The backyard is humming with activity...

 The Lucifer Crocosmia is in full bloom right now and the hummingbird activity in the backyard has been non-stop...

We definitely have some new little visitors in addition to our regulars.

A friend stopped over the other day and we both took our cameras out back to see what we could capture. Some of these videos were taken that day.

I also went out this evening to see if I could capture any more to share. The following are some short snippets of male and female ruby throat hummers visiting the lucifer crocosmia and honeysuckle. I wish I could make these movies larger without them getting 'fuzzy.'

One hummer was feeding when another arrived, and the chase was on!

After visiting the crocosmia, this little guy visited the fuchsias that hang from the tent over the patio where I was sitting.

I was on the swing set deck patio next to the honeysuckle when I watched this little female start at the honeysuckle and then zip on over to the crocosmia.

I hope you are all enjoying your summer.

It's been brutally hot here in New England. I'm filling my more popular bird baths two, and sometimes three times a day to keep up with everyone's drinking and bathing.

Hoping for a break in this high temp, high humidity weather soon!

This week I'm joining Claudia, Mockingbird Hill Cottage for A Favorite Thing Saturday,
Cindy, My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday,

and the Cottage Garden Party Tracie's Fishtail Cottage

Stay cool, everyone!

Donna

The Butterfly Bush and Lucifer Crocosmia...

... are both in bloom right now.

I love the combination of purple and red.

Our butterfly bushes don't get nearly as thick and full as others I've seen (probably due to our "on the shady side" back yard); but nevertheless, what we do get is oh-so-beautiful!

(colored pencil filter)

There's also a white butterfly bush that sits behind the birdhouse. It's in an even shadier spot which is probably why it normally takes longer to start blooming.

The blooms on the butterfly bush are a beautiful purple with orange-red centers.

Hopefully I'll have the camera ready when the butterflies visit. This photo was taken last week before the lucifer crocosmia (to the left of the butterfly bush) came into bloom.

But they are in full bloom now, much to the hummingbirds' delight! I'm definitely going to try to get some photos/movies of my little friends at the crocosmia before their short bloom time comes to an end!

I hope you're all enjoying this fast-moving summer. I can't believe it's already the middle of July!

Have a great week, everyone!

Donna

The garden's end-of-summer blooms....

A while back I showed you photos of our purple butterfly bush... At that time, our white one hadn't yet bloomed (more than likely because it didn't get as much sun as the purple one)....


...but, as you can see, it has now started blooming...


It has beautiful little white blossoms with tiny yellow centers....


There were no butterflies when I went out to photograph it, but this busy little bee said he'd happily pose for photos...

The salvia has made a second comeback, although not nearly as profound as the first time it bloomed. But it still gives that little burst of color around the base of the birdhouse....

And the scarlet runner bean (whose flowers are very attractive to hummingbirds) are winding their way up the pole with reckless abandon.

The tall garden phlox are now in bloom, although once again, I am hampered by a lack of sun here in the backyard.

The alternative would be to cut down some of our trees, which I am absolutely not willing to do, so we will just settle for a mostly shade/partial sun backyard...

I finally got one photo that showed the true colors of the phlox - they are breathtaking!


My red monarda, which bloomed first, is on the way out....

....and now the pale lilac monarda are taking center stage.


For the first year after being planted, I'm pleased with how the flowers are doing. Not being a natural at gardening, it is definitely a hit or miss process for me so I'm sure I'll be tweaking and moving things around for years to come!

But not today... It's too bloody MUGGY out and Sammy and I would rather just relax and enjoy the garden, just as it is... After all, there are only a few weeks left before the crisper, cooler fall air makes its arrival!!

Wishing you all a relaxing end to your summers!!

COMMENT UPDATE: Lyn, Sammy was taking a siesta on the deck railing, but he looked up when he saw me at the slider with the camera. When the weather is this hot and muggy, all our Sammy's lay as flat as pancakes on railings or tree branches and their little hind legs look like frog legs!

COMMENT UPDATE #2: Hi Betty! I got my birdhouse in the summer of 2008 from The Christmas Tree Shop, a chain of stores here in the Northeast. I did not see any this summer, however... If you do a search on-line, there are lots of great birdhouses available so I bet you'll be able to find just what you're looking for!

Donna

Hummer and Butterfly Garden...

Most of the flowers and shrubs in our garden were chosen because they attract hummingbirds and butterflies...


I took advantage of a non-rainy day a couple of weeks ago to snap these photos of our 'work in progess' garden. The red bee balm (monarda) and purple butterfly bush are both thriving, their first year after being planted.



This mess, which I lovingly call "Roswell crater," is what we were left with after dismantling our old above-ground swimming pool a couple of summers ago. Doesn't it look like we were paid a visit by an alien spacecraft? Anyhow, this is the area where we've been planting our hummingbird and butterfly garden...


I have two types of bee balm - the red, that you see here, and a purple (which hadn't yet bloomed when these photos were taken).


The same holds true for my butterfly bushes. I planted a purple and a white. The purple was in bloom when these photos were taken, but the white had not yet bloomed.

This is by far one of the hummer's favorite flowers - crocosmia. It grows on tall sword-like foliage and is brilliant orangey-red... A beacon for any little hummer passing by.

I love the combination of red and purple in a garden...

When we were at Home Depot a couple of weeks ago they had all their bulbs marked way down so, as you can see, I took advantage and picked up many packages of crocosmia bulbs, which I'll plant this fall.

I don't consider this plant attractive at all... It's a red hot poker plant. But since it's a hummer favorite (and if you look closely you'll also see a bee on it), I planted it in the garden.

I did love how this particular red hot poker blossom looked somewhat neon in the foreground of this photo I took of my Mary garden statue.

The other photos showed perennials, but this is a photo of my Mandevilla vine, which I consider an annual. At least they are for me. I've never had one come back, so instead of planting them in the ground, I just plunk them down somewhere (in this case, in an old chippy chair that's missing its seat.) Again, these were put in the garden with the hummers in mind.

Today was a BEAUTIFUL day! No humidity and gorgeous outside, so I took advantage and snapped photos of some of my flowers that weren't in bloom when I took these several weeks ago - my white butterfly bush, the phlox, and the purple bee balm, so I'll share those photos soon!

Wishing you all sunny days (if you've been inundated with rain) or rainy days (if you're broiling under the hot summer sun!)....

Donna

This is the butterfly bush...

... that we planted last year... Summer has FINALLY arrived here in New England so I got to spend some time out in the yard today... There was no rain in sight and we actually had warm summer temps - a rare day, indeed!


I love the color of it... Sometimes it looks purple, and other times true blue, depending on the time of day and how much sun or shade it is in.


True to its name, it attracts butterflies...


...although in this photo a (honey?) bee is enjoying its nectar.

My vintage garden Mary watches over the butterfly bush, just as she does the rest of the garden with its many little creatures and insects who visit us.

Butterfly bushes require a lot of sunlight. We have many tall trees in our backyard, and therefore a lot of shade...

... so I wasn't sure how it would perform this summer.

But it seems to have adapted nicely...

...and is rewarding us by attracting some lovely butterflies...

This beautiful swallowtail visited this morning and spent quite a bit of time going from blossom to blossom...

You can see how the flowers look purple in the morning sun.

The swallowtail that was here this morning was quite large and its wings and tail were completely intact...

....unlike this poor fellow who showed up this afternoon missing the ends of his tail, and with his wings a bit worse for the wear...

But that didn't stop him from enjoying the nectar!

And you can see how the blossoms look very blue in the late afternoon light...

We also planted a second butterfly bush - a white one - in the backyard last summer. It's in a shadier spot than the blue one, so it hasn't even bloomed yet. Once it does, I'll be sure to take photos. We may try to relocate it to a sunnier spot this fall so that next summer it will bloom earlier.

Hoping you are all enjoying beautiful summer weather wherever you are!

COMMENT UPDATE: Hi Betty! I got my birdhouse in the summer of 2008 from The Christmas Tree Shop, a chain of stores here in the Northeast. I did not see any this summer, however... If you do a search on-line, there are lots of great birdhouses available so I bet you'll be able to find just what you're looking for!

Donna