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Albemarle County, August garden, Central Virginia, change of seasons, Charlottesville, Charlottesville City Market, feeding wild birds, garden, garden chores, home, life, P Allen Smith
The month of August is bittersweet.
This year summer evolves especially fast. Spring was long and cool, delaying daffodil bloom long enough to sell cut stems at the April farmers market.

these beauties knock me out every April. I have a habit of rescuing or inheriting daffodils from abandoned properties or those departed, so I never know the names of each flower, yet every spring, I look forward to their many faces and scents, as my collection now numbers over 2,500.
By mid-May temperatures were in the 90’s, heavy rains fell, then the high humidity set in. Despite this challenging conditions, the peony harvest was especially abundant in May; over 600 stems were sold at market, necessitating the purchase of an additional refrigerator for the basement.
I did enjoy four days of respite at P Allen Smith’s Moss Mountain Farm outside Little Rock, Arkansas. During the growing season, I tiptoe out of my gardens to catch a flight to this gardener’s dream land as a guest, only to return a few days later to a needy garden…”weed me, harvest me, plant me, mow me, feed me, dig me…”

Allen and I in his one-acre veggie garden at Moss Mountain Farm in May; a special friend in a special place (pallensmith.com)

back in Virginia, these Iris graced my gardens during May of this year. Another rescued beauty who now enjoys life here

and this rescued Iris blooms right along side the deep purple variety. Both flowers have a heavenly scent and bloomed continuously for three weeks during May!

this is an old heirloom, scentless variety of tiger lily (tigrinum), native to China but long ago naturalized in America…these originals came from my mother’s gardens. Bulbs may be cooked and eaten, tasting something like an artichoke, although I have never found the need to imbibe. Prolific black bulbils produced in the axils of the leaves may be shared with friends, though they take years to mature. Blooms appear in July, are 3′-5′ tall and rarely need staking. Butterflies adore the flowers during a rainy month.

prolific Oakleaf hydrangea (paniculata) thrives here at Swallowtail Cottage, and produces abundant offspring from seed, which now fill an entire lower shrub border. There are approximately forty-five species and varieties grown in America.
And now it is August. Both heirloom tiger lilies and Davidii phlox bloom cycles are finished and spent stems are removed. The lush Oakleaf hydrangea bloom is merely a memory. Why? It seems, we gardeners wait with such anticipation for bloom time, only to have it pass seemingly overnight…every season.

Another native of South Africa, Lycoris squamigera or Naked Ladies suddenly appear in my August garden and seduce the eye with every gaze…they make a pretty cut flower, with elegant long stems and a pleasant scent…

Another late summer bloomer is the Formosa Lily (formosanum). White, funnel-shaped and fragrant with 1-10 flowers produced per stalk that grows to 6′. Easily self sows here in zone 6. Native to Formosa. My first seed pod came from Tufton, a former property of Thomas Jefferson.
Generous rains produced stunning, abundant blooms this season on the spiraea, hellebore, and Lemon lilies.
Delayed are the two main 2015 outdoor projects: the oil stain project of the new 90′ privacy fence (both sides) and the necessary reconditioning of the terrace masonry wall.

looming, yet very necessary, the 90′ long privacy fence needs a coat of oil based natural stain (both sides) in order to preserve the blond appearance. Frequent rain and high dew points continue to prevent moi from swinging the brush…

the 30′ block/parged terrace wall demands attention this year. Dry Lok Extreme and new coats of paint will restore…I’m hoping…
Are any of you considering home ownership? This post will be a reality check for you. Since buying this place back in 2001, the projects both large and small, inside and out, are endless. Some days/years I think I am making progress, others, I think I am in a rapid backslide…
Wild birds bring much relief and beauty on a daily basis to my gardens. This year I am hosting hummingbirds, and they come in droves for their plain sugar-water fix and enjoy sips from the Crocosmia.

hummer enjoys a sip from the Crocosmia from the kitchen herb garden in 2014. Did you know that Crocosmia is an herb from South Africa belonging to the Iris family? I rescued these corms and enjoy seeing them thrive.

hummingbirds enjoy the convenience of a perch on this sugar syrup feeder in 2015. Photo was taken through solar film and glass, so a wee bit soft…
I feed numerous other wild birds here at Swallowtail Cottage, yet the Bluebirds chose not to nest here again this year. They come in to feed, and I hear their song whilst gardening, yet only a pair of black cap chickadees occupied the BB boxes this season while either a titmouse or carolina wren raised young in the wren box.
So begins August here in central Virginia. I expect the arborist later this month for our annual chore of topping/shearing the Leyland cypress hedges; I will be glad to see the bagworms vanish into the chipper.

One glorious yellow swallowtail graces my garden and poses cooperatively on the verbena. These flutterbyes inspired the name of my property…Swallowtail Cottage. Still awaiting the Monarchs…
Queen Ann’s Lace, hyssop, cleome, hostas, and roses continue to color the landscape as summer winds down for another season. Butterflies nectar on the verbena and Joe Pye Weed. Fat cucumbers dangle from the arched cattle panels, while sweet basil, tomatoes, hot peppers, kale and herbs fill the raised beds. Soon I will harvest my first crop of Lilliput melons, as they meander across the lower butterfly garden. 2015 has been an abundant growing season. Full of edibles, friends, happy memories, and hard work.
And soon, yes soon I will breathe a bit easier; I will sleep a wee bit longer as garden/market chores lighten. As biting insects depart, when there is a chill in the crisp air, I will once again enjoy my lower patio and reflect on another year as a homeowner/gardener.
Did you know that we will lose one hour of daylight in August? While I am still the busy bee today, the planet continues its orbit. Our gardens respond, and indeed so do we. Best now to consider the color of this year’s flannel sheets, while continuing to mow, weed those persistent invasives, and get a handle on those unfinished outdoor projects…
If you have a moment, would love to hear from you either by the click of the “like” button or speak in the comments section. Does my blog make a difference? Cheers!
Copyright © 2015 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved
Hi Diane, I’ve just had a chance to spend more time exploring your blog…. what a delight! The photos and interesting posts… congratulations on such professional site. Happy gardening and keep posting…I’m learning a lot about your part of the world…
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We shall both learn from each other’s worlds! And thank you for your kind words…Diane
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Marvelous! Thank you! You are the best!
~ sent via email from my friend P Allen Smith…
Thanks for the validation Allen!
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I hold onto spring and summer every year so tightly and yet it still runs through my hands like water…I love the smells, the gorgeous colors, and amazing shapes and textures in the garden; still it seems to race past me.
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So glad we are of the same observation, Charlie. Seems like last month I was cutting daffodils, and now I am removing spent phlox, herbs, and lilies…in August…
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Now that I am retired, I spend much more time looking through my favourite blogs and I enjoy yours very much.. I love your photos and snippets of information with them. We live in the Southern Hemisphere and your post is a reminder that summer will come again! I was also interested to see your humming bird in the Peppermint Sage, we have a family of Eastern Spinebills who come in autumn and stay for the winter, and all thanks to our hedge of Peppermint Sage.
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Wow, a hedge of peppermint sage…that must be amazing! My annual, Pineapple Sage, often does self sow, yet it grows very wide for most my shrub borders and herb garden. Did not plant it this year, although the fragrant leaves are wonderful, and the hummers like the deep throated flowers.
Thank you for commenting. I so love hearing from my readers…happy spring!
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Thank you for your kind comments!
I now follow your blog, and look forward to learning more about your gardening Down Under. Diane
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Your essay tells of a quickly passing garden season … a stark reminder to enjoy every day to the fullest even if you have to fight the mosquitoes for it! Love your beautiful eye in the photographs. It is ALMOST like being there.
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Thank you dearest T! Good point! xo
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Your excellent photos continue to impress me, as do your flowers. We badly need rain here.
Tom
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I wish gentle rain for your family farm Tom. Thanks for your kind comments.
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Diane, your garden and gorgeous photographs more than make up for the total lack of plantings I have here, and they also more than remind me that I could never do what you do – it’s just vast as an undertaking, albeit breathtaking. I love love love the hummingbird photos, (OK, and the bluebirds :o) – soooo sweet.
I agree with croftgarden, above. I think people do enjoy our posts, but may not have/take time to comment … we never know, but should all keep on writing and photographing, sometimes just for the joy of it alone. 🙂 Jeanne
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Yes, Jeanne, I agree that writing alone should be pleasure enough, yet blogging can be a lonely place, especially when I pour my heart, soul, photos and energy into a post and have blah responses from my hundreds of followers…
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I understand, I really do. Sometimes a post that means so much to me, or I’ve put really a lot of time into, gets no response at all. It can be discouraging, but there are times I just don’t have the energy to even write my own, leave along go looking at others’ posts! We’ll just keep doing our best.
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The trail ahead beckons us all, yes? And Life never fails to compel us.
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Very nicely written and the end of summer bouquet is particularly pleasing.
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Thank you Barry.
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Hello Diane, your blogs always make me smile! They bring a touch of the exotic into my life, such beautiful exuberant blooms. Congratulations on the peonies they are stunning.
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Thank you for your kind comments Chris! Too often I wonder if my post make a difference…and you send confirmation…I adore your posts too. Your world changes mine…;-)
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I think we all tend to underestimate how much our regular readers enjoy our posts. So keep writing.
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Thank you again Chris!!! Morale lifted here! 😉
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