Deadlines Come and Go - The Construction Goes On and On and On

The saga of the wastewater main replacement continues.  We were supposed to be done by June 13th.  Alas, we're not.  The clunkity clunk yellow pushmepullyous are competing with this big red suck and groan machine.  Kevin was kind enough to put the water on my vegetable garden.  The noise, dust and vibration are altogether too much.  

Now that I've got that little whinge out of my system, onto more pleasant topics.  A week ago, after a big dump of rain Kevin and I decided that we were going to believe Environment Canada that the front was moving quickly and that we'd have a dry visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens.  

We started out in the Laking Garden.  This is the overpass that is usually peopled with train-nuts waiting for the trains to go by.

The dull light (one photographer called it "Idiot Lighting") was excellent for showing off the colours in the garden.

My favourite peony of the day was 'Bunker Hill' 1906.  Great colour, upright, petals looking refreshed after the big rain:

A section of the perennial garden where they're demonstrating how to plant up a garden for fewer weeds and less maintenance.

There were several weddings on the grounds.  I felt completely underdressed in my lovely yellow rain coat and red cloggettes.

Digitalis always looks best planted in drifts.  More spots for the fairies to hide.

Kevin and I had to scurry by the fountain....

So this lovely bride and groom could have their photo taken, sans yellow raincoat.

Back at home, Bart proudly chased Rocky out of the backyard.  Mesh has been put up next door, so they can't get in to the house....  A good thing, and of course, Bart couldn't be more delighted with more wildlife to chase.

The Aruncus dioicus is beautiful this year.  It is one of those perennials that really does appreciate a cold winter.  And, seems to be taller, and have more bloom after being subjected to all the cold and snow.

With the machines parked outside this w/e, I was able to get into my garden to see how things looked.  Here's the quick and dirty:

• Clematis.  Lots of wilt this year, and in the varieties that are supposedly less likely to get wilt.  
• earwigs - found all sorts of nests (colonies?, not sure what you call them) in the vegetable garden.  Probably explains loss of 90% of my kale
• Lilybeetles - they're back and just out of my reach, so are having a dandy time chowing down on the lilies
• Butterflies - where are they?  Is it because blossoms are late?  
• Tomatoes - suffering with the cold spring
• Lettuce - m.i.a.  germination, or pests, or huge downpours that washed seed away
• Japanese Beetles.....shhhhhhh....nothing yet.

This w/e it became hot.   30C (87F), so I went to the Rose Show at the RBG.  So many beautiful roses.  This was day 2 and many of the roses were close to being done.  In fact when I took a photo of one, another next to it dropped all its petals.  Ooooops.

'Rapsody in Blue'  Blue, no.  But a beautiful colour of purple.  Unfortunately photo doesn't show as well as it looked in person.

And a lovely Austin Rose - note the petals of the rose I scared to the right.

That's it for today.  Hopefully this popsicle weather will be punctuated with a little rain and those hard working fellows outside will fly through the intersection and I'll have my garden back by the end of the week.