New fence!

So, I completely missed Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day last week.  I was too caught up in cookies and end-of-summer grades. It was the grades that really bogged me down.  But there is always a little bit of time to spend in the garden.  The day lilies are gone and I’m in the process of cleaning out the dead canes and cutting back the foliage.

Male Tiger Swallowtail on Fragrant Angel Echinacea in the Secret Garden

Pipevine Swallowtale on the phlox in the Secret Garden.

The big garden news is that I put a new cedar fence up.  During that process I discovered there is a large clump of Japanese Knotweed growing along the neighbor’s fence line.

Japanese Knotweed along the neighbor’s fence line.

It  is incredibly invasive and difficult to eradicate, so I called several city agencies to see if someone could start the process.  I am determined not to let it take hold in my gardens.  Wish me luck with that.  It sends out runners and I’m sure they are already trespassing on my property.

Classes start next week and I find myself less eager than I have been in the past.  Perhaps that’s because I have a lot of work to do this weekend in order to get ready.  And, I don’t feel like I got a break at all between the summer semester and the impending fall semester.  I’m going to have to do things differently next year.

Late bloomers include the blackberry lily that a friend gave me years ago.  Actually, he gave me seeds.  I’ve been coaxing the seedlings each year and the plants are now mature enough to bloom.  Also putting on a good show are the various echinaceas.  The ones picture here are companions with the Casa Blanca lilies that I planted this spring.

Purple Cone Flowers with Casa Blanca lily.

Blackberry Lily (Belamcanda Chinensis)