around the yard-

Mostly the back half. My echinacea are so thick this year, and pinker than the photos manage to show. I've had to pull some young ones up from between path stones, and cut back others that lean over the walkway to compost bin.

Wall of monarda (bee balm):

Echinacea in various stages:

Center whorl

Them behind the row of hellebores and liriope.

From further off- behind the liriope behind the pannicle hydrangea. Closer up a few white stars of nicotiana floating, and flowers from the variegated hosta- much taller scapes than I expected!

That bed from the rear side- the borage have kind of faltered in the heat and fallen over in rainstorms, but nicotiana is really coming into its own now. Looks almost like a planned growing area, not just some random stuff on the edge of the lawn.

The aguja is filling in a ton.

I'm very pleased with its progress. And I love the foliage color.

Tithonias are up to my thigh in height

and a few are starting to flower

Up the sunny side yard, the sedums I moved are starting to bloom

Swamp milkweed is done flowering- disappointed I haven't seen many monarchs. I've looked- though not super close or meticulous- to see if there's any caterpillars. So far only found aphids.

Blue flags of black-and-blue salvia are stunning.

The lamb's ears I planted in a row flanking gladiolas looks just like I envisioned. Can't wait to see them fill in even more. Glads are flowering now! I am going to cut my first arrangement tomorrow morning when it's cool.