S i g h . . .

I'm not ready for August to be half over . . . or is it half full?

Last of the summer flowers ...

Gaillardias look spectacular in the garden, adding sunny bursts of color. They resemble daisies and have petals "painted" in hues of orange and red. These perennials are native to the Americas and grow best in full sun. They start to bloom in early summer and continue until frost. The flowers themselves last for weeks and make lovely bouquets.

Black-Eyed Susans ...

"Summer afternoon ... the two most beautiful words in the English language." ~Henry James
The Black-Eyed Susan is probably the most common of all American wildflowers. The characteristic brown, domed center is surrounded by bright yellow petals. A true sunshine worshiper that forgives neglect, these flowers thrive in most soils in full sun.

Iris and columbine in my garden ...

"Iris in a country garden,
Politely said, "I beg your pardon,
But I'm from sunny France you see,
And my real name is Fleur-de-Lis."

In My Neighbor's Yard ...

There are masses of these tiny blue flowers filling my neighbor's front yard ... and I admit it, I WANT them in my yard! But at least I can admire them every time I pass by. SIBERIAN SQUILL is an ugly name for a very beautiful little flower. It's also called Scilla siberica, which is slightly more elegant. The color is an intense Prussian blue, and it has three to five star-shaped blossoms suspended from each stem. Not only is the flower lovely, the plant is incredibly hardy: it really does grow in Siberia. It is also one of the very best bulb plants for naturalizing (i.e. it will not only come back year after year, it will gradually increase and multiply). Also, it's very cheap to buy. How can you lose?

Violas and Pansies ...

From ALICE IN WONDERLAND: Who remembers the Disney version of the story where the flowers actually sing this sweet little ditty???
"You can learn a lot of things from the flowers,
for especially in the month of June.
There's a wealth of happiness and romance,
all in the golden afternoon. ...
All in the golden afternoon,
the golden afternoon..."