some flowers

in the yard- Zinnias are doing much better than I expected in the back perennial bed. It gets more sun now (neighbors cut down two more of their remaining pine trees). 

I cut a few to bring in the house. 

The petals are stiff and tough- they last a long time stuck in a jar. 

Want to grow a lot more of these next year. I noticed the swallowtail butterflies visit them, too.

Hydrangeas are blooming dusky pink-

Most of the echinacea patch is faded, darkened and falling off petals. But some that I cut back (to clear the path or remove stems coated in mealy bugs) have grown more flowers, bright and new:

It's hard to get the effect of turtlehead on camera but it's one of my favorite spots in the garden. Bees are starting to crawl in and out regularly, so fun to watch them

Tithonia aren't as numerous as last year- I didn't plant as many, and one sickened and got pulled up early on. But they're much healthier this time around- I don't have to clear as many withered leaves from the lower stems, and hardly find any aphids to wipe off. Almost every day see monarchs and/or swallowtails on the tithonia, and many skippers.

I liked how the standard joe pye-weed looks against the strappy leaves of gladiolas (even though no glads flowers anymore)

My black-and-blue salvia is doing amazing. Look how it's overtaken the spot- definitely crowded by the growing lilac and completely obscuring the stepping stones to the driveway now

When I get the energy and bravery to do it, think I will relocate the mountain laurel there to left of steps, and move the lovage also, put the black-and-blue salvia below the wall in that spot

It just blows me away. I love the blue. Hummingbird is a regular visitor again. I've gotten quite close to it a few times and it still feels like a small miracle, a wonder, to see that bird hanging in the air feeding from my flowers.