Backyard Garden Problems

My poor struggling backyard garden

 The issues in my backyard (side) garden have been numerous this year. First of all it was the fourth wettest July on record! Everything was struggling to bloom with the lack of sunlight and cool temperatures. Then August arrived and it has been extremely hot these first weeks of the month. My Bee Balm has always suffered from downy mildew and this year has been no exception. I noticed today my Plox also has mildew on it although not as bad. My Rose bushes are pathetic and even my Asters are starting to fail. I am going to look into treating the soil for next season. I have never done this but perhaps there is something going on that I need to research. I cut my mildewy Bee Balm back almost to the ground as it was so unsightly. Even my Cleome did terrible this year. I am blaming the weather. 

2021 Garden Notes

Notes for next years garden. Lobelia does not like the summer heat in this front yard garden.Dahlia's liked the rainy weather we had in July. July was the third wettest on record.Plant annual Vinca, which by the way did not mind the wet weather or summer heat. Give them more room next year as they were too close the the Dahlia's.One of my favorite little whimsical features is the oil can hanging from the lamp post.  Next year put a more vibrant color in it.  I love the multi color pink and white mini Petunia's but they did not stand out.Give the Vinca in front of the Seedum more room next year. The Seedum is gorgeous this year.

 There are lots of rabbits in the yard this year and they aren’t afraid of anything!

The first of July!

Baby Robins

We've had two nests of baby Robins in the bush in front of the front door!  They have been so much fun to watch.  The nest is down low enough for me to be able to get some great shots such as this one.

Dogwood tree

I purchased this tree with a gift certificate to Faddegon's nursery when John's dad passed away which was in  April of 2005.  This year we have had a lot of rain and it is really doing well.  It is in the front yard which faces north.  It's a little small for the space and I often wish I hadn't planted it there but this year it's a good thing.  I like looking out my bathroom window when I'm putting on my makeup in the morning.  It's beautiful. I will miss seeing the beautiful blooms once they drop.

Backyard views

The back yard is looking really nice.  These shots were taken at the end of July.  The Obedient plant entwined with the Rudbeckia is beautiful.  I don't know where the Obedient plant came from.  It just appeared in my yard a few years back.  It is pretty well established now and is spreading to other parts of the yard.  The annual Begonia border is doing much better this summer then last.  It has been very hot and dry.

Verbascum

This Verbascum has been a favorite of mine for a long time.  I purchased this perennial quite a few years ago.  I love how this season it popped up in an entirely different spot from the one it was in last year.  I guess it knew what it was doing as it has done wonderfully in its new location.  It is on the western slope of my front garden right along the edge of the top step.  It's a little tall for the spot it is in but I don't dare disturb it.  It bloomed all through the month of July which was hot and sunny.  It is the end of July now and I cut it back since it was beginning to have rusty leaves and the flowers have dwindled away.  Hope to see you next year Verbascum!

What a beautiful Dahlia

I need to remember how much I loved looking at this beautiful Dahlia!

I planted two of them in the garden but only the one under my sewing room window took off.  It is in the north west corner of the front yard.  It is along the border of the garden and I just love how pretty it is!   It was a small plant when I bought it, it is an annual, and is only at most 6" high.

The first of July!

It was a hot Sunday, the first day of July.  This is a view of the side shade garden.  The day lilies are in bloom as well as the Primrose.  The Bee Balm is getting ready to bloom as well as the white daisies.  

Happy Memorial Day

We celebrated memorial day recently.  Jaclyn, Jonathan and Madelyn were home for part of the weekend. It was great Madelyn is getting so big.  She enjoyed playing in the grass and touching the dirt.  It was very cute.  I put together this little centerpiece in honor of the holiday.

A view from the driveway

Just some more reminders of what the garden slope looked like in late May.

I sure hope by mid summer this slop is lot more colorful!

My plants are taking off

Wow, my plants are really taking off.   In three days it will be Memorial day weekend.  I usually don't plant until Memorial day but I'm really early this year.  My plants are taking off beautifully.  We planted some impatiens around the Maple tree this year.  We needed to put some protective netting around the Morning Glory as the rabbits are starting to eat it.  Here are a few photos.  Included is the new Spirea bush.

This is a "Spirea" bush that I bought today at Home Depot!

Maureen bought me the little bird bath as a gift.

My job to scare away the rabbits!

So many of my annuals have only been in the ground for less then a week and already the neighborhood wildlife have already started dining on my plants.  It's so discouraging and expensive!  I planted my Impatiens today.  I'm really reluctant about putting them in again and if they perform poorly or get eaten by the deer I'm done!
It was a full day of gardening.  I put down four bags of mulch and planted quite a few flowers.  I also put in a Spirea bush.  It's been on my wish list for a long time.  So I saw and bought it.  Wonder why I didn't do that sooner.  I didn't take a picture because it started to rain.  More later.

Do a good job little squirrel!

My Shadow

Shadow is always at my side whether I am inside or out!  She loves to be outside in the summertime with me.  She loves to sniff sniff sniff and sniff some more.  Sometimes her sniffer takes her farther away from me then I'd like.  I have a pocket full of treats on hand to draw her back home!

A garden view

These are some views of my garden in mid May.  I started planting some of my annuals on May 14th.  It was a great day for planting.  It was overcast, in the 60's and it had rained hard on Sunday making the ground easy to work in.  I purchased  my annuals at Schultz's in Glenville "Where Quality Grows", LOL that's been their slogan for years.  I always joked about that with Jaclyn and Jonathan.  But after shopping for flowers with John on Mother's day this past weekend I have to agree.  Their flowers were beautiful and the best priced in the area.  I hung two baskets of Impatiens on the front porch as usual.  I'm reluctant to plant my usual bed of impatiens as they did horrible last year plus the deer and rabbits have discovered it's a great place to dine!  We'll see.  So for now here's a few views for me to reminded of what I planted.

Flower boxes on the deck

Today was a beautiful Saturday it is May 19th.  I managed to get my boxes on the deck done.  I went out early this morning to Walmart to buy some netting used generally to cover fruit trees to keep the birds from eating the berries.  I had read about it on line that some people use it in their plant boxes to keep the squirrels from ripping out their plants.  I met up against a few challenges one being how would I adhere it to the plant box.  I tired stapling it but the mesh is so fine there was nothing for the staples to grab on to.  So, I filled the boxes 3/4 full with Miracle Grow planting soil then laid the netting over the soil.  I took a pair of scissors then carefully cut small holes in the netting large enough to put the plants through.  It was tedious, ugh!  Then when all the plants were in I covered them with another layer of soil.  We'll see if it works!

Flowers in the boxes.  Pink and white wave Petunia's.  Scavolla, licorice, and a tiny little purple flower that I need to look up the name.

Here's a picture of the "netting" lets hope it works!

This is the front of the house in early May.  It was a warm winter so I started planting early.  Jaclyn, Jonathan and Madelyn will be here for Memorial day weekend so I wanted to get a head start on my garden.  Those are Salvia to the right of the angel.  In front of her I planted some annual Vinca.