Walk in the Misty Summer Garden
Sunday, July 8, 2018 at 4:15PM Recently I took a stroll through the garden in late afternoon after a storm. The air was misty, and water dripped from leaves.
A view of the front garden. The shrubs with lavender blooms are dwarf crape myrtles.
I am enjoying summer. Abundant rains have benefitted the garden and generally kept high summer temps from becoming oppressive, although I avoid being outside when the humidity soars and the sun is brightest and the pavement sizzles in the heat.
The Tropicana Canna Lily looks good. I have had this photogenic plant for years, and every summer I take new photos of its amazing leaves. 
A whimsical bug is at home next to the Tropicana:
If you are a regular follower of my blog, you may remember this creature playing in the snow last December: 
Nothing like a snow picture in July!
Another plant that looks great in photos is this colorful succulent:
My succulents grow in pots with very well draining soil. With all the recent rain, some of them are looking a bit mushy, but this one is doing well. I bring most succulents inside in late autumn before winter's heavy rains and freezing temps arrive.
My recently transplanted hosta in the woodland garden is still doing well, no doubt thanks to plentiful moisture.
Ferns in the fern glade are also prospering. The ferns in this area have taken several years to become established, but many of them are now reaching mature size:
Variegated Algerian ivy grows in a pot hanging beneath a birdhouse in the woodland garden. Algerian ivy can become rampant if planted in the ground, but it behaves well contained here. I trim it when it grows too long:
Finally, as the sun was setting and I was about to end my stroll through my very wet garden, I was rewarded with a movement at my feet:
I was delighted to see a young box turtle. One of my most fun posts was about a box turtle. You can read it here: Encounter With a Box Turtle
Best wishes! Deb
Reader Comments (11)
What a lovely discovery! A box turtle isn't something you'd be likely to find here. Your garden is looking beautiful. Once again, I envy you the rain, even if it makes your Aeonium 'Kiwi' a bit mushy. Our lovely mild summer turned nasty on Friday (after I published my post!). Our temperature hit 110F and we stayed hot through the weekend. Everything fried but at least I have some nice photos of my garden beforehand.
Your garden looks absolutely dreamy with all the moisture. Lucky garden and gardener with moisture enough this time of year. I love your young visitor. I will have to pop over to read about your other encounter.
I envy you your rain, we haveonly had one heavy shower in the last 8 weeks! The garden is stressed and so am I ! Your hosta looks really happy and so do all your ferns, it must have been a lovely walk while fresh from the rain.
Your garden is wonderful and full of surprises Deb! Did you ever see that old box turtle again after that encounter in 2014?
Oh yes, that Canna is dreamy, as is your misty garden walk. Enjoy the summer beauty!
Ooh. Congrats on the turtle! :)
Your plants are looking very happy! I wish we could get a little bit of your rain. After a wet spring, it's been pretty dry for about a month.
So encouraging to see evidence of sharing our gardens with other life. I dream of finding a leopard toad in our garden.
Beautiful!! Your garden looks so peaceful. After a very wet spring, it's been pretty dry here. Happy gardening!
Your garden looking marvellous as ever Debs. In our gardens, I have seen ducks, foxes, frogs, unwanted rabbits, but a Turtle! that's otherworldly.
I’ve always meant to try one of those variegated cannas, I see I’ll need to make it happen. It’s been quite some time since we’ve had a rainy day here. Dry is often the way it is here in summer.