With all of the rain, this summer has been a huge disappointment. But the Hydrangea babies I scattered around the yard early this spring did bloom. Aside from that, I'd say trading house plants has been the most productive activity. I've acquired at least 50 new kinds of plants this summer that way.

Next spring, I'll be able to 'use' the new bed I'm smothering/lasagna'ing in the front yard. So in a way, that's this years' win, all the hard work is already done, but it just looks kind of like a compost pile at the moment.

I didn't spend anything doing this around this tree. (DH hasn't had a chance to pick up that limb on the left that a storm threw out of the tree.)

Lots of wins and many losers.

My wife wanted a 'focal point' in the front yard. I have wheelbarrow that has a tire that won't hold air. I could have bought a new tire, but drilled holes in the wheelbarrow and planted annuals in it. This picture shows it in early June.

Wow you guys! Love the tree and the wheel barrow. Here is a pic of my wave petunias that self sowed from last year Last year they were a deep purple. This year I got pinks and whites in addition to what you see in the photo. Hoping for a repeat next Spring :)

Here's the new, under-construction (under-decomposition) bed while it was under water yesterday. The Cannas in the foreground are new to that spot this year too, repurposed from Mom's yard.

Jim, that looks fantastic!

MsD, I can't even keep Petunias alive, they die every year on me, whether I try in a pot or in the ground, great job! What a beautiful range of matching colors!

I had many, many downers this year, but the few exciting finds I had made up for the most part. I lost all of my vegetables, herbs, & flowers I grew from seed. I even lost about as many cuttings, too. Even a few of my trees have been lost. A couple I will give until next spring to see how they do. if nothing improves, then I have my hook up to replace them. Everything was doing excellent. When one died, they all dropped like flies. I was severally discourage. I threw a lot of my stuff away in anger. All of this money I had spent & time getting the yard prepared was an act of vanity. Luckily, I managed to grasp onto a bit of sense & kept all of my seed stock. I'm hoping next year I will be more prepared. I'm working on building my seed stock up again through trading. No one is selling seeds in stores & buying online gets expensive quickly.

My wins for this year were I finally found my apple trees I was willing to give my right arm for, weeping cherry trees, dragon fruit, Dutchman's pipe vine, black bat flower, cherry trees (fruiting), a bunch of free bulbs from this site & friends, blood oranges, & a pretty little hibiscus that I cannot find the name of (I posted it under the hibiscuses forum. No hits yet).

There, of course, have been events that don't pertain to gardening, but affected my abilities to tend to my hoard or kept me from making progress. A lot of it is to blame in the porch. We began building it almost a year ago. Because of the weather, we had to put it on halt several times. My husband works overseas, & I couldn't always find someone to help me. Everyone I know doesn't live close by, which, for the majority, is a good thing. Before this month is over with, we will FINALLY have this friggin porch completed. The other hinderances fall on broken promises, one or two monetary problems, various other personal problems, & my mental state.

The pair of gigantic and highly productive volunteer black plum tomato plants that sprang up in my wildflower meadow (unweeded and unmowed lawn). Thank you birds, they are delicious! (And out produced my purposefully planted tomatoes by about twenty pounds each)

I had another win, and I hope you see this, Jim. Realized sweet potato vine (seen dangling from Jim's rail planters) is THE plant that keeps giving me "poison ivy." It has latex in its' sap, thought that stuff was only in Euphorbias, but it's in quite a few other plants. Knowing this, I can stop scratching, both my arms/hands, and my head - trying to figure out - for almost 3 years, when I acquired this plant - what in the heck keeps giving me a rash?! I'm always taking cuttings of this stuff, but am now scratching for the last time. Whew! I can take cuttings without getting this stuff on me, and wash well RIGHT after I do to make double-sure I'm finished with this agony. I can wear disposable latex gloves or use latex bandages with no problem but latex sap gives me a rash identical to poison ivy. White, sticky, milky are cues there's likely latex in a plant, but latex can be present in some clear-sapped plants. No need to accidentally 'find out' if you are allergic, just take precautions.

My son's been having a great time with the confederate roses I did from little cuttings last year. His dinos change places in there, cracks me up. But, popped by to say they're covered with buds! So that's going to be a huge win, finally these blooms here. Why/how this yard didn't have any already, a real mystery. Problem solved. Now I get to look at flowers at my leisure, close to where I spend time, and not just do all of the hard work on Mom's plants in her back yard that we usually just look at from the windows if not working out there.

Also, planted my first Datura 3 seasons ago but the ones I added this year have buds - finally! Waited a long time for those too.

Will be back with pics when available, though I'm sure everybody's seen these common flowers many times already.

Purpleinopp, that dinosaur is so darn cute! Maybe you have the next squirrel and deer repellant going there. I won't dare show that to my grandson. Every toy in the place would find a home on my plants :)

All of the plants are pretty much on their own until I get ready to lay down some leaf mulch for winter. Sweet potato vine still blooming and petunias having a late season flush that is just gorgeous. Sun gold tomatoes are done and my Black Krimm is loaded with fruit. Hoping I get some to mature before Fall begins in earnest. It has been a good summer..........

That sounds great!! (The plants, not the toys/dinos - LOL!)

Keep forgetting to mention passion vine. Stuck a pitiful little cutting in the ground last summer and it's turned into a big monster vine. It was supposed to be completely eaten, like it is at my Mom's house (where I took the cutting from) by gulf fritillary caterpillars but none have showed up on my vine yet. It's getting a little out of hand, but whenever it's discovered, it will hopefully be devoured. The flowers are pretty for now.

The caterpillars are HERE! This nearly out-of-control vine was just a tiny cutting with 2 leaves last summer. Thank goodness it's being eaten as planned, I was getting a little nervous! Saw a female laying eggs 2 days ago also, so the feasting has only just begun...

A little over a year ago, this was a cutting. Confederate rose (Hibiscus mutabilis.)

Added a couple Cycads to this new bed (shown above under water.) It should start looking great next summer!