Sometimes we gardeners get so busy "gardening" that we miss the subtle transition between planning, planting, watering, fertilizing, and pruning to ENJOY our flowering gardens. However, isn't it at least partially to behold and enjoy the beauty of our handiwork that makes us really love gardening? With the help of Mother Nature, of course!
For me now--at least in my garden--I have a small frame of time that will allow me to enjoy a bit of a lull between some of those larger gardening tasks that we all face come late summer and early fall. Except for regular watering, deadheading spent blossoms, nipping in the bud any weeds, and keeping a close eye out for noxious garden pests, I finally have time to RELAX for a few weeks and smell the flowers!
Yes! This is the BEST time of my gardening year for me, and I don't want it to pass me by. Like the flowers, the butterflies and bees, the hummingbirds and other song birds that now frequent my yard, I want to ENJOY my flower garden while it's at its peak!
Won't you please join me for a "virtual" mini tour? It will only take a little while, and I'd really enjoy your company!
First, let's take a fragrant, pleasant stroll to some areas of my garden that rewarded me with masses of both brilliant and soft colors in early spring. Following these colorful early-blooming spring displays, we'll meander further around my yard to see the beauty of some of the early to mid-summer flowers that are now in full bloom.
Afterwards, we can sit together in a comfy spot in the shade to relax and sip on an iced tea or a cold soda. It won't be long until we will see Tiger Swallowtails, Cabbage Whites, or Monarch butterflies joining us at their favorite nectar pubs!
Some of the earliest blooming perennials that welcomed both spring AND butterflies to my garden were my purple Aubretias. Their showy blossoms were really spectacular this year and bloomed for well over a month, even during the coolest spring weather. Since then they have been trimmed back, and I'm now waiting for their second blooms to appear. I have three of these purple flowering beauties in my front courtyard and more in my backyard flower beds. These three are situated alternately in front of my pink winter heather, which also bloomed for many months. In the foreground are Dwarf Boxwoods that form a lovely soft green low hedge all around my courtyard.
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