Garden, this year and next

This is the time of year that some things need to be cut back, or cut off entirely, to look their best. I've been doing some of that along with daily watering to keep things going. The shady parts of the garden are generally looking better than those that get full sun right now. 

I'm really loving my caladiums, but I'm wondering how and where I'll store the bulbs this winter.

I cut off most of the hostas because they had just turned brown.

This multi-tiered planter filled with portulaca is doing well with lots of sun.

The rest of the pictures above are from the shade garden.

There's a tree in the center of our driveway surrounded by bed that's maybe 12' or so in diameter. Nothing will grow in the soil because of the tree roots and I've been tossing the rocks I dig up in there for several years. Creeping Jenny has taken hold in there and I'm letting it grow as a ground cover. The only potted plants in this place are the two in the picture above. They have done very well and I plan to add more pots to this area in years to come.

This shows the round bed in the center of the driveway. 

Lots of space for new pots.

I recently ran across an online auction of the estate of Linda Patrick, a local artist. We have one of her prints in our bedroom that we bought at a studio tour many years ago. I managed to get several lots in the auction, mostly garden things that I picked up and brought home this afternoon. I got several really nice, large pots that will be great in my new garden space next year. 

These three are quite large and nice looking pots.

This is an old washtub with an interesting design. I'll plant in it too.

This isn't very big, only about 8" square, but it's got a nice look.

I'll have to find a plant that doesn't need a lot of room for it.

And of course there's still dogs. I spent the morning cleaning out the puppy shed. The shar-peis have torn up the linoleum in their part and have been pooping and peeing on the bare wood floor. The ammonia smell from the urine was overpowering in there so I scrubbed it with Odo-Ban this morning and it's much better this evening. I'm going to just cover the floor with blankets and wash them every day. The Shar-pei pups get speutered next Wednesday and two of them should go to their new homes shortly afterwards. That will help. 

The four Doberman pups have been enjoying the big dog yard space during the days. They are very playful in the mornings and then hunker down in the shade in the afternoon, becoming more active again in the evenings. That's pretty much what everyone does in the summer.

Candace, out for a stroll.

Bailey on an evening hike.

Deer spotting

Della and Bailey playing in the kitchen Saturday morning.

This will probably be the last lotus flower of the season.