It ain't easy being green.

Especially when there's no rain and the temperature is in the mid 90s. This morning, we received a break from the dominant weather patterns. It was raining, complete with thunder and lightning, when I woke up this morning. A nice steady rain fell for at least an hour after I sat down with my first cup of coffee. If the forecast holds true, there will be more this afternoon.

I wondered about the yard. I'm amazed by the plants that have survived the summer so far. Some are past their bloom time, but their foliage is lush and green. Others are just getting started. The hostas on the North side of the house are about to pop. White and purple blooms will close out July as August settles in.



The rain will help, no doubt.



The banana tree I rescued from the neighbor's leaf pile is doing well.



More blackberry lilies have appeared. I'm thinking I need a semi-tropical garden space in the yard.



It's 77 degrees and cloudy. The high today should reach the mid 80s. It's muggy and humid.

A to Z and things in between.

In my garden,

Agastache



Buddleia
Coreopsis
Datura
Echinacea
Foxglove
Guara
Helenium
Inula Grandiflora
Joe Pye Weed
Knifonia
Lirope
Monarda
Nasturtiums
Orlaya
Penstemon
Queen Anne's Lace
Rudbeckia
Salvia
Tradescantia
Ulmus
Veronica
Weigela
Xanthosoma (I cheated, it's actually Alocasia)
Yarrow
Zinnia



Yesterday afternoon, I was walking out the front door when I spotted something across the street. There's a huge pile of leaves out back of the rental house that's now empty. Poking up out of the pile, I saw huge leaves. I had to get a closer inspection. Are they bananas? They've got to be cold hardy. They still had red clay around their roots.



The fragrant bed is coming along nicely. The datura and four o'clocks open just as dusk begins to fall. The fragrance comes along shortly after.



Pink and yellow have joined the white. Zinnias are also planted here.



It's 77 degrees. The high today will reach the upper 90s. This weekend will be hot. I'm heading out of town. I need a break from the housework.