Gardenia jasminoides ‘August Beauty’
A series of light showers this morning were welcome after the previous two days of temperatures in low 90s. Gardenias are fully awake today; a few more red lilies shout their presence.
Gardenia jasminoides ‘August Beauty’
Gardenia jasminoides ‘August Beauty’
Gardenia jasminoides ‘August Beauty’
Lilium ‘Black Out’ (Asiatic lily)
American Goldfinches keep us entertained. Today I watched one floating from flower to flower on Blue Sky salvia, the slender stems arching gracefully downward with the bird’s weight, then popping upward, the goldfinch having moved on to the next flower effortlessly, like an acrobat on a trapeze .
Salvia uliginosa ‘Blue Sky’ (Bog sage)
Salvia uliginosa ‘Blue Sky’ (Bog sage)
I do not have an adequate camera to film birds but you may be able to see four goldfinches sitting atop sturdy stalks of echinacea in the meditation circle yesterday. All too soon one signals, “let’s go.”
Verbena bonariensis is going to seed and needs to be trimmed back. The finches love it at this stage so I will leave it a while longer.
Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena)
Among the signs of early summer in the garden are this lusciously deep, purple gladiolus just coming into bloom.
Gladiolus ‘Purple Flora’
Gladiolus ‘Purple Flora’
Dahlia ‘Gallery Art Deco’ embraces the hot weather.
Dahlia ‘Gallery Art Deco’
From the back porch I spied a black swallowtail, I think, on this bush. I searched later but the butterfly had moved on.
Buddleja davidii ‘Adokeep’ (Adonis blue Butterfly Bush)
pbmGarden 
Love your photography..you made me realize I need Verbena bonariensis…
Thanks. iPhone. That verbena travels around but is easy to remove, although it seems to look great wherever it lands.
I’m envious of that rain. We have a slim chance of some overnight but I’m not holding my breath. The Glads and Dahlias are beautiful. I’m impatient to see these flowers appear in my own garden but I planted late and expect I have another couple of months to wait. Best wishes for a pleasant weekend.
Thanks Kris. Hope you get a good rain and have a safe weekend.
Your plants are looking good and I can almost smell the gardenia. Gold finches only visit us in the winter with their drab colors.
Thanks Judy. They gardenia fragrance is delightful.
You are surrounded by beauty, but you really could have stopped with the gardenias because they took my breath away – WOW. Lucky woman. 🙂
Those little goldfinches are the nasty dudes who had a party in my dining room when I cut a bunch of sunflowers and brought them in! There was sunflower frass and poop everywhere!
Okay, so it is funny . . . now.
Oh my! Sounds awful!
Yes, but it would have been funny if it had happened to someone else. The little finches had a blast!
Your gardenias are so lovely Susie. Great photos/video too. 😃
Thanks Cathy. The gardenias have been especially beautiful this year. They won’t last long now that summer heat is on.
Some choice plants there! I can just imagine the fragrance!
Seems nearly every house in our neighborhood has gardenia so it’s fragrance I’m enjoying near and far.