Monday, July 26, 2010

Dog days

According to Wikipedia, "Dog Days were popularly believed to be an evil time "when the seas boiled, wine turned sour, dogs grew mad, and all creatures became languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics, and phrensies" according to Brady’s Clavis Calendarium, 1813. [1]"
It has felt hot enough for the seas to boil and wine certainly would have turned sour had we left it out in the heat.  I have been languid, but I have avoided hysterics.
Last week, while out in the early evening to mow while I weeded and watered,  my husband spotted a dog day cicada nymph.  These are not pretty, but they are amazing.

 Fortunately, there are still plenty of pretty blooms in the garden, despite the record high temperatures.
And each morning when my husband and I go out for our early morning walk, we're reminded that the days are getting shorter and summer will soon be waning.
The first blooms on the moonflower vine opened this week.





I started this from seed in a large container (with a trellis) on my porch, but it became obvious that it needed more room to grow, so I put it in the ground by the birdhouse.  Now it can grow up the birdhouse post.
The Sienna Sunset Coreopsis and the Fireworks Clematis are both blooming again, though this second round of Clematis blooms are smaller than the first.
The Summerlong Basil, the Pentas, and the Tricolor Sedum are all doing well in the summer heat.  
We enjoyed some of the basil in a pasta sauce for dinner tonight.
I'm looking forward to an evening cool enough to sit outside and smell the fragrance of those moonflower blooms!

12 comments:

Casa Mariposa said...

Everything looks beautiful!!! Love that coreopsis!

Amy said...

Your garden looks very pretty and I love the moon flower.
This summer has gone so quickly. I do like the longer days. However, it will be nice to have cooler temperatures to sit outside.

Lona said...

Hi Ginny. I am so jealous girl. I have tried to grow moon flower vines so many times. I just keep trying. Stubborn gardener LOL! I hate seeing the days getting shorter already. It is going too fast.
Did your Sienna Sunset start out with yellow blooms? Mine did and I swore I got the wrong coreopsis. It is just starting to bloom sienna colors now.

Meredith said...

How lovely, Ginny. Love the close-ups of the moonflower as it spirals open! I love to watch those blooms, they move so fast as the sun sets. My aunt always plants them beside her back porch so we can sit out and watch. :)

It has felt like the days were hot enough to boil salt water. Today we're grateful for a several-degree cooling and the potential for rain...

Anonymous said...

That moonflower looks amazing and I bet it smells divine. Hope things are cooling down for you some.

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

Ginny I too notice that the days are getting shorter...... I think that the gardening season has flown by so quickly this year.

It must be so rough in those extrememes of temperatures - but I'm glad to hear that the garden blooms have not been affected much by it. Pity you can't really enjoy them in the evenings. I always love the scent in the garden in the evenings. That sienna sunset looks lovely and I hope you get out soon and enjoy those wonderful blooms in the garden.

Noelle Johnson said...

I think plants really prove their worth when they thrive in the middle of summer. I just walked through my garden yesterday evening and was so thankful for the plants that continue to bloom despite the heat : -)

Karen said...

I love moonflowers too, but forgot to plant some this year. The coreopsis is a different shade I've never seen before, I will also add that to my list for next year!

Karen

Carolyn ♥ said...

Love the moonflowers, Ginny! I planted them last year but they never bloomed. I think I set the seeds too late in the season. Thanks for your sweet comment on my rose garden post. I do love that garden!

Gloria Bonde said...

Ginny, I love your moonflower. Well done! I planted it, but I think I crowded it out. Love the link and your pictures of the cicadas. An odd looking bug, but I love it's song. It feels like summer.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ginny, stunning photo of the moonflower close up...

Tatyana@MySecretGarden said...

I think a moonflower vine has very simple but oh so elegant flowers!
As for the heat, can you send some hot air our way? Our summer is not hot enough for tomatoes,cucumbers and other veggies...