in the front

All of my borage plants got sickly. Insect attacks. I did not see as many japanese beetles as last year- and the few I caught were on the patch of borage out front, not in the garden. There's still plenty of stink bugs, leaf hoppers, mealy bugs, aphids, and some kind of red mite, sigh. Borage was done for and looking an eyesore, so I pulled it all up leaving the celosia that self-seeding with more growing room.

They won't make the huge 'brain flowers' that stop neighbors in their tracks on morning dog walks. Just little fuzzy tufts this year:

On my front porch, the potted fuschia is a disappointment. I have not once seen a hummingbird or butterfly come it its flowers. Sorely hurt by the bugs- I think it was mostly mealy bugs and leaf hoppers on this one. I have picked bugs, removed dead leaves and sprayed with soap/oil mixture, but it still looks sad. The newer growth is healthier, though.

Had to trim back my cranesbill because it was flopping all over the lawn edge and walking path. I'm still pleased with it, even past the flowering stage. The foliage is pretty enough.

I did remember to pinch my mums this year! At least twice, and I can tell the plants are not going to be leggy, falling over flower heads but maybe decent looking in fall. I might pinch one more time- or perhaps it is too late to do so? need to look that schedule up.

Here's another smaller mum on the right in front of coleus, and some stems of zinnias. I cut all the flowers to take in the house; they were falling over without support.

Pink-centered 'watermelon' coleus on my porch is doing fine. It's the first coleus I ever had, but not my favorite anymore. I keep it around for nostalgia sake.

The zinnias cut and presented in a vase indoors. They didn't last long- a week. Kinda started to dry up, even though I refreshed the water every other day. Found lots of tiny little spiders on them which I took outside and shook off into the garden. I need all the helpers out there!