What's blooming?

We're at the time of year where there is so much going on in the flower beds that I can't even name all the things that are in bloom. I think I need to spend some time with L's flower charts to give a full account.

Our three years of careful weeding appear to have paid off totally this year. Sure, some things have grown out of place, but the bulk of the front parkway is currently full to capacity and there are several places where there are actually little tableaux of blooms: some going full blast, others with set buds. One of these has blood red peonies in front of the silver-green ground cover that has white flowers on six inch stalks (we have a lot of this and I have no idea what it's called). Behind the peonies are irises that are starting to open. And next to the irises on one side is a desert rose that is starting to set its flowers. Behind all that are the shasta daisies that will close out our summer as everything else starts to brown. Money plants are scattered here-and-there in this whole area. Amazingly: the daffodil greens are now almost completely hidden in this area. I barely had time to deadhead them in the past couple weeks as the greenery of all these other plants has filled in.

No wonder there were so few weeds there: there's very little bare ground for their seeds to fall.

What's also blooming is my excitement about China. What's not so cool is that I am starting to feel overwhelmed by preparations. I've been approved to hire a temp, but now I've got to fill the position and get them trained up. This in addition to school and the regular work load, which in the past couple months has included a new committee. I persevere, but it has not been the most pleasant part of my career.