The Backyard 8/11/15

I'm ready for a set schedule. The days are all running together, meals are sort of, whatever, there are piles of stuff in every room...I'm just ready for the kids to go back to school and to have a bit of organization back. Remind me I said that when the alarm starts going off five days a week, and I'm having to feed three mouths before 7:15.

These photos were all taken in the backyard a week ago. 'Tis the season of volunteers. There are seedlings of things coming up everywhere. And if you look close, there are already signs of fall.

This pot is full of Begonias that came up in spring. I tucked in a few annual Vinca, and I just discovered a volunteer Black Eyed Susan Vine, that I had grown in the same pot last year.

Speaking of Begonias, I had to take a few more pictures of this one.
He's not hardy, so I'll bring him inside for winter.

I had originally planted something else in this pot, but apparently, the random Four O'Clock had other ideas.

Some pulled back shots of the patio and deck pots.

More volunteers. All of these Impatiens just came up in the Fuchsia pots.
Unfortunately, they're about the only ones left in the backyard that don't have the creepin' crud.
I've yanked almost all the others. :(

Two more opportunists, a Nicotiana and Wandering Jew.

The volunteer Cleome in The Kid's pot is blooming. I guess there was more than one, 'cause he got two colors.

A happy little succulent flower.

This little seed Dahlia jumped in my cart earlier in the season. I couldn't resist the sweet color of pink.

The Passionflower Vine, that is taking over the world, is now sprouting up EVERYwhere.

I don't know how it's surviving the takeover, but the Clematis that's attempting to share the same arbor, is spittin' out a few new flowers.

Another surprise volunteer is this cute little baby Cuphea that I grew in a pot last year. He's coming up in the pea gravel, under a chair by the firepit.

I love this limey-green sedum in the colander. Unfortunately, it's an annual in my neck of the woods.

The 'Otto's Thrill' Dahlia is blooming now.
It's so tall, and so heavy, that I'm picking it up off the ground every day.
Clearly the tomato cage at its knees is not a sufficient stake job.

There's some new color in the far, back corner. A Verbena that reseeds every year is blooming now (I don't ever remember planting it, but if I did, it was years ago), some seedlings from a friend that I just put in last month (pink flowers - not sure what they are either), a Four O'Clock with limey green leaves (that I LOVE and will be saving seeds from), a piece of a Sedum from Grace, and a lavender Phlox that's a wee bit different than my other one.

My new-this-year Eryngium has put out two new stalks of flowers, too.

The jam packed bed along the path is a riot of color still.

My mom shared a piece of this 'Laura' Phlox last year and she's blooming for the first time.

I really, really, really want this Foxglove to be hardy. I'm in love with it and so are the bees. It has bloomed non-stop since I bought it early this spring. As a reminder, this one is 'Foxlight Ruby Glow.'

Toward the shadier end of the same bed...

I thought this Coleus was unusual and fun.

I wasn't expecting this at all, so when I noticed 'Ayesha' had a new bud, I was super excited. I guess that means she's made herself at home.

This is how the faded flowers look. I like.

At the back of the yard, the white Japanese Anemone is just starting to show color, the 'Black and Blue' Salvia is finally blooming, and I couldn't help throwing in a few pictures of the Limelight Hydrangea.