July Farewell

Just in time for the last post in July, I finally took a picture of this amazing flower with the most evocative name: 'love-lies-bleeding'.

I've always wanted this plant in the garden, and have several seed packets in my stash as witness to my intention. Finally picked up a little 4-cell pack of the plant in mid-June and used it in this purple and rose container combo. I pinched back the top of the plants and have been multi-rewarded -- the plants are just so beautiful and soft -- like ropes of chenille. (There's a green-blooming love-lies-bleeding, too -- must plant that one next year.)

So, with love-chenille blooms in the garden, it's goodbye to July. I can see autumn on the horizon. But first August, that last wonderful month of summer.

Back on the farm growing up, the entire summer was long long long days of hollyhock, wild strawberries, swims in Dumont Lake, 'spook-tag' around the house in the darkness of the country night. We'd lie in bed sweating through July and especially August. No air conditioning; just one giant exhaust fan mounted on a home-made stand that was supposed to cool off the upstairs of the farm house. (It didn't; the noise kept me awake and aware of the sweat running down my face.) Mid-August we found the long long days of summer suddenly fewer -- back to Beeline School come September. August is half-summerwonderful, half-sad.

Goodbye July. Here comes August and the knowledge that the beautiful garden of summer will soon be gone. Love-lies-bleeding.