Hazy, Hot and Humid - still!

Gone are the lush, fecund days of May; the bright promise of spring rains and cool evenings. Now the garden is entering its Sunset Boulevard days. Think Norma Desmond ready for her close up.

Everything is tired and dry - much in need of fall deadheading. The few things that are still blooming are struggling to exist on my twice-a-week watering and the few select rain drops that fall sporadically. There are bright spots - I guess, literally. After the first bout of record-breaking weather, I drastically cut back the hydrangeas and garden phlox. With heavy watering both have rebounded with a second flush of smaller blooms. A few yarrow are blooming again and a lavendar that has never bloomed before - so that's a nice surprise. But overall the plants look terrible.

The other hopeful sign is that the crepe myrtles are blooming and the clethera is in bud, so perhaps pictures soon from them.