Mosaic Monday ~Where's Summer?

There is a distinct fall chill in the air in Western Washington this week. Kind of a hard pill to swallow since summer really just started about a month and a half ago. I love fall though. In fact back in Louisiana it was my absolute favorite time of the year. Now that I live out here its kind of a toss up between seasons. Winter you can throw out, but spring, summer and fall all have their merits. So I won't pout too much about fall being here early and maybe we will have a revival of summer soon! The yard is feeling it though. One plus is that the vegetable garden is finally giving back a little. A modest harvest though...VERY modest! But pretty :-)



I've never grown potatoes before, but thought I'd give it a shot. The purple potatos are the babies of one I got in my biweekly organic veggie box. Aren't they just the prettiest shade of purple? Almost metallic!


And all groovy tie dye inside


I cooked them up with some green beans - I boil them together, then make kind of a hash of it in a skillet with a little bacon and onions. Yum Yum Yum. Ignore the shoe leather next to it. I overcooked just a tiny bit. Blame it on my stupid temperature Redifork that doesn't like being submersed in dishwater. Hey..don't laugh. I depend on that thing...so much that I bought a replacement.


So lets take a little late summer garden tour. The lawn is still looking nice, although our watering bill has been incredibly low this summer.


This is the time of year that the Blue Beard (Caryopteris) is at its peak and covered in bees.



I believe this variety is called 'Dark Knight'


The zinnias I planted a month or so ago are really looking beautiful


I had to battle the slugs who apparently find them tasty. But for now I'm winning.


I'm loving this little geranium in one of the pots by the door. I just have a weak spot for red with white flowers


I had to cut my little mini red rose way back and its starting to bloom again. I've been told its Red Sunblaze but I really have no clue.


Some of the clematis, including the one at the front door (clematis frontdoorius so named by Randy). It looks pretty mingling with the hydrangea which is a pinkish purple.


Heading around to the back....My little raspberry patch in the alcove on the right is ready to go to sleep for the year. The yield was not as much as last year but still plenty for me to snack on. I love picking them and popping them right into my mouth. They rarely make it into the house.



I don't have the heart to move this cute little nasturtium growing up the leg of the bench.


On the right the daisies are blooming. They were so very slow to open this year.


At the arbotr the tall sedums are beginning to open. I hope they hurry because I love the combination of this one and the white wood aster that is already blooming


Climbing up the arbor is this cute little fuchsia


Just around the corner from the arbor is my Nelly Moser clematis that is having a second bloom too. Not quite as big as the first time, but somehow more colorful.


Another sure sign of fall coming to my garden is the obedient plant starting to bloom. Its not really the most obedient of plants though and tends to grow a little wild. You can turn the little flower petals though and they will stay in place, hence the name.


This pretty yellow rose hasn't really stopped blooming this summer.



The bee balm is all but finished. There are still a few blooms hanging on, but I cut a lot back this weekend.


There's lots more sedum gearing up to bloom. This one is close.


This one not as close, but the bees aren't waiting


They just love this stuff


This one has a darker bloom


The phlox is still phloxing


Abraham Darby looks pretty in front of this light purple swirly one. Smells amazing too!


This later blooming campanula trachelium is kind of a weedy little plant that I try to rip up because it spreads, but what I leave to bloom is a pretty color and the bees love flying into the blooms


We are really reaching the end of daylily season except for the Stellas which are having a revival. This ditch lily is pretty against the bright pink of the phlox


Another bee...I tell you they are VERY busy in my yard at the moment


A little late for 4th of July, but a little red white and blue in the border


My last phlox to bloom, Mt. Fuji. It starts as my other white, David is ending.


The hardy fuchsia is looking really sweet right now


And a couple of annuals to round out the tour


Nothing like a geranium for bright summer (and fall) color.


I'll end with a mosaic made up of pics I took at the The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire last weekend. It's a relatively new event that takes place at a farm in Buckley, Washington not that far from me. Its a fun time..and great for people watching. Doesn't the knight in chain-mail with his shades on make you laugh? At least he was serving his fair maiden.


I'm joining in for Mosaic Monday at Little Red House this week

And at Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage for the first time.

Have a great week everybody!