Our hot and HUMID weather has me looking for hopeful signs of cooler weather to come. Notice I didn't say fall. For I know that this is the time of year where many don't want to think of the summer coming to an end. Truthfully I'm not trying to rush things along. It's just that I have had it with our current weather situation.
Over the weekend I noticed these orange berries growing alongside the restaurant where we went for dinner.
Hopeful Sign #1
After dinner we stopped into the garden center to look for something. While Brett was paying for our purchases, I searched for a spot of shade in which to wait. These mums looked totally out of place in this heat. I can't imagine planting them this early as they will be done blooming when fall weather arrives. Either way I am counting them as . . .
Hopeful Sign #2
Right next to the mums were these white coneflowers.
I have the more traditional purple coneflowers (echinacea purpurea).
They perform well here and the butterflies and goldfinches are drawn to them. Many of mine have gone to seed which I will leave on the plant through fall as the finches are already daily visitors. When it comes to birdseed I don't think you can't get much fresher than that. So, flowers that feed the birds through fall. You guessed it. . .
Hopeful Sign #3
Not far from those white coneflowers I found a few in orange and red tones and look what the tag says Fall is for Planting.
So, it may not be fall and it definitely doesn't feel like fall, but perhaps a few new flowers in fallish colors will fool me into thinking the temperatures are cool and crisp.
Ha! Ha! Ha! Very doubtful.
However, unlike the mums, these should do well now and right up until frost hits. Sounds like another hopeful sign to me.
Hopeful Sign #4
Three new coneflowers have found their way into my garden.
Right after planting the visitors began to arrive.
Beautiful butterflies fluttering among the flowers . . .
Always A Hopeful Sign.
Awww, Kim, thank you for not drifting off to fall quite yet. It's 94° with 93% humidity here today. The sun is shining...so much for Henri. Wonder if he brought this weather up here from down there. 🙃
ReplyDeleteMy sis was eager to purchase some beautiful mums on our shopping trip yesterday, but I talked her out of it with the very reasons you gave.
We haven't had those hot temperatures so I'm happy to continue on with summer. My cone flowers are blooming now but I let mine go to seed too for the birds. The mums are so pretty, maybe I'll plant some in my 'island'.
ReplyDeleteBy some coincidence I was at the plant shop today and bought....3 Coneflowers!! One was Wild Berry and the other 2 are Cheyenne Spirit. They are such sturdy and full plants ( no blooms though). I'm excited to add them to my garden. Luckily the weather is cooler and I'll put them in the ground tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteNow that really is a coincidence!
DeleteOoh, I love those colorful coneflowers! All I have is the purple ones.
ReplyDeleteI am so not ready for fall. I am hanging on to every last bit of summer that I can!
Hi Kim! Oh, those ARE lovely butterflies. I wondered that about mums, too. It's way too hot here as well.
ReplyDelete