Beautiful rain

The scorching temperatures have continued, but there was a reprieve for the garden in the form of rain last week. Rain and mowing did wonders for the appearance of the garden. It's kind of scary how thin that line is between pretty or at least intriguing and scarecrow ugly. The seashore mallows especially were looking like toast.

This pink rainlily (Zephyranthes grandiflora) opened in response to the rain. It was put in last fall and this is the first time it's bloomed here. Grandiflora is a good name; at first I thought it was a tiny pink daylily. I was impressed by how well the flowers held up to the heat.

The butterflies love the heat and the Buddleia flowers. Buckeyes, Skippers

and Swallowtails cover all of the butterfly bushes.

Thankfully after the last few days of murderously hot temps (and I know a lot of people are suffering from the heat), it's raining again. The plants will be happy.

Somebody's happy

This has been a rather brutal summer so far. Dry and hot. Parts of the yard look like a construction site and others like a weedy mess. It's too hot to complete projects and neaten everything. The part that looks like the best right now is the Summersweet next to the old house site and I had no hand in that. lol

There are some that are fine with this hot dry weather and that's the insects. They are flitting and buzzing around everywhere. Butterflies all over the Buddleias and bees on the roses. The roses are actually reblooming this summer! (There are fewer Japanese beetles this year).

At times I look at my full-sun garden and long for oak trees and native azaleas, a big show in spring that subsides to quiet green in the heat of summer. But there wouldn't be all these bees and butterflies, and hummingbirds fighting over the Brazilian blue sage.

I hope you are enjoying your summer, and not getting too hot!