Thursday, September 12, 2013

Summer, we hardly knew ye


Sometimes it rained so hard we couldn't see the waterfall


Wait a minute! Wasn't it just a couple of days ago we were visiting Christopher C and his fabulous Mom, Bulbarella, enjoying their wildflower gardens and stunning rhododendrons?

Drop dead gorgeous Rhodys in the Carrie gardens outside Clyde


Biltmore in May

Then wasn't it yesterday we spent Memorial Day checking out the winners of the first Biltmore International Rose Trials? It certainly seems like yesterday. So how come the calender now says September 12th? And what happened to June, July and August?

Looking back, our summer was literally washed away. We had over 30 inches of rain in July alone, and spent most of August looking out the window at dark skies and watching the veggie garden drown.

And of course, a sea of blackspot washed over the roses.

Ironweed (a member of the aster family) and Joe Pye
But now we've actually had a week with sunny skies! So I've been out exploring, appreciating the early fall beauties that are strutting their stuff right this minute. I am loving the Joe Pyes, sunflowers, phlox, dahlias and a plant I've never seen before, Ironweed.


Summer may have evaporated, but I'm going to savor every minute of this September show. Because I am certainly not ready for mums, pumpkins and black cats.



A field of sunflowers near Highlands
Red Bleeding Heart (Clerodendrum thomsoniae)

Sedum looking like refreshing cones of strawberry ice cream

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and buddleia

Female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and phlox


Green-headed coneflowers (I think) growing along our trail

8 comments :

Skeeter said...

I am so glad you identified the Iron Weed! I was admiring it all along our trip in the Mountains this past weekend! I was captivated by its tall stems and purple flowers. I never did get a chance to snap a photo as those mountain roads can be a bit too dangerous for a pull over. I also spotted some yellow blooms and a pretty little blue colored bloom as well. I enjoyed the beauty along the way but wished I had known what I was viewing. Now I know Ironweed! I did snap a few pics of some things that I must research or take some free ID'ing on with a blog posting....

Lynn Hunt said...

Skeeter, maybe the Ironweed didn't bloom last year but I had never seen it until now. The color is amazing! I just bought one at our local nursery and will plant it with two "Little Joe" Joe Pye Weeds down below near the trail. I'm excited about these new plants and already can't wait to see them bloom next year!

Sunil Patel said...

Hi Lynn, we would like to try and savour September too, it's supposed to be the month of cool nights and mellow days, instead it's been freezing, windy, dark and very wet, it's like we skipped the whole "gentle descent into Autumn" thing and decided to make a break for the winter. It's reminiscent of the non-appearance of spring, we've had a total of two seasons this year.

Lynn Hunt said...

Sunil, when we were living in the London area September was a glorious month. I'm sorry the weather has been so miserable for you. The gardening calendar is short already without Mother Nature playing dirty tricks! Perhaps October will bring an "Indian summer"as we say here.

Les said...

I had heard of your epic rains, but did not realize it was 30". That's amazing, and it must have been very frustrating as well.

Lynn Hunt said...

Les, we actually got a bit depressed with weeks of dark skies and torrential downpours. My roses were beaten down and Chris' little veggie patch didn't survive. But I guess on the bright side, the drought is over!

Charlie@Seattle Trekker said...

Your photos are stunning and sadly we to have seen so much rain lately that it makes the memories of my garden seem distant.

Lynn Hunt said...

Thank you Charlie. So pleased you like the photos. Looks like we are heading back home from a little vacation to what is being described as a "tropical cyclone" on Sunday. Ugh!

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