Summer is here at last!
The year began wet. Spring arrived and the rain continued. It seemed never-ending.
Mid-May, the thunderstorms arrived, bringing flash flooding to the back garden one Sunday afternoon. The field behind us had been recently ploughed & seeded, and so the heavy rainwater poured down the hillside in channels and into the garden. So much water came in just a couple of hours that not only did the water stand inches deep in the back garden, but it also made its way around the side of the house and down the driveway. I’d never seen anything like it!
Thankfully, the water disappeared as quickly as it arrived, leaving behind mud, silt and seeds in its wake.
It’s now the end of July, the sun is shining and the garden is finally awakening properly. The dahlias are flowering (though they’re not in the best shape at the moment), the borage is spreading and the bees are buzzing.
I was worried for a bit. During the early summer, there was a distinct lack of bees and butterflies in the garden. Social media told me we weren’t alone. Others around the country had noticed their absence.
The past couple of weeks have seen the bees return, along with a pair of white butterflies. This past weekend, a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly joined them.
Every time I look in the garden, more dahlias appear. I’m looking forward to seeing the garden full of them, once again.
How is your garden doing?
60 Comments
Her Digital Coffee
These photos are absolutely stunning, Nikki! The colors are so vibrant and I love that you captured the bees and butterflies. Thank you for sharing!
Nikki
Thank you! It’s always a joy to photograph the bees and butterflies.
Kelly
Your photos are stunning, as always! I’ve enjoyed your videos on instagram and was looking forward to a post here. I’m not disappointed!! I’m so glad the flowers and insects finally arrived for you!
Nikki
Thank you for your lovely comments, as always. The blog post took a while, but got there in the end. 🙂
Nancy
Hello from the USA! The state of Pennsylvania to be exact.
I enjoyed seeing all your lovely dahlias and other pretties. Drying out from the rain and endless sunshine helps.
Your photos are gorgeous!
I am so glad you commented on my blog post! How nice of you! Thank you and now you have a new follower! It’s ME!
Nikki
Hello! I have a wonderful penfriend from Lancaster, PA. Thank you for your lovely comments. It’s always nice to find a new blog to follow. 🙂
Linda Paul
My garden looks nothing like yours! Your images are stunning.
Nikki
Thank you!
Kris P
Your garden looks like it’s definitely in summer mode now, Nikki! The butterflies are back here too – the bees never really leave.
Ann Coleman
Those colors were worth waiting for!
Nikki
They certainly were!
Eastside Cats
Beautiful images!
A ShutterBug Explores
Wow ! Nikki ~ beautiful butterfly, bees and floral photography ~ very professional looking ~ thanks,
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
clm ~ A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Nikki
Thank you!
Stephanie
You’ve captured the richness of nature so well! Beautiful!
Nikki
Thanks 🙂
Tails Around the Ranch
Such beautiful blooms. Glas summer arrived for you and your hard work is being rewarded. Thanks for swinging by the Ranch. We visitors.
Margaret
Beautiful photos of the flowers.
That’s a lot of rain you had it seems. Makes life a bit difficult when it rains so much.
Take care.
Astrid
Nikki it is always a joy to see your pictures of the flowers and now with the bees and the butterflies, now it is “complete”. We also had a lot of rain and we thought that summer would be skipped this year. I can imagine the scare you got with that flash-flood in your so beloved garden. nature is stronger than we think and it survived. Thank you for sharing your wonderful pictures. We only have a small balcony with no sun. But maybe next year I might give it a try again to grow some flowers.
Have a wonderful day and a great rest of the summer!
Nikki
I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer too!
Anca
Beautiful! I need more dahlias in my garden, some died from when I planted them a couple of years ago.
Nikki
These dahlias get taken up for the winter and replanted in spring. We still lose one or two sometimes though.
Ginnie Hart
In spite of all that rain, Nikki, your garden has survived the onslaught with flying colors! Your depictions of each flower and butterfly and bee make this time of year a treasure to behold, no matter how many times we see it, year after year. God have mercy that climate change will NOT triumph over this annual festival for our eyes…and cameras!
Jo
It’s nice to have some good weather at last, I think the flowers, as well as the bees and butterflies, appreciate it.
Cathy
You have some gorgeous Dahlias. That flooding must have been scary. It was ectremely wet here until a couole of weeks ago too. But thankfully we love on a hill! It was the same here with the bees and butterflies and we didn’t see many butterflies until the buddleia opened at the beginning of July. Thankfully there are more bees than ever again now. Happy Summer!
Cathy
Oh dear, excuse all my spelling mistakes! LOL!
Nikki
The flooding was scary, but thankfully it didn’t make it into the house. We live on the side of a hill too, but this year the farmer decided to plough the field above us and it meant the water flowed down the field in channels. Thankfully, the field is back to being grass and sheep are now grazing on it.
Nancy
Hello From the USA!
I enjoyed seeing your Gardens. Your Dahlias are lovely. I have never planted them but may next year.
I am also glad the pollinators have returned!
I am going to look for you on Instagram as well.
Thank you for visiting my Blog… Two Trails One Road.
~Nancy
Nikki
Thank you for dropping by too!
Alan Rolfe
Such pretty flowers snd colours. No wonder they are popular with the buzzy things.
tomthebackroadstraveller
…Nikki, I could sit and watch your garden all day long!
hena
Such beautiful flowers.
Velva
These are gorgeous photos of the flowers in your garden. Thanks for sharing them with us.
Sending you plenty of sunshine and only enough rain to help your garden grow.
Velva
David Gascoigne
Your garden is spectacular, as are the pictures, made especially significant by the number of insects pollinators. Anything we can do to provide habitat for these vital organisms is important.
Nikki
Thank you! I always try to choose plants the bees & butterflies will enjoy.
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
What gorgeous pictures! So glad your flood did no lasting damage.
Beth
Your flower images are gorgeous! The brilliant colors made me smile.
somewhereinireland
Your flowers and photos are absolutely beautiful. Have a wonderful week and thanks for sharing.
Pauline
Lovely to see your bees and butterflies enjoying your flowers. Your garden must be very colourful at the moment with all your dahlias!
Tish Farrell
It was certainly a long cold spring in our neck of the woods. It’s not been much better in July until these last few days. And yes, a shortage of insects. No hover flies spotted yet, but flocks of cabbage whites in my garden yesterday. Your photos are very lovely.
Ann
Oh my, that flood must have been scary!
What a relief that your garden recovered splendidly from the ordeal.
You’ve got the most amazing variety of flowers, and I’m glad to see the bees and butterflies enjoying them! xxx
Soma @ InkTorrents.com
Flash flood can be so scary. I am glad that there was no damage and hopefully it deposited some good nutrients in the soil. The flowers are amazing as are your photos. I really like the ones of the Allium.
It is great to see posts from you again.
-Soma
Nikki
Thank you!
CherryPie
Beautiful photos, your garden looks stunning.
Our garden is in need of a little TLC but we have recently arranged our patio with pots of summer flowers.
The dreary weather didn’t provide us much insentive until it recently perked up and stopped raining providing at least a few sunny days for us to enjoy.
Ju-Lyn
bevy of beauties! my favourite is the bee on allium – the colours and vibe of it … lovely!
jeanie
Oh Nikki, every time you post photos of your garden, I love them. So crisp and truly lovely. Allium is a favorite of mine. The butterflies and bees are just fantastic!
Nikki
The allium is very popular with the bees!
lisl
The flowers seem to be able to take whatever weather is thrown at them, Nikki. They are a joy
Kim Carberry
We’ve had so much rain too although things are looking better now, the sun is finally shining most days. We will forget about this morning when it chucked it down. hehehe
Your flowers are beautiful! I noticed the lack of bees too but they seem to be appearing now! Phew! x
Denise Bush
Beautiful flowers and photos!
Sharon Robinson
Such beautiful photos. Definitely noticing a few more butterflies now the weather has fined up a bit, especially white ones. X
Johanna Bradley
Those allium shots are fabulous, and you just can’t keep a good dahlia down, Nikki. We just got home last night and I haven’t really had time to inspect my garden, but at a glimpse it looks fine. A lovely neighbour has been watering it for us.
John D Hric
It has been a challenging year water wise and engery and health wise in the gardener. thanks for stopping by my blog
Peter B.
Wow, gorgeous blooms!
Catherine
It’s been a difficult year for gardeners, plants haven’t been flowering when they should, some not at all – but you’ve managed to put together a gorgeous selection of blooms! What a lovely photo of Dahlia ‘Bishop of Aukland’. Here on the West Coast of Scotland, there’s still a shortage of butterflies & bees, dragonflies and ladybirds. On the plus side, I’ve not had aphids either. Maybe I better cross my fingers after that statement! I love your butterfly shots.
Marty
Not just one bee photo but two! You’re brave. Beautiful pictures and I love those butterfly closeups the most.
Angie
Nikki – thanks so much for visiting my blog!
Your flower photos are so lovely! I have not attempted to grow dahlias in Montana, so I am appropriately jealous of your blooms!
Diana Studer
Hope your mud memories are history now
Beverley
Your garden flowers are looking wonderful and bright. I’m glad the butterflies and bees returned to visit you. Unfortunately my flowers are looking a bit tired as they were neglected during late July and all of August with other family events. However the sweet peas and sunflowers are still looking good and a new climbing rose had flowered well. Everything will be fine and after a tidy up all will be well for some Autumn planting. Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos.
Yeah, Another Blogger
The natural world is beyond unbelievable.