Oops, sorry. Despite the late August posting of this installment, these are actually the July photos. By the end of July, I was so confused that it was still summer, I slipped into Nirvana - and have just returned.

If I can remember back that far, July was typical for Ottawa - hot and dry and humid - and not too surprisingly, all the August plants came into bloom. I must admit I have never been so happy to see a yellow bloom. If we have made any mistakes in planting this new garden it was the progression of pale pinks and purples after the spring flowers had bloomed. I was getting really bored! But the intense yellows of the rudbeckias, which have grown like weeds this season, transformed the front garden. And all the day lilies we transported back from the Maritimes last summer bloomed happily - although we were a bit disappointed in the ones we chose to put in the front garden. Somehow, the really showy ones ended up in the back yard!
Also odd was our response to the many hostas we had planted for their variegated leaf colour. With the exception of the blue giant, we found the mountain lily blooms so incongruous in the context of the other flowers, we ran around clipping them off. That was a first! But they really do need a complex green background, a fence or something to act act a foil to their bloom height to "fit" into a garden.

Despite the long, hot summer we have had - all the front garden plants have done very well. Into August now, the secondary blooming has been almost as impressive as the first. Throughout the summer everything has been two to four weeks ahead of time, but to our delight the July blooms have remained steady throughout August. So we did achieve our goal of finally having a good show of blooms in Ottawa's dog days month!

I was apparently focused on detail this month - this is the widest shot I took.
We just cannot believe the rudbekia. These were a few small plants from a friend, which apparently REALLY like their location. The tiger lilies in the back provided a great colour contrast, but unfortunately for just a couple of weeks.The day lily, SKOAM VIRGINIA HENSON, has a fairly low habit and normal blooming period. It's ok, but never meant to be out front as a feature, which is where we planted it.
This large blue hosta is the only one we liked the blossoms on (in this location). It stood up to the heat and many hours of direct sunlight, keeping its deep coloured foliage through July. This is the day lily, DECATEUR CHERRY SMASH, which should have been up front. Instead we managed to hide it behind taller plants. It didn't bloom prolifically, but given it's location, I hesitate to characterize it yet. (My shovel finger is itchy!)
The purple coneflower and white liatris planted with a blue Mountbatten spruce backdrop was a great combination. I have lots of photographs of these!DOUBLE ETHEL wins hands down on the prolific scale. Although not particularly spectacular, in its first year, this day lily sent up a progression of multiple stalks blooming nonstop for nearly 8 weeks.
A truly prolific, large bloomed and fragrant true French lily that loved its acidic soil and morning sun location. Another French lily which did not like this summer's weather. It budded out in late May, sat there for the month of June, and finally opened for a few days in early July before turning brown and dropping off. Since we grow them with great success in the back, we know it's not the plant!
Well, that's installment #4! I'll be skipping August, since the plants have not changed much. But with the September posting, I will slip in a few of our August surprises - which have nothing to do with us, but a lot to do with this Carolina summer the Great White North is enjoying this year!