Hello August! I cannot believe that July is over and before we know it, it will be fall. Ok, no-- my head is not prepared for that yet. I am still living in the garden thrill that was July! After months of catching up with the rest of the country (after the eternal winter) everything is blooming in Minnesota thanks to a heat wave that lasted up until the end of July! But then cool air from Canada came down giving us perfect summer weather that the blooms just loved.
Right now the star of my little garden are the dahlias-- three weeks ago they start blooming and I am in heaven.
Penhill Watermelon dahlia opening!
The dramatic beauty of Hollyhill Black Beauty.
Canter Court dahlia front and center.
Iceberg dahlia just starting to bloom!
The pollinator friendly plants we planted are going nuts especially the Bee's Friend and Echinacea, as well as the Shasta daisies, and the friendly insects have started to come by. This has been a labor of love for us, because we did not have many until a few years ago after we planted many plants to attract them. It took a few years but it is working. And even my wheaten Jack is attracted to them, especially the bee's friend which is ok because it is not poisonous.
The roses have also continued blooming and I am amazed at how beautiful a flower can be. I am just thrilled. Two of roses started getting attacked by sawfly, a.k.a. rose slugs and destroyed a lot of the foliage but a reader commented about using soapy water with cayenne peppers and that seems to be working so far! .Apparently, the damage is mostly cosmetic and does not affect the blooming. Still, I hate it. Yes, I am shallow when it comes to appearances...lol.
While it is not garden related, the corn is growing beautifully! These babies are taller than me. After some wind storms at the beginning of July, patched of cornfields were flatten by high winds. Thankfully, it bounced back and it is thriving. Some of our neighbors weren't so lucky during the storms and lost some of the crop. That is the life of a farmer-- which when you think of it, it is sort of like gambling against the weather.
How was your #gloriousgarden in July? What are you most looking forward to in August?
Sharing with: In a Vase on Monday, Mosaic Monday, Garden Blogger's Bloom Day (15th of the Month), Simple Saturdays, The Homemaking Party, Home Sweet Home, Gardens Galore, Floral Bliss, Home and Garden Thursday, End of Month View (31st of the Month), Harvest Monday, Blooming Friday, #MyGloriousGardens, Six on Saturday, Pink Saturday, Dishing It & Digging It, Strawberry Fields, Home Sweet Home, Sundays At Home