HOT July

Why, one wonders, is the Ann Arbor Art Fair always on the hottest days of the summer. Rhetorical.

Crocosmia Lucifer is an amazing, tropical-looking plant AND it usually survives Michigan winters unlike some other varieties of Crocosmia.  Hummingbirds like it too. Clicking on photos will enlarge them.

I love Cleome even though it's "only" an annual. In addition to being a mind blowingly stunning plant when planted en masse, the leaves also have a refreshing lemony smell that you can experience from half-way across the garden. There are several varieties from white, through pink and rose, to purple. I prefer it when all plants are the same color but these came from the market as "mixed" and they are rarely available as plants so I caught them as they were.

Even though my addition is still not finished (It has taken longer to build one room than it took to build the whole house!!!) things are looking good. Jon Parlangeli's "Pieta" and a grindstone from Grindstone City north of me.

There are several varieties of Monarda growing in the wild flower gardens. I'm hoping they'll thrive and spread. They've been fighting construction workers and managed to endure so maybe they'll make it.

Most of the Hosta have made it to their "Leap Year" and look really nice. Wait a while!