Summer Oasis

I just came inside a few minutes ago from walking my dog.  As I stepped inside the front gate, hot from the sultry evening, it was so refreshing to hear the sound of splashing water from the little fountain by the front porch, and to smell the jasmine in bloom.

Scorched Leaves

Recently I had someone ask about their plants' leaves being scorched by the hot weather.   That's an issue I'm dealing with as well, so I started reading up on it.  I'd noticed that it seems to happen mostly to plants more recently planted rather than mature ones, so I was not surprised to find out that it is generally an issue with plants that have inadequate root systems.  Many times it happens to plants that have not been in the ground long enough to establish a good root system, so in prolonged very hot weather, and with hot winds, the roots are simply unable to supply water to the foliage as fast as it is lost by transpiration from the leaves.  Other times it may happen to more mature plants that have not developed good root systems or have had damage to their roots, such as roots dehydrated by too little winter moisture, or stunted by compacted soil or poor drainage. Often the effects of a dry winter are seen in mid-summer when plants struggle with scorched leaves.

Feeding Birds: Baltimore Orioles

Oriole visiting the jelly feeder

Over the last couple of summers, I have really enjoyed the visits of Baltimore Orioles to my garden.  I first spotted them coming to my hummingbird feeders early last summer.  Before then, I hadn't even realized that they lived in this area, so I was delighted to spot these gorgeous birds.  After a bit of research, I started putting out grape jelly for them, which was a real hit.  I had found a bright orange feeder with spikes for slices of fruit and small cups to hold jelly, and the birds quickly began visiting it.