18 Days and Counting

of unbelievably beautiful sunshine. The sprinkler is working overtime in the backyard - the Hosta are shutting down with the lack of moisture. The leaves are turning gold and tan well ahead of schedule, so I'm hoping that this drink will coax them to hold on a little longer.

My latest library read is David Pogue's 'Digital Photography The Missing Manual, The book that should have been in the box'. I'm a quarter in and would definitely recommend it. He was able to explain why, with my Canon PowerShot S80, I'm not able to take good night shots. After seeing fabulous shots of the moon on other blogs, all I got was a little white smooshy thingie in a puddle of powdery black. The reason for this, is that the camera sensor is too small. Apparently SLR sensors are 10x the size and obviously more light sensitive than my camera - so they capture night scenes better and also handle light and colour better in every way. Pogue states that sensor size is probably one of the most important features on a camera (even more than pixels), and it's never advertised on the box. So now of course I have sensor-envy.

Another trick, that you may or may not know, for those of you with pocket cameras is the half press trick. Always half press when you have your subject framed - then when the bee flies in, or the wind stops, or the light is perfect - you'll be ready to take your photo and will have perfect focus. This gets around the shutter lag problems with these pocket cameras and will save you from taking the photo of Madame Monarch's dainty derriere as she dashes off, rather than her fabulous outstretched wings.

So not the best time to take photos when I got back from my walk - but think this is a great representation of the weather and skies at the moment. In the foreground I'm looking up the nose of the Nicotania mutabilis.

One of the features of the Heptacodium is that these little green bits that are left behind after the petals fall, turn a gorgeous red colour - giving you yet another reason to grow this good small specimen tree. I've yet to have a really good show of red, but hope with all the blossoms this year - that this will be the year.

And, if its not, for the flowers and bees alone, it's a great ornamental woody.

This pretty Panicum is about 3 years old. It has bits of red here and there.

Look at one of my newest additions - Panicum 'Blood Brothers' - for obvious reasons. Do hope that it's as successful as the other.

Taken yesterday - Hydrangea 'Limelight' is starting to show its autumn pink.

More old Phlox, just because. Noticed that I may have a new seedling here - centre is lighter - making it look like I've left the flash on by accident. Whatever I've got here, it's quite pretty, and there's not a bit of mildew on it.

The Tricyrtis all over the garden are just starting to come into blossom. The piles of rain and cloud over the summer certainly have made for lovely leaves.

I just adore the orchid-like blossoms.

I got into this section of the garden and really went to work. I've got two big patches of this Eupatorium. I've left one for the creatures and sacrificed this one for aesthetic reasons & to save time on picking out seedlings next year.

Agastache - another of my favs:

Such a magnificent time of year - so much to see and appreciate - and just think, the leaves are only just beginning to change - so there's an abundance of shocking beauty to come.