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I pushed aside my curtains and was face to face with a hummingbird! I'd never seen one straight on before. I don't know who startled who. I think she was going after the red verbena or the fragrant stock in my window box. What a treat! She quickly took off to my phlox and then to the woods.

 My phlox seems to be really hanging in there this summer. There has been very little fungus and the blooms are just lasting so long. I love cutting bunches to bring in the house - it smells wonderful. 

Now that we have had some decent rainfalls, I have been cleaning up my perennials - removing the spent blossoms (deadheading). I toss some of these old blooms with their seeds back to the garden, some get saved for spring starting and some get shared with friends. The seeds seem to keep best in an envelope or glass jar in a dry space. It is important to crack open the jar every so often to avoid any moisture building up. I am also getting rid of ratty looking leaves. I am deciding what will need dividing. If the plant has had plenty of healthy foliage but very few blooms, it is probably ready to be divided. I will still hold off a little while before I actually split them up just because of the unpredictable weather. Another week of temperatures in the 90's would make it tough for a newly transplanted plant to get acclimated. On the other hand, the transplant will need to have plenty of time to get roots established in it's new spot before the ground gets hard and frozen. 

So, for now, I'm taking notes and deciding whether to extend my own garden or to trade and share with friends. Keeping a garden journal is so helpful. It is just a great way to keep on top of my good intentions. Especially with unfamiliar plants it's best to jot a few notes or doodle some sketches for the next season.

 It's such a busy time. Thankfully the rain has been coming enough so I can shift my focus from watering to making shabby areas look presentable again. Some annuals just never really bounced back. I am replacing them with fall pansies, mums, some of those perennials and my favorite ornamental kales and cabbages. Of course, there isn't that much needing to be replaced so I find another container or make a new spot in the ground. It's funny how there always seems to be room for more.

Pretty soon there will be gourds and pumpkins to pick for the stoop as well!!

9/1/99