After the Rain, the Sun - Again

  Pretty amazing how much things take off once they get just a few inches of real rain.  Even the lawn has come mostly back.  But it has been hot and very dry since last weekend, and things are again showing signs of stress.  We could really use more rain soon - maybe tonight?

But many things a beautiful.  And many are productive.  The tomatoes are finally ripening, there are more jalapeno peppers than I can keep up with.  And the flowers are going crazy.  Here's a photo gallery.

 

 

I can't get over how beautiful the Joe Pye Weed has been this year.  It is still vibrant and luscious.  And the Caster Oil Plant that was a lark in the spring is becoming beautiful - I love the contrast against the blue stained cedar siding. 

 

I know that Dusty Miller is mundane and ordinary, but I can't help loving it.  Such a nice mixture of structure and color contrast.  for some reason, the Dahlia in the same container caught a terrible case of spider mites, and I had to cut it down and spray what was left with a little Malathion.  But the Dusty Miller, a nice coleus, and a new plant I don't really know yet have filled the entire pot nicely.