With temperatures reaching into the 30s again, I’ve not been venturing too far from home these past few days. Once again, the garden has been an absolute joy so far this summer. Not only can I watch the wildlife visitors with my nature camera, but the flowers are thriving too.
The most prolific flowers in the garden are the dahlias (I can’t help myself when I see any for sale). They are producing plenty of flowers and more buds are coming through. I love the variety of different flowers you get with dahlias.
There’s not just a variety of colours in the garden, there are some wonderful scents too. The best scent has to be that of the Nemesia Wisley Vanilla plant. A gorgeous scent hit me while I was at a local plant nursery, and I turned to find the Nemesia Wisley Vanilla. Of course, the plant made it into my trolley and into the back garden. If only I could produce the scent of it through the screen, it’s wonderful!
The bees and the butterflies have been making the most of the sun in the garden this past week. They seem to fare much better in the heat than I do!
I’ve found it’s been too hot to stay out in the garden at the moment, although it’s much more bearable in the evenings. I’ve been going out around 9pm to feed the hedgehogs.
How is your garden doing?
40 Comments
Graeme
My garden has green stuff on the ground,some of its grass
Nikki
What grass we have is currently a light shade of brown!
tomthebackroadstraveller
…my garden is DRY! For the most part though things are OK, but some rain would be nice. I love the array of colors that you have to attract bees and butterflies.
Nikki
Thankfully we had a little rain yesterday and the temperature has dropped to 20°c.
Carol
so many beauties in your garden – thanks for sharing them!
Alan Rolfe
Such pretty flowers but this ion southern England are wilting in the unremitting heat.
Eliza
Lovely flowers, Nikki. What does one feed hedgehogs?
Nikki
A range of things… Cat food (both wet & dry), mealworms (though not many)…
Denise Bush
Beautiful flowers, colors and photos!
Graeme Edwards
Beautiful photos and lots of bees which are always nice to see. My wife spotted a hedgehog on the green opposite the house so I’ve cut a hole at bottom of our side gate in the hope one might visit to drink from the pond.
Kelly
You have such beautiful flowers! (and do a stunning job of photographing them!) The bees cooperate with you well, too.
We stay so hot most of the summer that I rarely plant flowers anymore.
Nikki
Thank you!
Fred
Wonderful pictures with a lot of bees, bumblebees and butterflies. Wildlife is everywhere in your garden despite the heat wave.
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
Marvellous photography. So beautiful.
Eastside Cats Blog
Gorgeous images; so colourful…and the bees!
Cathy
Lots of lovely bright flowers! They (and the pollinators) don’t seem to be at all troubled by the heat.
Wendy Williams
Gorgeous photos! Those flowers are amazing, you sure have a green thumb. I love those close up photos of the bees as well.
Kris P
I’m glad to see that your dahlias have come through in spades, Nikki. They’re gorgeous. A little over half of mine have bloomed but several others are keeping me waiting. I love the bee pics and find the idea of feeding hedgehogs fascinating. Enjoy your summer evenings!
lisl
Thank you for sharing your lovely flowers, Nikki. The weather has been too much for my south-facing garden, and I have had problems saving my most loved plants.
Eileen
Hello,
Your garden and flowers are beautiful, I wish I could smell their scents from my screen, lol. The bee and butterflies are great captures. Lovely series of photos.
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.
Derrick Knight
Lovely photographs, Nikki
Jo
Wonderful photos. We’re so lucky to have our gardens, our own little piece of the world to enjoy. My garden is rather bare at the moment with us moving here just recently but it’s going to be a lovely project getting it filled with my favourite plants.
Yvonne (@Fiction_Books)
It has been so hot, that I haven’t ventured outside even to the garden very much over the last couple of weeks. We had a couple of days where it topped 35 degrees, so as much as I have tried to keep hanging baskets and shrubs watered, it has had little impact and everything is quite dry and desolate.
Today Monday 15th August, we were promised a little rain, but although the day began dark, humid and overcast, nothing happened and now at lunch time, the sun has once again broken through and the skies are blue – although I don’t believe it is quite as warm! We need water though!
I am impressed with the way you have tended to your flowers and had them survive for such beautiful pictures! 🙂
Nikki
We had a little yesterday and thankfully the temperature has dropped to a more comfortable 30°c.
Laurie Graves
Beautiful, beautiful! Dahlias are hard to resist.
Ann
Gorgeous blooms, Nikki, and I’m glad to read that your garden has been giving you so much joy this Summer. It’s been quite the opposite here. There’s not a shred of shade anywhere in mine, and with the continuing hot weather it’s all looking a bit worse for wear … xxx
jeanie
Your garden is fabulous, though how you have managed that amidst all that heat is far beyond me. Beautiful photos, each and every one.
hb
How is my garden doing? Not as beautifully as yours is! Excellent photos of wonderful flowers.
Nikki
Thank you! 🙂
Her Digital Coffee
Wow, thank you for sharing such lovely photos! You’ve captured the beauty perfectly!
Marty
The dahlias are indeed beautiful. I’m glad the soaring temperatures over there haven’t ruined the flowers at least. 9:00pm hedgehog feedings? Your work doesn’t stop even at night! 🙂
Anca
The dahlias are gorgeous! I love all the flowers, they are so colourful and pretty, make for a splendid garden.
Judy@NewEnglandGardenAndThread
It’s a beautiful day in your garden, and the pollinators in your neighborhood appreciate all your efforts. They probably tweet ‘stop here.’
jessicabookworm
What absolutely beautiful and vibrant flowers. So pleased they have done well in the heat and that the bees and butterflies as well as yourself is enjoying them so much.
I’m afraid my own garden doesn’t have a great deal in it, but lawn, conifers and apple trees. The grass is looking very sorry for itself after the weather we have had! I have been giving the apples trees are used water though, so hopeful still get a good crop.
Angie
Nikki – there are not enough adjectives to describe all the flowers in your garden. I can see why you find them hard to resist – they are all gorgeous. The one that jumped off the screen to me looks like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup – can it be real? Yes, it has been hot, and this time of year in Montana, most of the flowers are in seed mode. Fading fast. Only my Russian Sage and Black-eyed Susans are providing reliable color. Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment!
Nikki
I’m guessing that’s the Gazania (Kiss Series) which jumped out at you. It opens and closes with the sun.
soma @ inktorrents.com
Really enjoyed visiting your garden after my short break from the web. Gorgeous flowers!! The orange and yellow flower ( 4th from the bottom ) is amazing. What kind is it?
-Soma
Nikki
That’s a Gazania (Kiss Series). It opens and closes with the sun and is one of my favourites.
CherryPie
Lovely blooms 🙂
Helen
These are gorgeous. Thank you for checking out my blog. By the way, you posted this on my half birthday. Makes me feel all special and junk.