Happy Friday! It’s been a while since I’ve shared a garden update.
Grab a cold drink and come along for a stroll with me.
We had a very hot and humid August with above average rainfall,
making it feel tropical and steamy.
The good news was I didn’t have to spend a lot of time watering in the heat and humidity.
The bad news is the weeds flourished!
Passiflora incarnata, commonly known as maypop, purple passionflower and wild passion vine,
is a vigorous grower and common wildflower in the southern United States.
It can easily grow 20 feet or more in a summer and is considered invasive
in the Southeastern US, where it grows rapidly by its extensive root system.
It volunteers every year, popping up from the field next to the Potting Shed.
Left to its own devices, tangled patches of passionflower
will ramble and climb over everything in its path.
Each bloom lasts a day and the good news: the blooms are irresistible to bees!
Passionvine is the source food for the larvae of Fritillary Butterflies.
More good news: There is plenty of food for Fritillary Caterpillars!
Variegated Fritillary Butterflies are loving the Verbena Lollipop
that reseeded and is coming up everywhere.
The tall stalks are looking unkempt and I was ready to tidy up
and cut them back until I noticed all the flutterby activity. . .
The shabby state of older blooms are looking much like the tattered wings on
Variegated Fritillary Butterfly.
In addition to attracting butterflies, I noticed Goldfinches feasting
on the seed heads, so I decided to leave them a while longer.
This Common Buckeye Butterfly
is enjoying the late summer verbena blooms too.
There are lots of hummer wars in the garden right now!
I usually hear them chirping as they zip by defending ‘their’ territory.
See How to Revive a Tired Feeder and Attract Hummingbirds, HERE.
Limelight Hydrangeas have begun their fall metamorphosis.
Good news: Fall is a great time to plant shrubs in your garden!
If you’re looking for an easy to grow, low maintenance shrub that will
provide you with beautiful cut and dried flowers too,
see my public service announcement: Plant a Limelight Hydrangea…or Five.
Bad news: The roses have been complaining with our excess rain.
Good news:
I was surprised to find this cluster blooming . . .
Earth Angel Rose is a fragrant old-fashioned rose with blooms
varying in color from white to soft pink.
More flutterbies. . .
The most common butterfly in our garden is the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.
Enjoying the verbena, lantana and butterfly bush.
And especially fond of the few zinnias that the bunnies didn’t eat,
as they were planted in a pot out of reach.
Good news:
Clematis ‘Bernadine’ is still blooming. You can see it at its peak in May, HERE.
Clematis ‘Bernadine’ is a rebloomer variety,
flowering in late spring or early summer and then again in August.
“No garden truly blooms until butterflies have danced upon it.”
– K. D’Angelo
What’s your good news / bad news in the garden?
Thank you for your visit, sharing with:
Between Naps on the Porch
Beautiful post! I have heard that seeing a butterfly means good luck. I was walking the dogs the other day and had a black and white very large butterfly following along with us.
Thanks for sharing! Always love seeing your posts😊
Thank you Bonnie, happy weekend! ♥
Thank you Bobbi Jo! I hadn’t heard that, thank you for sharing. Happy weekend 🦋🌺🐝❤️
What a lovely garden! And your lovely visitors are quite stunning. The colors are amazing from not only from the flowers but the butterflies, hummingbirds and wild vines as well. Gorgeous my friend!
Have a beautiful weekend!
Thank you Nancy! Happy weekend 🦋🌺🐝❤️
I see you Hummingbird feeder looks red in color. However, is it the nectar or the color of the glass container? I feed my hummers and make my own nectar, which is clear. I never buy the prepared stuff in the stores or add any food coloring to what I make. My daughter turned me on to your page and I really love everything you post. You have such talent. Thank you for sharing all of these beautiful sights, flower arrangements, table settings and the like with us. I look forward to receiving your emails to see what you have brought to share with us. Love your pups and the boat rides you take. You live in a beautiful area of NC.
Thanks for sharing your garden. I love gardening and get inspiration from other gardens. You are a very talented photographer. Have a great day!
Thank you for your visit and sweet comment Patti, happy weekend ♥
Mary your photos are stunning. Thank you for allowing us to walk through your garden. Have a wonderful weekend.
Like you, our August and September have been hot and extraordinarily humid but no rain (Los Angeles). Every morning, I hand water the potted plants and roses before the sun comes up (picture a woman wearing sweats and a headlamp…laughing encouraged!). And voila! My roses are healthy and blooming! But because it’s too hot, the weeds have temporarily taken to hiding….just like I do the rest of the day. The sad part is not having anybody over to enjoy the cool evenings and now we can’t even go outside due due to heavy smoke from fires. 2020 has been rough for all of us but I am very pleased your garden is alive with flutterbies and hummingbirds!
Karen, I am laughing over the image of the sweats and headlamp :) I feel sick over all the fires and devastation in CA. I have friend who lost her home in the Vacaville fire. Stay safe ♥
Hi Carolyn, thank you for your visit and sweet comment! There is a link in the post about feeding and attracting hummingbirds.The exterior of the feeder was repainted red as the finish had faded. I never use red nectar which can be harmful to hummingbirds. Happy weekend ❤️🌺🌸🐝
Good news here is we finally got relief from the humidity….the bad news is we haven’t had enough rain…everything is drying up….I’ve had to pull or cut back flowers & some herbs….they were beyond salvage….it has been Very humid here most of the summer and several things got powdery mildew very early…it was cold for too long and too many late freezes stunted several things…then it became scorching almost immediately…there was no in between for plants to get used to the heat….we now get to enjoy our screened in porch (safely away from all the mosquitoes) along with the birds, butterflies and sunsets without sweating!! Fall is not far away!
I am crazy about your Rooster tin floral arrangement.
I was able to order the three piece set of tins and white chicken wire and am waiting for them to be delivered so I can try a floral arrangement.
I have tried many of your recipes already to the delight of my family.
Today I am trying out my new Nordic Ware Harvest bounty loaf pan which came with a recipe for a pumpkin loaf.
Thank you Patricia! I hope you have fun with your chicken wire and tins. Don’t you love those beautiful Nordic Ware fall pans? Happy Baking ♥
As you said this summer was certainly wet in North Carolina. The gardens were lovely despite the weeds. Lots of rebloomers. Tiger swallowtail were everywhere and especially loving the Mexican Sunflowers( Tithonia). Found Passion Flower out in our front field .So pretty. We keep the field mowed so this helps control too much spreading.
Saw a little green tree frog on our Brugmansia this morning .Perfect camouflage as it is for the praying mantises that also like to hunt on this plant.
Even had bats pollinating my moon flowers which are blooming like mad this month. A nightly walk with my husband to count them is a nightly ritual.
Thankyou for all your beautiful photos.
Stay safe and well.
Mary, I enjoyed your post. I think most gardens and gardeners are a little tired this time of year. We’re weary from the heat and humidity too. The reward during the seasonal transition is to enjoy the hummingbirds, finches and flutterbies as they visit. Your pictures are so colorful with flowers and flutterbies. Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Clara ♥️
Hi Clara, Yes it’s been a hot, humid summer! I’m keeping my fingers crossed fall lasts longer than the 20 minutes it did last year with Octobers’ record-breaking heat. Thank you for your visits and sweet comments, Happy Weekend ♥
Sounds like a wonderful nightly ritual Kathy! Happy weekend 🦋🌺🐝❤️
Hi Mary, Beautiful post and I really enjoyed reading your “Revive a tired hummingbird feeder” post and Clematis ‘Bernadine’ pictures. I must have missed seeing those. I didn’t miss your “public service announcement” (LOL) as I love Limelights and have four in my garden. I know what you mean about the abundance of butterflies in the garden in early fall. I have seen more Monarch’s this summer than ever before, which is great. I share your bad news about the weeds loving the wet, hot weather. I’ve got lots of work to do in my garden. Stay well and enjoy your weekend! XXOO
Thank you Vikki! Don’t you love Limelights? So much flower for so little effort. I’ve only spotted a couple of Monarchs over the past month and they’re always just out of reach of my camera lens. I hope to see more flutter our way. Happy Weekend ♥
Incredible photographs Mary, and your hummingbird capture is amazing! I love the quote that no garden truly blooms until the butterflies have danced on it, so beautiful! August was a hot and steamy month here too, I have never seen the lawns in Birmingham look so lush! But the mosquitos are horrible, you can’t really go outside in the late afternoon! Hoping for cooler temps and outdoor fires soon~ I love the way you even make the weeds sound beautiful :)
Jenna
Thank you Jenna! I’m counting down the days til fall, we had a teaser of fall weather last weekend. Happy weekend to you! ♥
That was gorgeous, I usually save you for the end of my online reading so I depart with beauty, but you were first up today, one could think we have a perfect world if we started our day this way! So many great captures, love your clematis and it was extra fun linking back to the cool lushness of spring. Love earth angel shot with your chair in the backdrop.
Passion vine is a perennial here, and I can atest to it not being aggressive since my vine hasn’t grown more than 2′ since planted! I’m sure being a hot dry climate it’s not as encouraging as the moist steamy south for abundance.
My good news is I have a garden, its my saving grace during the bad news of a relentless, heartbreaking, horrifying, catastrophic, deadly fire season. I finished dividing my iris after two months of labor and was thrilled with my free time to prune roses and walk camera in hand again. I am extremely grateful to still have a place to call home.
Oh you have been on my mind. I went over to see your garden beauty…so many beautiful blooms! So funny the difference water makes, you couldn’t get rid of our passionvine. I just let just let it go as everything is fading and the bees are looking for flowers. My hubby just pulled it off a rose bush it wanted to smother. I keep praying for rain your way. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers ♥
I’ve been feeding the hummingbirds for years now but just recently read your article on the ant moats and oh my what a difference! Thank you for mentioning those!
The “Hummers” are “beefing up” as we said in the midwest..so keep our feeders hopping.Yesterday, I’m sitting in my swing down by the water…& this little hummingbird hovered right in front of my face…as if to say, “so long…till we meet again!” I’ll miss them as migration has started. franki
Hi Franki, I’ll miss them too, they’ve been so active the last couple of weeks. Happy Weekend ♥
Hi Diane, Those ant moats do the trick! You do have to be diligent about keeping them topped off due to evaporation in hot weather. Enjoy the hummingbirds ♥
absolutely magical!
Thank you Sharon, Happy Weekend ♥
Mary, your garden is a butterfly haven! I think its truly a butterfly garden! My good news is I had some garden help yesterday, someone to help me with the weeds and those invasive vines you mention. Not passion flower, but others that began to cover some of my shrubs. Still in the process of the remodel project, so my front garden is in transition, and not very attractive. I have plans though, and trying to create a butterfly oasis is one of them. I have Mrs. Powers patiently waiting for her spot, and I recently add the Mrs. Powers Bell to be used somewhere. She may have to be mounted on a post and placed within the gardenn just for fun. The other good news is our temps dropped into the 50s yesterday, and it truly feels like fall. I know it won’t last, but at least I think the triple digits maybe over till next summer. One can hope!
Happy Weekend to you and the girls.
Sarah, I know your garden will be a show stopper after its make over and Mrs. Powers will be sitting pretty planted among your beautiful collection of MKC pots! I’m envious of your 50 degree temps, hope your triple digit days are gone for good. Happy Weekend to you, Sadie and the Chef ♥
I love all the butterflies, I have a tattoo of a butterfly, so enjoyed this post.
Hi Ann, thank you for your visit and comment, Happy Weekend ♥
Gorgeous, thanks for sharing 🦋🦋🦋
Whenever I visit Charleston, I enjoy the passion flowers that are so abundant there. Thank you for sharing the flower and butterfly beauty.
Hi Gail, I’ve never noticed them in Charleston on our visits, I’ll have to pay attention next time. Thank you for your visit, Happy Weekend ♥
A Little piece of Heaven. Thank you.
Thank you Barbara, Happy Weekend ♥
You are truly amazing, Mary. Such beautiful photography — and what a wealth of information. I love to hear your perspective on nature around you in North Carolina. You have taught me so much — not only the academic details of the butterflies and bees and bunnies — but you have taught me how to look at the physical world around me in a new way. Thank you.
Thank you Leslie, I’m just a nature girl at heart. :) You might like this post on creating a wildife habitat in your back yard: https://homeiswheretheboatis.net/2019/05/08/garden-for-wildlife-month-create-a-wildlife-habitat-in-your-backyard/
Mary, thank you so much for letting me stroll through your garden. We do not have rain here, gardening has slowed because it’s not safe to be out in the smoke. so I especially love yours.
I have a small planting space, is there a hydrangea that can grow in a container? I do have some planted in the front garden but would like some (or one) in my back space.
Hi Nonie, I’m so sorry for all of you suffering from the smoke and fires, it’s so stressful in an already stressful time. Yes, you can grow hydrangeas in pots. I have a large pot with an Endless Summer Hydrangea and I’ve heard Little Lime Hydrangea (small cousin to Limelight) does well in pots too. Ask at your local garden center this fall when you’re able to go out again. Stay safe ♥
Thank you, Mary, for sharing the joys of your garden!
Happy weekend Linda! ♥
I planted a limelight this year because of your recommendation! Good news- it went from about 8 inches tall to over 3 feet AND bloomed! Bad news- the deer came and ate my gorgeous blooms last week. I did not know they were attracted to hydrangea. So I’ve learned that next year, I will need to be proactive in deterring the deer. I always love your garden photos, they give me tons of inspiration. Have a great weekend.
Oh those bad deer! We don’t have the problem (knock wood) but those pesky bunnies have eaten their weight in perennials and seedlings. Hope you figure out a way to keep them away next year. Happy weekend Cheryl. ♥
How I envy your limelight hydrangeas! Can’t grow them here in So Cal but they are beautiful! I have many other Hydrangeas but none like your big bushes of limelights. Thanks for all the garden info you post. It’s my favorite!
Thank you Deb! Stay safe and happy weekend! ♥
The good news is my garden is popping with loads of color from all varieties of flowers that I started from seed in my potting shed this year. The bad news is Oregon is being rampaged by fires and the smoke is so bad it’s at the highest stage of emergency – hazardous. Yesterday we were at a zone 2 which is 1 away from evacuation. Therefore I cannot go out to water or harvest anything from the vegetable garden. At this point I just pray we make it through this and my heart goes out to those who have lost their homes.
Oh Linda, that is bad news! I hope the smoke abates and you’re not forced to evacuate! Thoughts and prayers for your safety. 🦋🌺🐝❤️
Gorgeous walk through your garden. So many butterflies. Wish I could have a hummingbird feeder, but I have too many cats and tears at my heart when the cats pounce. So hot here in northern CA and ash everywhere from the fires. It’s almost like a fog with all the smoke. I hose off the plants daily and water my pots. Thankful my home is safe and pray for those who are hurting.
Hi Kathleen, those fires have been devastating. Keeping everyone out west in my thoughts and prayers. Stay safe. 🦋🌺🐝❤️
Love love your blog! Enjoy your tablescapes, floral arrangements and recipes so much! I’m enjoying my zinnias which are still going strong although we’re going to have low temps in the 40s tonight in Vermont, the coolest of the fall so far and it’s technically not even fall yet!
Oooh, I have sweater weather envy Melody! Thank you for your visit and sweet comment, happy weekend! ♥
Thank you for brightening my day. I’ve been suffering from my chemo treatment and your photos are just what I needed. Thank you and have a happy and safe weekend.
Oh I’m so sorry Char. Thank you for your visit and comment, hope your days are brighter soon. ♥
The pictures are absolutely beautiful! My flowers are having a new growth since it has been a little cooler in the evening so am enjoying them all over again. I have a small deck & have not seen as many butterflies as I had hoped but little bees have been buzzing. Wrens have jumped into the pots – looking for bugs I would guess! Love them. Your potting shed, as always, looks fantastic. Thank you!! Take care!
Thank you Shirley! Enjoy your deck and cooler evenings, happy weekend ♥
Love, love all the butterfly pictures! Your garden is their haven of rest and nourishment. I think that purple passion flower is pretty, I like it’s unique shape. Sad news, I found the prettiest butterfly, a black and blue one, (can’t remember it’s name now, but very much like one of your pictures,) on the side of the road during one of my walks. It must have been hit by a car, but was fully intact. The good news is that I carefully caried her home on a big leaf and laid her on a bed of cotton with a small glass goblet over her, like a make-shift cloche. She is now forever resting on a shelf in my potting shed, so I can enjoy her beauty. Not sure how long she will last this way, but preferred this rather trying to pin her to a board like I’ve seen in some exhibits. (Will have to go back and read how you told us if they were male or female.) Bad news: Due to our extreme heat, I must have overwatered my Cosmos and lost more than have of them, not realizing they like it very dry and arid. Good news: my first time growing Dahlias turned out to be a success and I am very happy with my total makeover of a flower bed that was very labor intensive of but worth it. Also enjoyed growing Cleome which are still going strong. Collecting the seed from them and will for sure grow again next year. I am starting to get excited for pumpkins now that our weather is changing. Always so much fun finding just the right ones with the perfect stems! 😉🍊🍂
I love that you put your found butterfly until a makeshift cloche Cyndi! They are beautiful and so short-lived. The bunnies ate my Cosmos this year along with the Zinnias, I’m going to have to put my thinking cap on for next year. I’ve never grown Dahlias, how exciting! Wishing it was pumpkin weather here, still way too hot but a slight cool down next week. As always thank you for your visits and sweet comments, Happy Weekend ♥
Mary,
Thank you for sharing your lovely garden with all of its visitors! I am always amazed at the level of detail you provide in each post with species, etc. This type of information is particulary useful with regard to your plantings. Your posts are not just pretty and interesting, they are motivating!
It was lovely to take a “stroll” through your garden, particularly since we are in NorCal and unable to leave our homes due to smoke from wild fires. Such a nice way to start my Saturday morning! Secretly, I’m anxiously waiting your always-amazing Halloween posts.
Happy gardening!
Hi Betsy, Thank you for your visit and sweet comment! I feel so badly for all affected by fires in CA and OR. Hope you stay safe and out of harms way! I was just thinking about planning some Halloween fun today. <|:>) Happy Weekend ♥
Hi Mary,
Your garden is enchanting! Thank you for sharing your talent! I just enjoy all your vivid pictures and creative ways to make things look beautiful and enticing. Could you please tell me where I can purchase the metal girl with the watering can and shovel that is featured in your garden?
Thank you.
Liz
Thank you Liz! The gardening girl with watering can is a Mrs. Powers Tuteur from MacKenzie-Childs.
Lovely photos…and such a nice lesson in the balance of nature and the habitat you have encouraged on your property. We have just had 7 days of straight rain after over a 8 weeks of drought or near drought and two months of record breaking high temperatures. It certainly makes gardening interesting. Thank you so much for all your wonderful posts, Sandi in Chicagoland
Beautiful garden and photos, Mary. I am afraid with the heat and humidity, I have more weeds than ever. My zinnias have out performed any other year, can’t say the same for dahlias. Your blooms and plants look so lush and healthy. Happy Fall planting!
Good Morning Mary! Getting caught up on email this morning. My gardens call me out weekly this time of year. Weeds do start to take over, leaving little room for pretty things to shine through. Gardens call us to Harvest, lots of cooking and freezing happenings. A few more weeks we will close our gardens down and buckle up for the Winter months ahead. That is always a wonderful time to get your cup of cozy and page through those pretty pics that gave us great enjoyment during those Spring/Summer/Fall Seasons. Making your Apple/Carmel Cake today!!! Loving Fall!
You are a fantastic photographer. Stunning pictures. I have never seen a fritillary butterfly before. Sadly the deer at all of my limelight blooms. They are a dwarf variety that only get 5 to 6 blooms per season.
Love that quote and your garden that has always been a haven for butterflies. Other than a few maple trees, the first thing we planted was a butterfly bush. We have so enjoyed the butterflies around our Lantana (deer won’t eat them) in the front entrance. It must be so wonderful to be in your garden with butterflies surrounding you. Thank you again for the many smiles!