Farewell to Summer

Zinnias add a splash of color and charm to the garden

A Kansas Country Garden

September 2015

We bid farewell to summer with a mixture of relief and regret. It was a wonderful summer, but I should have gotten a few more projects done. Leaving blistering temperatures behind is easier than knowing that the relaxed summer schedule is coming to an end.  But I have to admit that the approaching autumn is a delightful time of the year. 

Summer Slump

Old fashioned phlox need to be well-watered to thrive. Less water won't kill them, but they will not look good. 

Tiger lilies contrast with cheerful hibiscus. 

A Kansas Country Garden

August 2015

All is not wonderful in the mid-summer garden. Unlike spring when each day is a new adventure in the garden and new things continually pop into bloom, summer moves a little slower and a little harder. 

June Ushers in a Splendid Summertime

A contrast in daylilies with the tall single orange towering over the Stella De Oro with cheerful Shasta daisies in the foreground. 

A Kansas Country Garden

May 2015

I am pleased that these lilies have multiplied over the years.

There is both a sameness and a newness as summer begins in our country garden.  Many plants have been in our garden for years breeding familiarity but never contempt. Perhaps that is because their visit is short and never quite the same.  Each year is unique. Even in the best years, there are plants that fail to thrive. Even in the worst years, there are pockets of loveliness. 

A Poem for the Garden

My Garden by Thomas E. Brown

Written sometime in the  1800's, this poem transcends the passing of time and feels quite at home in my 2015 garden. I found the poem years ago, loved it, and copied it by hand into a little journal where I keep quotes that I like. Simple, yet profound, it always makes me smile. I share it with you today along with recent photos from the garden and hope that you like it too. 

Quick Mix Strawberry Shortcake for Two

There's a certain luxury to having strawberries. So pretty! So delicate! So wonderfully delicious! This is what the rich and famous should dine on (and they probably do) and yet here I am, neither rich nor famous, with lots and lots of strawberries.