A little time in the garden...

When the heat of summer is happening, I have a habit of shirking some garden duties. I take a step back and tend to the most necessary only, and top of the list has to be, watering. 

Even that becomes arduous, when even the end of day is still hot, while stepping in and out constantly to change sprinkler lines, some hosing, or filling watering cans for potteds.   I'm often a candidate too for mosquitoes :(.  Once I hear/feel a couple of mozzies, I call it quits!  The end of day-light starts waning, and those areas that didn't get watered, will get done early the next morning.  

 Beatrice Emily

Over a couple of weeks there were many overcast and generally wet days, and sometimes with showers overnight as well.  So good for the garden.  It's heartening to know that EVERYTHING gets a drink, and not just the pockets where the sprinklers reach. 

 Jennifer Susan

This past week the weather has cleared to blue skies and sunny days with moderate temperatures; making it perfect for spending time outdoors, especially in the garden, and catching up.  

It is Camellia time!  These are each Sasanqua Camellia types, happening now, as I write, in my back gardens.  

Over the past couple years, these gardens have had big changes; renovations I guess.  Thirteen advanced Tibouchinas were cut out, and replaced with Camellias, which are still in tiny stage just yet, but flowering none the less.

Also I said goodbye to the seven tall Tree Ferns down one side garden, since the heat of summer constantly gave them a hard time; burning the fronds into oblivion.  They used to offer a lovely overhead shelter in Summer to the Hydrangeas underneath them, so eventually the Hydrangeas went too.  What's there now?  More Camellias!

I didn't think I'd ever resort to this tactic, since I choose not to use sprays .. but I relented recently and bought a pump-sprayer and glyphosate, to help combat a very persistant creepy creeping weed that I've been fighting a useless battle with hand-weeding for way too long.  It was time to make a stand and get out the big guns!

It no doubt has a name too, but I don't know all the weeds by name...and if I was to make a name for it, it wouldn't be printable :).

Yuletide

Where I couldn't spray close to the base of plants and shrubs, I knew I could come back to those and hand-weed still.  The promise that zillions of seeds would be zapped into sterility, was energizing! 

Eventually I may will, combat this rotten, creepy creeping, no-name weed.  

Linking to Floral Friday Fotos and Today's Flowers