Mid August

And only occasionally the fragrance of autumn rises on a cool damp morning.  Mostly the days still retain all the heat of summer, and the countryside is dry and vulnerable.  Almost four hundred fires in the province, and some days are still and smoky.

The garden, though, is changing imperceptibly as the flowers of fall start to mature and the roses bloom in the midst of their midsummer flush.

My thoughts turn to dividing and moving the iris, and finding a new home for the great orange daylily that has risen like a high rise amongst its neighbouring cottages, - the statice especially has become hidden under the vigorous flaring leaves of the lily.   The lovely low spirea has been invaded by roaming canterbury bells, and needs room to spread and form a little hedge.  I think of it along the orchard fence at the back, with a border of sweet smelling alyssum.

Sunflowers against the smoky hills the first day of August

Some intense volunteers determined in their exotic beauty

the vibrant orange daylily ' flossing' - which I understand is American slang for showing off!

 the garden on the 9th of August

and on the 14th, with the white phlox perfuming in the daytime and the evening scented stock at night.

the arbour climber blooming enthusiastically again

The roses bloom again, the big rusty spider spins his web outside the elegant birdhouse,

the sedum is in the pink and the first of the asters portends a great massive bloom well

into October.

Lots of weeding to do, -the large non-flowering violets to dig up and the Chinese lanterns

who managed to sneak into the country to be attended to, - lovely in  their orange splendour and I'm glad I turned a blind eye to some of them!