Garden tales

 Things have cooled off some. Outside chores aren't as onerous. A bit of rain fell this morning. The garbage was put out at 6:15, it was a lovely morning. Not as many bugs. You could smell the petrichor. (I learned that word from Gaelyn Geogypsy!)  

Petrichor is the earthy scent often associated with rain falling on dry soil or rock. The term was introduced by Australian researchers Isabel Joy Bear and Richard Grenfell Thomas in a 1964 paper in Nature.  Wikipedia

I saw something move. A large toad! I haven't seen one in a long time. The 2 x 4 is there to stop The Freds from going inside the drain pipe. The toad could get out, I suppose, but I have covered it up. 

We had a chat, but it was somewhat disgruntled. I set it free to eat those bugs. 

Daffodil garden repair

Of course, the daffodils are done, but there are other flowers here. I've written about our massive July 1st and 2nd storms. The bushes on the right were half flattened. They are tall, wild, woodland sunflowers, I think!

I straightened it and tied it once, but the thing fell over again. 

This time I used a strap from a no longer functioning trailcam.

 

The fox likes to circle this garden. I figured out she is hunting for leopard frogs in the grass. I often have to avoid them when I mow the lawn. 

 

The lilac/panicle hydrangea is doing well beside the sunflowers. 

Another natural plant, Burdock. 

Sadly, it is only the beginning of August, but my cherry tomato plants and my zucchini have just about given their all. 

Crumbly Acres August

As I'd written, we had massive rains the first three days of August. The garden is saturated. My lilac/ panicle hydrangea is in blossom. I planted it: Sept. 2024: New plants! I'd been looking for them, and Caitlin spotted some that year. 

Yes, 58 mm (over 2") of rain on the August long weekend.

We had an issue with the gutters, again.  The piece of metal, protecting the fascia, was letting water drip behind the gutter. I bent it out and that helped.

 

Auntie Fred has been here and there. Our nights are getting cooler, and her Momma would hibernate or go to her winter den in late August. Auntie Fred hibernated here in mid-September last year, 2025. 

MiniFred doesn't like spinach!

Yesterday I teased you with an image of MiniFred. I'd used most of a head of cabbage, and threw a couple of leaves out back. Surprisingly Fred liked it.

 

MiniFred has been working out front. 

She is creating a new burrow, #6A. She'll do no harm here, other than eating my wildflowers! 

She likes sunflowers, as well as the milkweed. I see nibbles everywhere. Gardens evolve. This used to hold some hibiscus, but they died. Not enough rain, toom much sun and heat.

The gardens are doing well. I am going to have to rethink the front one where the tree was taken out. As well as the one in back where the hops vine died. 

Skies, #75, last flowers

 It is a change in season, and the skies have been lovely.

I bent over forwards to weed the stone path.  😓  I'm glad it is done for this year. I was tempted to use the shop vac on the weed seeds, but used a broom instead. They are ubiquitous.

With great excitement, I am sure I spotted #75 on his tree. (He's our released, rehabbed gray squirrel.) I think he's been out and about all summer. He took a giant leap from the end of the branch to the tree nearby.

He was in the front yard the day after, harvesting chestnuts. 

#75

   

 So far, all is well. #75 was yelling at Cinnamon. Both are aware of one another. 

 

The last of our flowers!

Signs of fall! The sumac is usually a lovely colour. 

But if you zoom in, there are spots of colour!

Rhododendron...

I've spotted the coyote with the hurt leg on the trailcam.

The Goldenrod is abuzz!  

 The porcupine wandered by. It sort of walks like an alligator through the forest.

   

 Yes, as YAM writes, when the goldfish have to come in it is a sign of the change in season. We're getting close.

 

New plants!

 My lovely, thoughtful daughter Caitlin was out at the nursery last Friday and sent me photos. How she remembered, I don't know! I've been looking for a tree hibiscus for a year. They are everywhere, and provide some fall colour. Someone had to ID it for me, as I was seeing them all over the place but didn't know what they were.

I noted the location and thought about it. A drive on a torrentially rainy day. What the heck! 

We set off Saturday morning. We had over an inch of rain Saturday. It was ridiculous. 

The drive along highway #7 is awful. People treat it as a Nascar track. This dude passed us on a double line, on a bridge, in the rain. You can check this post for other car incidents of dangerous driving along highway #7 from Friday. 

Cottage country... gray skies, but we were on a mission.

Bridge to nowhere?

Autumn seems to be early. The leaves are turning way too fast. Mind you, it was an early spring.

I spotted lots of these shrubs around the area. It's sort of the last blooming before fall. They are tree hydrangeas, and it took awhile to figure out their names. 

In Perth: 

I have always admired this garden:

We made it. It was raining, but I'm not made of sugar.

This tall one was $250, even with the 25% off I was worried about spending that much on it. I don't know if the deer like them!

I stuffed them in! They rolled around some, but they were fine. I did have to wash the mat!

Here is my haul! A tree Hydrangea, Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus, and a 4th, but I forget what it is!

I am hoping to plant a couple today. It's cool, but sunny. I was thinking, at 3 a.m., about where to place them. I think I have a plan!