Perfect Summer Day

Just before the thunderstorms kick in, I went out to the garden to cut some flowers to put in a vase.  Although we've had an inch already this week, we're going to have three days of rain to end the week.  I thought I would save some blooms from destruction by winds and heavy rain, maybe hail.

I love having a work sink in the walk-out basement so that I can condition the flowers.  I strip the extra leaves off outside and carry a jar around with me as I cut.  Then I soak the blooms and leaves in the sink of room temperature water for a bit before arranging in the vase (a Mason jar today).

I came face to face with a male Gyspy moth this morning!

He was on the patio door window.  Look at those eyes and "feelers"!

Haven't seen a female one (white) or any egg deposits yet.

Good news for next year, if so.

And more vases full of blooms and greenery to bring inside to enjoy

when we can't be on the patio.

Red, White and Blue in the Garden

It's the Fourth of July and the garden is bursting with color and bloom:

Red from a new Cone Flower 'Cheyenne Flower'

White from the Fairy Wings

and Blue from the Balloon Flowers.

Even the shape of the blooms reminds me of the starbursts of fireworks:

A newly blooming Cone Flower

A perennial sunflower (with visitor)

A newly blooming hydrangea

The first day lily to bloom this summer.

Even the tiny blooms and leaves of Thrift near the bench.

 seem to be "bursting in air"

in the early July garden.

Oh, say, can you see?

The grand finale--

From Sara's second-year flower garden!

Ready to Defend!

I looked through my arsenal of insecticides and found Neem Oil by Natria.  It is approved for organic gardening.  It will also solve some disease problems like rust and powdery mildew.  I'm going to use it on the Mandevilla vine that has been invaded by aphids.

This will be a step up from the Earth-Tone Insecticidal Soap I have been using.  I have applied the soap spray every 3 days for 10 days to no avail.  I hope the Neem Oil will take care of the aphids.

I also bought Earth-tone 3 in 1 Disease Control.  Both Earth-tone products are by Espoma.

I have had good luck with that brand and Bayer products also.  I especially liked the Bayer 3-in-1 but it is not available in Connecticut any longer.  It has a tobacco-derived product that some people think is harmful to bees.  The expert at my lawn and garden center does not agree!  I have used this product in the past and have many, many bees in my garden then and now. I think I agree with her.

The 3-in-1 product disease control I can spray on my roses.  I found at least a dozen Gypsy Moth caterpillars on my two plants this afternoon.  I need to spray them directly so I'm not sure if this is going to work. It is late to try to eradicate the caterpillars.  I found the soap spray kills them on the birch tree.  I stepped on a lot of them when they were small, but these are as big as your little finger now!  Too much squish!  My garden guru told me to prune back the roses and fertilize them with Espoma Rose-tone.

Poor roses!

Attack of the Moths and Aphids

They're ba-a-ack!

Those Gypsy Moth caterpillars

are eating my birch tree and my rose bushes.

This one above shows the typical red and blue spots (also below)

on the fourth instar stage of the caterpillar moth.

They will soon seek shelter and pupate

by the end of this month or early July.

Then the moths appear by mid-July.

Another invasion!

My Knock-Out roses have survived Rosy Rosette disease,

but now the leaves are all gone, chewed by the caterpillars.

Disgusting!

And then there are the aphids...

on my beautiful Mandevilla vine, 

a gift from a friend.

Will I lose these battles?

Stay tuned.

Chores Between Moons

The May10 full moon was the Flower Moon.  The June 9 full moon was the Strawberry Moon.  Both were visible from the garden at nightfall.  Between the two full moons, there are lots of garden chores.  Here's a list of what I've accomplished in that time period (and each year at this time!).

• Set up soaker hose.  Monitor water with a rainfall gauge.  My frog does this for me!
• Deadhead the bulb flowers. Let the leaves die back.  Trim them when they wilt.  Early this year!  Tulips and Daffodils done.
• Pull weeds as they crop up.  Wait for a day that is not too wet or too dry to gently remove them.
• Pinch back summer-flowering perennials for control of their height:  Montauk daisies, asters and sedum.
• Hoop the peonies before they droop.  Caught them in time before the heat!
• Prune or deadhead spring-flowering plants: Iris, Siberian Iris, Lady's Mantle (to control size), Forget-Me-Nots, Pansies and Violas.  Also the shrubs:  Weigela, Deutzia, Lilacs, Flowering Quince.

• Divide summer and fall blooming perennials. This year I divided the Nepeta or catmint, the Montauk Daisy, some Yarrow and some Tickseed.  I also divided the Bleeding Heart (spring-bloomer) this year after it bloomed but before the leaves died back. It wasn't doing well but a young plant had started nearby that I gently cut out and relocated.

• And then there is pest patrol.  I have battled Gypsy Moth caterpillars and aphids already.  There is a feral cat drinking from my bird bath--but there are no more chipmunks digging holes and the rabbits left the tulips alone this year.

These are all photos from previous springs

that appear on this blog's archive.

Same old chores, but also same beautiful displays.

I love the May-June garden

despite all the work!

It's 90 Degrees Again!

The poor peonies and poppies were just blooming when the heat rose quickly. The buds literally burst apart and the blooms were not long-lasting. I did get a few shots that show their late spring beauty.

A lot of waiting--and a very short show!

Gorgeous Day

It's a small garden but it gives me such joyous moments.

Our stand-alone condos are close together

but the patio feels private surrounded by plants.

This morning the Siberian Iris are resplendent against the greens

of foliage and background trees.

The mountain laurel are just blooming.

All five bushes look great this year.

It may help that we have pulled out of a two=year drought.

Back in the shade under the deck

the Violas are popping up in the gravel

near the fairy garden.

Froggie is loving it today.

Rain is coming in by noon

and will last through most of the week.

Good for rain-deprived plants

wanting to rejuvenate.