The Beauty of July

We're into the most vigorous growing season of the year, and the plentiful Spring rains followed by long, hot days helped all the plants, shrubs, flowers and trees around here to thrive. Some of my shrubs got carried away, showing growth well beyond what we usually see in early July, so I was busy outside today with our electric hedge trimmer. We've had some really hot days, but the humidity has been bearable. This makes Summer a much more pleasant season for me. (Shh-h-h, don't let Mother Nature hear; she will slam down the humidity!) The rose bushes enjoyed an early, spectacular blooming phase, and then put all their energy into growing up and out, with no new rosebuds showing. So they got whacked way back, too. It is now possible to approach our front door from the driveway, along the walkway and onto the porch without picking your way or getting swallowed up by greenery.


My garden is creeping along. I've decided to adopt Ruth Stout's method of mulching, using hay that is simply pushed aside for planting in the Spring, and added to as needed to keep the weeds down. Hay allows rainfall through and holds the moisture in the soil. It also gradually decomposes and becomes part of the soil, enriching it over time as well as or better than any of the purchased mulches. I've harvested my first lettuce and radishes, and there are green tomatoes and small peppers ripening. The first cucumber showed up a couple days ago. I've had to replant several things because of the rascally rabbits, but once I get the hay fully distributed I don't think it will be so pleasant for them to approach the garden rows. One can always hope.


The zinnias and marigolds and cosmos are hard at it, making the place more beautiful. Right now, though, the lilies get the prize for magnificence. They are in competition with the glory of the skies overhead.