More August Ramblings

It is dusk in my garden as I write this entry, The air is full of the sound of the buzzing and chirping
of insects. This orchestra of late summer consists mostly of crickets. It is one of my favorite times to just sit and listen. The garden is past peak, overflowing and the weeds are safer now from the compost pile. Notes will be made and pictures taken so that plans can be made for next year. As the weather cools some annuals will try to perk up, but as the days shorten the garden goes slowly downhill. Now is the time to step back and enjoy.

Clearwing Moths

One of the things I enjoy most about my garden are the birds and insects that use and live in it. The bumblebees are active all day long going from flower to flower gathering pollen. Over the last few years I haven't had as many honeybees so the bumblebees have been the primary pollinator in the garden. My favorite insect this time of year is the clearwing moth. This group of moths are diurnal which makes for easy watching.
Their fast beating clear wings remind one of a tiny hummingbird. This particular moth(Snowberry Clearwing) seem to spend most of its time on my only butterfly bush.

August Ramblings

We are finally getting summer weather here in Upstate New York. The self-sown nicotianas are running rampant through parts of the garden. I used to grow different varieties from seed but now I let nature take its course and have ended up with a nice mix of colors. Green is the predominate color but there is also white,pinks, and few chocolates. There isn't a bad one in the whole lot. Nicotiana sylvestris also self sows usually between the stones in my terrace. Since it is so tall I usually leave just one to make a statement.

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Another Rainy Sunday

July was the wettest on record here in upstate New York and it seems like August is starting out that way. Except for the past week our temperatures have been below normal which has not been good for my tropicals and heat loving vegetables. Despite the weather and the over abundance of slugs, the garden has never looked better. The perennials have flourished and the annuals are finally filling in.