I was just out watering (rainbarrel, FTW!) this morning, and everything is blooming like gangbusters. The lillies in the half-barrels along the side are almost over, which is sad. The lillies in the front pots were spectacular, but short-lived. But now, all the herbs are blooming like their lives depend on it. There won't be an herb harvest this year--I didn't have the heart to cut the plants before they bloomed and deprive the bees, who are going nuts with the herb blossoms. For the first year *ever*, the Russian sage overwintered and came back from the root. It's taken till now for the plant to grow to triffid proportions, and it's only blooming now. Ranks of small bumble bees are hovering in place, waiting. They love the Russian sage.
H gets all credit for watering, feeding, and deadheading, plus he gets to bask when the neighbors enthuse on their walks past the house.
I couldn't plant the purple morning glory vine I wanted on the Buddha trellis--it's banned in the county. We planted two purple-blooming vines instead. One's trying to grow to the moon and can't be bothered to flower, the other is bubbling over with beautiful purple flowers, but it's so tiny--it needs to climb so it can show off a little. Humans, man. We're never satisfied.