Mary

The weird thing here is that it has been much cooler at times and we have yet to see the sun for a full day since May so you would think that we would be late. But that isn't the case with some plants. Even Hostas are blooming early.

A couple of evenings ago I took my lab Raven for a walk. I remarked to her that it smelled like an October day, somewhat melancholy-ish. I could have used a sweater, but it was a nice walk with the scent of salt in the air bringing me back 40+ years. I digress, but must admit I do this often when I'm happy with the moment and I know I was then.

What makes it really strange is the teasels haven't bloomed yet, the butterfly weed is just starting to bloom, milkweed are full of buds, and that seems normal.

Mary

July starts and we have a couple of days with sun and then Bingo back to cool temps and pouring, pouring rain.

Plants blooming? Not much in that department for sure and my WS seedlings have been stunted at the tiny, tiny stage.

Course the store bought ones that my neighbor bought, look more dead than alive after all this rain and cool temps and no sun.

So what makes the gardens strange this year?

For the last couple of years have noticed my well established hostas, no names for them, just divisions of a neighbor's 25 years ago, have gotten their flower spikes earlier and earlier every year. Usually I don't see them till August and it takes till almost Thanksgiving to get the seed pods ripe.

This year they where growing in June and starting to bloom before July 4th.
Last year and the year before it is July when the stems started and blooms in July.

Hydrangeas are starting to bloom before the 4th of July, not mid July on.

Daffodils bloomed late, crocus where late, snow in summer where no blooms.

Iris where early and didn't last as long.

To top it off, the 4 legged critters are busier than usual. Exceptionally busy rabbits all over the place, very bold, actually digging nests and birthing offspring right in the middle of flower beds under perennial dianthus.

Squirrels see to be collecting nuts early and they are on the ground early and the infestation of the neighborhood groundhogs seem to be very, very confused. They are either demolishing the gardens or just sitting outside a fenced in area and just doing nothing.

And to make everything worse, the deer that we normally see only in the winter, feeding on my rhodies and my neighbor's spreading yews are having a feast on my hosta leaves, hosta stems and the daylilies.

In 29 years, I have never had deer around in the summer and they've never touched anything except the rhodies and the neighbor's spreading yews and that's in the winter only with snow on the ground.

Fran

I went out to water this morning, and really felt defeated. Like the typical Cubs fan, all I can do is wait until next year. Hopefully something... anything at all... will come back!!

Lois in PA