The unstable weather mostly left us alone this month, at least in our corner of SE Michigan. We could sure use some rain, but otherwise it has been absolutely ideal. It was such a welcome change after the stifling heat and wildfire smoke we dealt with last month. It's supposed to get hot again once September arrives, but meanwhile I am loving this fall preview.
Let's start with an update on the monarchs I talked about last month. If you remember, I had fifteen caterpillars wander off to parts unknown. I ultimately found 6 of them. Many of them surprised me as they emerged from the potted plants on my deck. I had checked those pots, but never saw any chrysalides, so I still don't know where they were hiding. But for a few days, there seemed to be a fresh monarch crawling out of every plant! It was a hoot. I still see butterflies here and there, but they've tapered off a little now that the migration has begun.
Since the weather was so pleasant all month, I did a lot of park hopping. My daughter and I drove out to Tipton MI to Hidden Lake Gardens. They have many trails, but we just did a short one out to the canopy walk. As usual, I was drawn to the formal floral gardens out front. I will definitely go back this fall to see the colors around the hidden lake. It's not a very big lake, but its secret location gives it more interest.
With my frequent explorations, I found a couple of new spots, including a pollinator garden next to the library, and a small lakeside park where I can watch the sunset.
I'm sure you can guess that I also visited my favorites, both Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Lower Huron Metropark. My spur of the moment trip to Matthaei on a Sunday afternoon was a mistake, it was packed with Sunday visitors, who were intent on being in my photos. Okay, not really, but it seemed that way! I made a better choice on a weekday evening when I visited Lower Huron, which was quiet and peaceful as usual.
Let's look around at the Nest itself for a minute. There isn't much new in bloom, but things have certainly matured. I particularly like the way this first photo shows off the pleasing combination of Sheffield mums before blooming, Little Lime hydrangeas, Millennium alliums, and dusty miller. My plant combinations are often serendipity, unplanned, but delightful. Yes, I planned the garden. But the dusty miller was an afterthought. I intended to put them out front, but it wasn't sunny enough. Instead of tossing them out, I plunked them here, disappointed that I didn't have a floral edging. But they have really made a nice contrast with the other plants here! I'm not sure I'll repeat it, I'm just a sucker for a floral edge. But this year, it really works.
Although my potted tomato plants looks awful, I have been able to enjoy a handful of fruit from it. I won't ever be putting tomato plants in a pot again though, this is my third and final attempt. I finally spotted a yellow tiger swallowtail, and the hummingbirds have been frequent visitors. And yes, my little maple tree is already turning red!
Some of the planters I showed early in the summer are now full and lush. In the shady front porch area, I have two different version of inch plant, a yellow green and a purple gray. Both have grown like crazy in this sheltered area. I suppose I should take some cuttings and turn them into actual houseplants. I've gotten away from indoor plants though, do I really want to do this? I did pot up a single fall planter, since the cucumber plant I had in this pot was an epic failure. Love the colors!
I'm ever grateful that I have reached a point in my life where I am able to keep small vases of flowers around the house. When I was young, it seemed like a foolish luxury, but now I always have something in a vase. This small milk carton vase you see was my first time ever being able to enjoy flowers picked from my new garden. Often, the flower vases are filled according to whatever color theme I'm using for my kitchen decor. I used both a yellow, and then an orange theme this month. They seem like summery colors to me.
And so it goes in the lovely month of August in Robin's Nest. I did read a number of really good books, went to book club, did a little shopping, and a bit of cooking and baking. It's all just traditional domestic pursuits lately. I find the world troubling right now, so after I keep myself informed, I then go "touch grass" as they say, so that my mental health doesn't suffer from all the bad news. Gardens are particularly good for that, I highly recommend them. By all means, make sure you keep up with the news, but do what you can to stand up to the cruelty around us. And don't forget to look to the sky, especially at day's end. It will remind you that goodness exists.
Thanks for stopping by Robin's Nest! Visitors are always welcome here, even virtual visits. I'll see you back here at the end of September, and I can guarantee that I will be decorating for fall by then. It's all I can do to wait for a more appropriate time. But it's still summer, and I'm going to enjoy it while I can. Till next time.
