in the mountains ~ where I devote an entire post to bitching about the heat ~ when it's only 80 degrees out there.    [B.A.B.Y.]

August (as you have probably guessed) is my least favorite month of the year. When I've run out of energy to do most anything. Other than to dream of a seaside vacation...

Which is not gonna happen this year, but it did last year. The delightful Dahlia pictures in this post are from the Swan Island Dahlia Festival I attended in Canby, Oregon last August.

'Emory Paul' Dahlia

I probably should have mentioned that at the top of the post but I wanted you to be all impressed, thinking these beauties are growing in my garden. :)))

'Double Trouble' Dahlia

* PS: Email theft and craziness. Apparently, while I was on vacation someone got ahold of my email address and sent some of you odd comments. My apologies, 'twas not me.

** If you scroll down to the next post, you'll see the one lonely Dahlia that is truly growing in my garden. I'm plotting to plant a lot more of them next summer.

Wordless Wednesdays: August's Bright Bloomers

Dahlia

Bellflower

Lily

Hollyhocks

Zinnias

For more Wordless Wednesday participants click here!

Wordless Wednesdays: Sky High Hollyhocks

These tall gals tower over me, stretching 6-10 feet toward the sky.

Double blossoms are hybrids. Single blossoms are heirlooms ~ if you'd like some seeds just say the word!

For more Wordless Wednesday participants click here.

Ditch Gardens and Deck Decorations

Nasturtiums grown from seed decorate our sunny deck.

Don't ya just love Sunday mornings? As opposed to Monday mornings when you feel obligated to attack that lengthy list of must-do's vs. wanna do's.

Sit a spell. (See close-ups below of the climbing vines.)

I cheerfully wasted the whole of a Sunday puttering about the gardens, pulling weeds, and saying thank you over and over again.

The 'thank you' part is a little bit of a blessing and way more of a curse...

Clematis climbing vines smile at you from one corner of the deck's privacy screen.

This WAS a cute little country cottage when I first bought it. But, I've gained tons of new neighbors in the last 8 years. So many that I live 'in town' again. New Town, as they call it. My quiet little old ranch road has evolved into a busy thoroughfare. And, a popular bicycle path.

At least 100 honeysuckle blossoms pretty up the other half of the privacy screen.

Now I have an audience while I'm working in the garden. (Which I'm not too thrilled about. Especially when I'm out there in my pajamas.)

I do love the fact that they're so appreciative of my efforts. Calling out: Beautiful flowers! So pretty! as they peddle by.

This used to be the weedy ditch in front of my house.

That's because I gave 'em something to take their mind off the fact that they're peddling uphill. I have the prettiest ditch on the old ranch road!

Over the last 2 years, I slowly, methodically, killed off the crabgrass and dandelions covering the steep ditch in front of my house. Then I filled it with tough as nails waterwise perennials that happily wave in the breeze.

Butterflies play there. Bees are a buzzin'. Teeny green Hummingbirds whiz past my head. It's quickly become my favorite spot in the garden. Even if I do feel compelled to comb my hair before I head out there and say hello to passers by...

PS: Welcome back from the Seattle Fling, garden blogging buddies! I pouted all weekend because I couldn't join you...

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day ~ July, 2011

My most favorite summertime chore is deadheading flowers in the cool of the evening.

After dinner, a garden stroll, wielding my trusty scissors... I lop the heads off all the spent blossoms, encouraging them to smile at me all over again.

Around this joint, Columbines rule the roost. 

I just love how they cross-pollinate to deliver fun, new colors each summer.

Do you deadhead your Columbines? I've found the blue ones, in particular, will flower all summer long, if I keep torturing them with the scissors.

Bumble on the Catmint May Night Salvia (Good catch, Kim! :-)

We're receiving more rain this year than ever before. Flowers are jumping for joy. The garden is abuzz with hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.

Wild Roses

Mom's wild roses pouted for several years after transplanting. With these ideal gardening conditions, they finally agreed to put down roots and embrace their new surroundings.

Mom's Legendary Day Lilies

Truth be told I'm not a fan of Day Lilies. (Lazy one day bloomers... :) But, I guess there's a legacy aspect to gardening. The Lilies, along with the wild roses and peonies, are transplants from my Mother's garden. Her Peonies are older than me.

Salvia and Yarrow

I prefer a wilder look ~ so it feels as if you're strolling through a meadow untouched by gardener's hands. (And, we all know that meadows are filled with weeds so I can pretend like I planned it that way!)

Maltese Cross

I'm doubly nuts for hot, hot colors like this Maltese Cross.

Wine Cups

But, I guess that's the beauty of gardening, isn't it?

How every yard is a reflection of who we are and ~ through our choices ~ a lovely story to tell.

Pay a visit to Carol of May Dreams Gardens ~ creator of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. From her website, you can stroll through an astonishing number of brightly blooming blogs.

Wordless Wednesdays: It's a Jungle Out Here!

Primrose and Jupiter's Beard

Clematis

John Cabot Roses

Perky Sue with Spirea

Valerian and Catmint

For more Wordless Wednesday participants click here!

The Impulse Garden (as in impulse purchase: one of everything I simply had to buy.)

Wordless Wednesdays: The Summer Garden

Rose Campion + Geraniums

Columbine

Bellflowers

Peonies + Salvia

Evening Primrose

Poppies + Wild Roses + Catmint

The Columbine Garden

 At long last! :)

It's beginning to feel like 'summer' in the mountains!

For more Wordless Wednesday participants click here.