I would have thought that by now my latest project would be complete.  I’m in the process of widening the flower bed that runs along the street, and even though it’s been humid, hot and rainy I still won’t admit it might have been a better idea to wait until fall.  So I’ll try to distract everyone from that thought with some pictures.

The phlox are here!  This picture is a week old, but it’s one of my newest colors so of course I’m excited about it.  The full name is phlox paniculata “Nicky” and it’s dark dark dark.  I had to prop it up a bit, but since this is year one I’m willing to give it another growing season before calling it a flopper.

You’ll see more phlox soon since they’re a favorite, but first here’s an underrated summer bloomer, hosta “blue cadet”.  I only have a few hostas, but I’d rate this one highly.  It’s old but always respectable and easy in sun or shade.  I like it here under the porch plantings and it does a good job of shading all the spring bulbs and hiding their dying foliage.  Note the edge on that lawn!  You don’t see that too often in my yard. In the backyard the addition of bird netting has saved some blueberries for the slower berry lovers.  This morning’s pickings were enough for a whole blueberry pancake!  Who knows, maybe in another year or two we’ll be able to put together a couple muffins.

I guess I can put in a couple front border pictures.  Here’s the newly dug section.  The cannas are sprouting in the heat and the sedum doesn’t seem to care about being moved and divided on a 92F afternoon.I made it almost to the halfway point.  The grass is getting turned under and I’m putting in whatever annuals are still homeless.  A few perennials are moving around too but it’s mostly iris clumps getting ripped out and divided and sedums finding a new spot.At the rate I’m moving I should get to this end around Sept. 25th.  Then I’ll probably want to spread mulch over it all…. and weed first since by then I’m sure they will be all over.  Oh well, maybe someday I’ll get my act together.

Projects are always fun but the zucchini are blooming and that can mean only one thing.  All work will stop as we try and get rid of the extras.  I always plant four hills and I always end up with about four times what I need.  Who would ever trust that the little seeds I put in the ground would ever amount to anything?  But they do and now I’ll pay the price.   For this one hill I can count at least four and they’ll be ready in another day or two…. so get the recipes ready.