Oh my poor garden!

The unknown summer continues here for me in Central Ohio. Two factors are combining into one of the worst garden years I've ever had. I'm still recovering from a knee injury and minor surgery, so I can't get around very well. We are also suffering with extreme heat and drought. It's a bad combination.

 I've had hubby out watering for me almost daily, and while I so much appreciate his help, it's not the same thing as monitoring the health of your garden on your own. When I do get out there, I find the Japanese beetles ravaging what few roses have managed to bloom in the heat. I find plants struggling to survive, and inexplicably dying. I find everything needs to be deadheaded. I find few plants even bothering to bloom till the heat lets up. It's not a pretty sight. Not to mention that we have had lots of company lately, and they come expecting to find my famous flowers in bloom. It makes me sad.

For instance, I have terrible luck growing delphiniums. I've tried so many times, with little success. This year I wanted to give it one last shot, and just as a bud stalk went up, the terrible derecho storm blew through and snapped it off. How depressing! One lonely little delphinium showed it's flowers for me, so I have to treasure it's lonely bloom.

My little hibiscus tree was refusing to bloom, and the leaves were turning yellow. Now it has decided to bloom again, but as soon as a flower appears, the Japanese beetles come and devour the blooms. Poor little thing.

This Mexican sunflower is doing okay, but the others near the back door are covered in spider mites. I hope it's attracting butterflies, but it's in a spot around the corner where I rarely see it these days.

My beloved coneflowers are doing okay, those that have survived. So many of them did not come back this year, despite the mild winter. They are often nibbled gently around the edge, but I try not to notice. In the background here, you will see a yellow and pink achillea intertwined. I'm particularly fond of the pink one, because it was a rescue from my old Michigan garden. I had given some of it to my MIL, and I noticed last year that it was barely surviving there at her house. I scooped it out, brought it here, and it's starting to catch on. I love having remnants of my old garden!

Another favorite here are black eyed susans, and they have begun to bloom. Yes, they are also being nibbled by something, but at least they are a bright and cheerful golden spot in the garden. Besides, from a distance you can't even see the munch marks!

 But I must admit I have seen an endless array of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds around the butterfly bush just outside the sliding glass door. It warms my heart to see them there, even if I am not fast enough to capture them on film. I also see baby praying mantis often on the glass door and screens. I have no idea it's the same one, but he makes me smile to see him standing his ground. He's small, but fierce!

There are other sad tales to tell, but as a gardener, it just makes me depressed. Even one of my butterfly bushes is looking burned and sad. I thought they were pretty much indestructible. So I'll try to look at the bright side, as it was. The veggie garden actually looks lovely! Soon, we'll be eating cucumbers and after that, the green beans and tomatoes. Peppers are a way off yet, as is the basil. But I'll take what I can get in this summer of frustration.