Fertilizer Friday - July 27

I wasn't sure I would have anything to post for Fertilizer Friday this week.

The lack of rain was taking its toll on the gardens.

I was almost ready to give up, when on Thursday we received almost 2" of much needed rain!

Love Lies Bleeding

Obedient Plant starting to open

Phlox and Globe Thistle

Crocosmia

Rudbeckia

A lone 'Carefree Beauty'

4 O'clocks

Helenium - seems early!

The plants are happy for now. I wonder how long until the next rain?

Need rain!

Here we are mid July.

We have had a very hot, and very dry summer so far.

I can't think of the last time we had rain.

We have been using our well water sparingly, and the only things being watered are planters and the veggie garden. The flower gardens are on their own and it shows.

So here are a few things to share with Tootsie and Fertilizer Friday

A few planters

This is by the door and the Heliotrope smells divine! Anyone else like to grow this?

A planter with clearance bargains this week

 This is filling in nicely

A Dahlia peeking out of the garden. The Earwigs are a real problem this year eating the blooms off of everything!

The tub is filling in too

We are patiently waiting for the cucumbers!

I was quite pleased to find these Sweet Potato Squash growing in the tire. Tasted them for the first time last year and HAD to grow some this year. YUM!

I hope we get some rain soon or there will be nothing left to share next week.

 

Volunteers

Don't you just love those plants that pop up in your garden?

 They always seem to be in the perfect place.

This spring I spread compost in all the gardens, and I have had many surprises

These Nicandra seeds must have survived the last 2 winters in the compost pile - that was the last time I planted them. They have these pretty little blooms

Followed by these interesting seed pods

Which have these little seed balls inside

Nicandra is also known as Shoo Fly Plant. It doesn't seem to be working...there are zillions of fly's this year - no kidding!

Another pop up plant this year is Echinacea - always glad to see them

The Poppies are surprising me too-here's a really frilly one

 Sea Holly - found growing thru a shrub

The birds help spread seeds too

Tomato seedlings are popping up all over as well, as seen in the Hosta bed addition, with a very healthy Nicandra behind

The compost pile itself has a few surprises 

Poppies, sunflowers, datura, zucchini and a few vines

I'm quite happy to see Hubbard squash ... yum!

Do you have anything interesting popping up in YOUR gardens this year?

Up close and personal

I was fiddling with my macro settings ... can you guess what this is?

 Echinacea!

A few other close ups

Hosta

 Ligularia

A few Daylily's

Petunia

Oleander

Zinnia

I'm linking in with Tootsie for Fertilizer Friday - head over and check it out!

The heat is on! Fertilier Friday July 6th

The heat is on in southern Ontario, with today's high expect to reach 35°C!

Despite the lack of rain, there are still blooms to share for Fertilizer Friday!

First, my 5 am harvest

The Hydrangea's are almost glowing at dawn

Some happy Veronica

And Culvers Root

A volunteer Poppy peeking out of the steps

The Lavender that I thought I lost this spring

The various Echinacea's starting to bloom

Daylily's

And a few Asiatic's from a friend

Allium

Lambs Ear blooms

Love that Bee Balm - and so do the Hummers!

Scabiosa

An old tub salvaged in one of my walks

An unknown succulent ... can anyone identify this one for me?

Hen's and Chicks  ... such an odd bloom!

Butterfly weed grown from seed ... having a great year