I’ve been shamefully…

I've been shamefully neglectful of my garden this year -- the new plants I put in are really struggling for lack of water and care; many have withered back to roots. I hope they survive. I'm so grateful for the older plants, put in last year and the previous year -- they're hanging in there and blooming despite it all. Not quite as floriferously as is their normal wont, but I'll take a few blooms here and there over none! Strong roots are a glorious thing; they help us survive the parched days.

Saw this tiny columbine peeking out as I walked back from dropping off Anand; I didn't expect them to bloom again this year.

I think this is Simplicity, a pink shrub rose. Hardy!

These pansies are from the spring -- I didn't expect them to survive the summer heat, but somehow, they've kept going for months on end. Real troopers!

Last year, my first hollyhock put up one stem with a few blooms. This year, the same plant has two strong stems, and a few more coming. In a few years? We'll see!

The blooms on my Penny Mac hydrangea are the first sign of underwatering in my garden, as they start to wilt. If I don't water soon, everything else will droop. It's like a little watering alarm clock, although if I were better, I wouldn't let it get to this stage.

Summer beauty allium is mostly done -- all the pale lavender has faded away. But its dried flower heads provide a lovely shape in the garden, and will last through the winter, collecting snow.

I keep taking photos of Claudette dahlia, because I love it so. Something about the shape and color. It is so spritely -- I don't know what I'd do without dahlias in autumn. More, more, more!

Moondance floribunda rose has really struggled this year, just putting out a few blooms. I cherish each one.

William Shakespeare, on the other hand, has bloomed very happily straight through the summer. Ah, sweet William. Who would have thought that you'd be so reliable?

Darlow's Enigma put out a glorious spring flush, and I thought it was done, but look -- it's come back in the fall. Winsome and adorable.

There's a huge outcropping of mushrooms in the backyard, and I admit, I am a bit torn about whether I should rip them out, in case they're poisonous. The dog doesn't seem interested, and my kids are mostly past the age of putting everything in their mouths, but still. Anyone know what these are?

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