My enthusisam for gardening is temporarily on the decline. Mosquitos are aggressive, as are weeds and grass in the garden after a rainy spring and summer. After weeks of daily rain storms a break from precipitation during the past three days brought welcome sunshine and blue sky, albeit with extreme heat and humidity.
It is an understatement to say spending time in the garden certainly is less compelling now than during those first warm weeks of spring when everything was fresh and young. I know dedicating even a few hours would benefit the overall appearance of the borders and help sustain the progress made to date in battling the Spiderwort, but procrastination is winning again today. Maybe tomorrow the call will come.
Despite my inattention the garden looks stronger than usual at this time of year. Pollinators are finding plenty of attractions. A few self-seeded Zinnias add extra color to the Western border.
Zinnia
Zinnia
Also self-seeded, Cleome abound. It is easy to see how the common name of Spider Flower originated. The complex structure of their flowers is fascinating.
Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)
Yellow rays and green disks of Rudbeckia hirta ‘Irish Eyes’ brighten the southern entrance to the garden. Recently more bees are arriving to enjoy them, equipping this plant with its own buzzing, humming soundtrack.
Rudbeckia hirta ‘Irish Eyes’
Leaves of Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp Sunflower) growing up through flowers of Rudbeckia hirta ‘Irish Eyes’
pbmGarden 
I really understand. It is 93 degrees with 54% humidity here in NH. It is unbearable out there and as much as I love my gardens I am not weeding today. And, I need to weed to because of all the weeds that came in from the June rains. But, I’m guessing there are lots of gardeners who are dealing with the same conditions and have decided the weeds can live another day or week.
Thank you for helping me reason it out some more! Enjoy your day and stay cool.
I’m sure this feeling will pass, Susie. But how wonderful your respite, well deserved, is not without joy looking on your creation, weeds and all.
Thanks. Hope to get charged up again soon Linda. Meanwhile I’m going to put on my selective vision goggles and make those weeds disappear.
It has been very hot and humid around here. I still try to go out and tend the garden but I am quickly drenched in sweat. The mosquitos are also very active. Nice summer colors in your garden, red zinnias, yellow sunflower …
Thanks!
Well if you insist on tending the garden in this heat, stay hydrated, as people say now-a-days, or if you prefer the old-school form: drink plenty of water. Susie
I know how you feel. It is all I can do to make a pass around the garden after dinner and pull the most obnoxious of weeds (those that have grown so tall I can pull without stooping). Cooler days are ahead. Just another eight weeks to go. 😉
It’s a paradox. I really don’t want to wish summer away. You’re right though, it’s going fast. Stay cool.
I’m with you 100%, the shovels and garden fork are stowed away and I don’t plan on doing anything serious out there until the weather breaks. Even watering seems to be a chore and sometimes things have to suffer for a couple days before I build up the motivation. It sounds like there’s enough going on there to keep the garden interesting, sit back and enjoy it for a couple weeks. They call them the lazy days of summer for a reason!
That’s just what I’m looking for–permission to be lazy for a few days! Thanks!
The heat has taken its toll on my plants and me — but like your garden, the zinnias are doing great! Stay cool.
Kevin, I just read your latest blog post about the weather you’re experiencing and smiled the entire way through. I don’t water much at all and am one of the few in our neighborhood without in-ground irrigation. We’ve had so much rain here for months that I think the plants have become spoiled, but they’re holding up ok so far under this heat wave. Take care and stay safe outside.
Everyone I know is having problems with the mosquitos, and we are all in agreement that the gardening can wait! I keep thinking “I mustn’t wish the summer away”. Still, hope things dry up a bit for you and the humidity drops. We are going to put on long trousers and loads of repellant and get the hammocks out this weekend!
I think we’ll get a little break from the heat next week. Enjoy the hammocks Cathy. That sounds like a nice, lazy summer afternoon plan.
This looks so perfect. My own garden is more jungle and were it not the height of my busy season and a heatwave here I would take a machete to it! re mosquitos – how can something so tiny be so deadly? Got bitten to death in Italy.
Thanks! Much of the garden is getting rather jungle-like also but I’ll let it go a bit. Mosquitos used to be troublesome only at night when I was growing up–never bothered us during the day, but they’re out all the time now.
With the heat and skeeters I have been out little…with the break in the heat, I hope it continues so I can get out a bit more but oh those sketeers.
Same here Donna. I have been a little glad for the break though!
I am so there with you! I’ve been weeding just about every day–and it seems as if I just turn my back, and when I turn around there are more weeds than before I started! And that little whine of the mosquitoes–ugh! It is enough to make me just long to go settle back inside with a good book.