We thought for a while that the Summer of Oh-9 might not ever make its appearance. It was cool into July, and blessedly rainy. It was rainy to the point that hearty Midwesterners who are used to cracked, dry clay were beginning to wonder if they were going to need to grow gills and fins. But, all good things come to an end. We have passed through the season of the pretty pinks and burgundies and pale peaches and whites, to the season of COLOR!
When it finally turns hot at Chez Buffy, Rudbeckia save the day. I have two types of rudbekia which are volunteers (thanks to the chipmunks), and a third that I’ve planted intentionally, called Rudbekia ‘Goldsturm.’ These are the plants that will carry us through August and into the season of chrysanthemums.
The plant in the picture below is the simplest of the rudbeckias. I think of it as a Black-eyed Susan. The petals are a little rounded, and it’s just gold and dark brown.

This plant, with the extra ring of burgundy on the petals, seems to be the one that is everyone’s favorite. It’s very tall, and unless you stake it, it will drop and flop any way it pleases, usually impeding the use of the sidewalk.

And this plant is Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm.’ I have six or seven of these plants scattered throughout the gardens. This is just one plant in the picture. Those that receive more water (or less heat, or more sunlight) are the biggest, but it grows under almost any adverse condition.

I have one other tall gold-flowering plant that has just been planted in the gardens near the front door. This year I bought a gold/yellow version of a purple coneflower. I may look for the “sunset” colored variety next year, to encourage the red shades in the garden.

Sounds that quietly took over my thoughts:
The insistent rapping of a woodpecker’s beak on a tree in the grove.
The warning beeps of heavy machinery, backing up as they work on a road nearby.
The sound of birds chattering about that person in the pink hat keeping them from the newly filled bird feeders. (The goldfinch was fearless, or very hungry. It disregarded me and ate it’s fill.)
Laughter from women walking on the path to the east of our house.
A plane flying over as it nears the airport.
My ankles popping, when I stand.
I spent about an hour in the herb garden on my hands and knees, weeding. I haven’t even finished one quarter of the path. I’ll be going out for one more hour very shortly, but I wanted to note what a noisy place it turned out to be.
Noise or not, it was peaceful, and I appreciate the sense of accomplishment it gives me.

I’ve been working in the herb garden this Spring. I want to renovate the northwest arm of the raised beds, and I need Dear Husband’s help to get new chat down in the walkways.
I was a sloth Memorial Day morning. I was sitting in my chair in the kitchen, reading, when Dear Husband walked in. Usually I don’t see him until late in the afternoon, and it was 11:00 a.m. Apparently, with the front coming through, he had endured a difficult night on the boat in the harbor, and felt enough was enough. I gave him some tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, and let him get his land legs back a bit.
After lunch, I headed out to get my gardening done. I watered, and then started working on the east walkway, trying to remove weeds, and getting lambs ears ready to transplant. Wouldn’t you know it….as soon as I started working on the weeds it started to rain.
This is as far as I got:

Everything looks robust. I could start harvesting oregano next week, and I’ll give the chives a crew cut and let them grow back. I can only hope that the bunnies decide that something other than my parsley tastes good!

We have a terrible time keeping tulips growing here. We have a colony of chipmunks who think we put them out to provide gourmet meals for the darned critters! Seventeen years or so ago, Elegante Mother, Dear Husband and I made a trip to Holland, Michigan with Frankie and her family, for the Tulip Fest. We bought tons of tulip bulbs to decorate our (fairly) new gardens, and within two years, not a bulb was left! (Picture me pouting, here.)
At any rate, we managed to get some tulip blossoms this year, so I thought I’d share them before they disappeared. It the first picture below, the one yellow tulip is not a sport; rather I think it is the only tulip left of a dozen yellow tulips from the previous year.


I believe the short tulips in front are called “Angelique.” They have been with us for a couple of years. I keep waiting for them to disappear, but they may not be tasty to the chippies.


And these are the Darwin tulips, the only tulip we have ever found that rodents don’t disturb. These tulips are one of the earliest flowers to bloom in my gardens, beating out many of the daffodils. The color looks to be in the pink range here, but in full bloom, on a warm day, they tend to be more of a hot orangey-red.

Elegante Mother and I have always loved the many varieties of daffodils and jonquils that are available to gardeners these days. Each year we tried to add a dozen of a new variety, so they bloom throughout our gardens. It’s really difficult to choose a favorite, but I love the early white Ice Follies, and those with apricot trumpets.
These pictures show a few of the bulbs that bloomed this year.

Iris are classified as Early Spring, Mid-Spring, or Late Spring bloomers. Most of the Iris I grow fall into the Early to Mid-Spring range. They started opening here last week, thanks to a warm spell, and about half of them are open now.
In the photo below, the pink iris were the second to open this year. Behind, and to the right you might be able to see the white iris with the dark raspberry edges that was the first to bloom, and to the left, out over the sidewalk is a purple iris.

The iris in the picture below did amazingly well to bloom this year, because they were disturbed when I was dividing iris last year. The tall yellow iris would be classified as an early spring flower, while the bronze at the bottom of the picture and the very dark iris at the center right are just opening their first blooms.




I think this iris might be ‘Rare Wine.’ It was the most vigorous bloomer of all my iris, and I divided it last year, and shared it with friends. Unfortunately, it took me a long time to get my iris back into the ground, so I might have lost some. I’m pleased to see that this iris persevered and made it through the winter. (Please disregard the weeds.
I’m planning a special party for them next week! 😉 )

And purple and lavender and pink and yellow and gold….
I was working in my veggie garden this morning. I planted two well established tomato plants, one a Celebrity, and the other is a cherry tomato. I planted four tiny yellow pear tomato plants, and two Better Boys. I have one more cherry tomato plant to put into that bed. I’ve got cages around all but the Better Boys so far. I planted four bush-style pickle cucumbers. Does anyone know if they need to be caged for support?
I watered everything I planted and all the plants waiting to be planted, and the containers that I wintered over. I even watered the plants I put in two weeks ago under the window at the front of the house. The only thing I missed was the parsley plants the rabbits have been enjoying.
I had a chance to see all the weeding that STILL needs to be done, so that I can plant the annuals in the front gardens. I need DH’s help in the herb garden to move one timber into place, and then I can finish planting in the herb garden. I have tomato plants left over, and I’m giving some thought to growing them in containers. I HATE to throw things away, but it might be the better choice,given that the chipmunks have a colony and have invited ALL their relatives for the summer along the front sidewalk. They’ll probably burrow into the pots and kill off the plants.
I thought we’d have a pretty poor iris display this year, but it’s coming along nicely. I was in the midst of dividing my absolute favorite iris when Mother had a seizure. I found homes for most of them with friends and family, but I think mine were out of the ground too long. I’ll have to see how they do. Right now I have one iris that is yellow, another than is a delicate pink, one very ruffled one that is white with a raspberry edge on the petals. I think several dark ones will open later in the season.
I have an azalea, a hydrangea, two buddleias, a Russian sage, and a miniature lilac to plant, and I think the rhubarb that wintered over is going to become part of an ornamental garden! I also need to pick up potting soil and refill the containers for the sidewalk, so I can get them planted.
MY peonies are astonishing. I didn’t protect them with compost last fall, and I haven’t fed them, but the temperatures and the rain must have been just right because they have more buds than I can ever remember seeing!
So, with the exception of a bad knee holding me back from weeding, I’d say we’re moving right along with the gardens. I hope you’re having the same good luck!

For my friend Cop Car, and anyone else who plans to garden vigorously this spring, here are a few warm-up movements to do, before you swing that ax!
These exercises are done to a slow count. Don’t hurry through them, and if they hurt, STOP!!
While standing, move your arms as though you were swimming forward., and then do the backstroke. Follow with side strokes to the left, and then to the right.
Shrug both shoulders forward several times, and then shrug both shoulders back several times.
Reach up left, and then right, as though picking apples. Reach forward. Reach left and right.
Extend your left arm to the left, and your right arm to the right. Move your arms in a huge circle, as though you were turning a giant doorknob. Reverse the direction.
Pretend that you are drawing back a taut bowstring….to the right, and then to the left.
And…with your arms extended, fling your arms to the left so that your left hand bumps your back (kidneys) and the right arm bumps the left shoulder. Reverse the direction of swing.
Keep in mind that these are all warm-up movements, and should be done slowly to wake up the joints. You can also do them as a cool down.
Our exercise guru always advises us NOT to do anything that hurts. I hope this helps.

OUCH! I need a new body!
I spent about four hours on my hands and knees in the garden under the front sitting room window. It was heavily mulched last year, but a lot of seeds were trying to take root, and I have an infestation of crab grass. I got about half of the garden across the front of the house weeded, and I planted a dozen or so annuals and perennials.
I need to plant a few more rows of spinach and dill, and this time I’ll add a couple of rows of romaine, too. In about ten days, I can plant tomatoes.
My efforts are puny compared to my sister and my niece and my friend, Cop Car, but I’d really need a new body to keep up with them.
I hope to do some more gardening either tomorrow afternoon, or Saturday, depending
on the weather. It’s Spring, after all. We dance to Mother Nature’s tune.

If I can only keep my eyes open, I plan to go out into the gardens today!
We are supposed to have a 50% chance of rain today, and more rain coming the next few days. Most of this area is really saturated, but my gardens have dried enough for me to get into them.
Ten days ago, we were in Indiana, visiting my youngest sister, Frankie, for her birthday. I always enjoy a trip to the nursery with her. They are just a bit ahead of us on the last frost date for the spring, so we go and stock up for her gardens. I can never resist picking up a few plants for my gardens, too. This year, I seem to be attracted to small shrubs and perennials, but I brought home a few things for the container gardens, too.
I have an area under one of the front windows that seems to have some weeds despite a thick layer of mulch. I’m going to strip out the weeds, and then plant several things to create an English cottage garden look.
I’ve also ordered a catalog from Cooley’s Gardens, in Oregon. Last year I was dividing the iris when EM became ill, and I doubt that those that were planted (late) will make it back. I’m looking at it as an opportunity to introduce a few new iris into my gardens.
The little azalea we planted last year bloomed, and it’s gorgeous! The bridal wreath looks like it came through the winter well. I bought another dwarf lilac to replace one that died off two years ago. I hope this one will pull through. On my trip to our local nursery, I hope to pick up ornamental grasses for the back of the east driveway garden.
I’m halfway done weeding the herb garden walkways and boxes. I have one entire arm of the herb garden that I want to renovate. I can’t decide what I want to grow, so a visit to the nursery will help there, too. I’ll flip through some of my herb books and magazines to see if I can’t get some other ideas. I need to buy a LOT of basil, and some more parsley. I’d like to get at least two rosemary plants, and some lemon verbena.
Okay, enough talking. I better get to work! I hope you all have the chance to play in the dirt, too!