July's Full Moon

We had the most beautiful full moon rise over the ridge of the Salmon River State Forest beyond Bear Swamp the past three nights.  It was yellow-orange and moved across the sky quickly after sunset.  The fireflies were also out, lighting its way through the dark sky from our view high above the rock ledge on which our house sits. It is definitely high summer.

In the garden, the border is full and the blooms wave in the great breezes we've had in the past few days.

The daylily Hemerocallis 'Mini Pearl' is blooming.  It is a coral, apricot color with a peach, melon blush.  The petals are loosely ruffled and the tips recurved.  It's a dwarf variety, so the blooms are smaller, but keep coming as long as it is watered deeply in dry spells.

The Panicle Hydrangea or Tree Hydrangea Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' is now blooming also.  The bloom color begins as pale lime green, but changes to white and later, in fall, to pink.  I fed it blood meal last year to strengthen its stems, but they still fall over with the weight of the blooms, especially when wet from rain.

A neighbor gave me a young sunflower plant from her garden. The birds at her bird feeder gave it to her!  I put in the soil a few weeks ago and it, too, has bloomed.

The Big Sky 'Harvest Moon' Echinacea purpurea hybrid is blooming in the border with the others: 'Sunrise', 'Summer Sky', and 'Sunset'.  They have designer colors, large blooms, and a wonderful fragrance.  The butterflies and the goldfinches love them.  I love to see the goldfinces land on them as they wait for the bird bath or the feeder. I've tried all week to snap a photo but they are very sensitive to any movement, even through the window of the house.

Daytime full moons and fireflies!