Hummingbird Sage

 Pssst! Mr. Stink bug, your cammo isn't working here.

It's nearing the end of August and things in the garden are winding down. I cleared out my peas to make way for some winter starts and I'm beginning to think about putting gardens to bed next month and planning new gardens for next spring. Those who make jam are at it full force. There's a bit of a feeling of panic in the air to get all those summer activities in and get those school clothes bought because you know how summer makes kids grow.

 I started cleaning out the raspberry canes and catching up on some weeding, but mostly I like to sit and enjoy the garden with my feet up in my anti-gravity chair. I am worrying about the neighbor's bamboo, which is aggressively creeping under the back fence. Peter and I had a good old barny about what we should do about it. He thinks we should dig out the roots and put down plexiglass. I think the neighbor should do it because it's this bamboo. We think he's an absentee landlord so we are unsure about whether he would do anything. Then I worry about the buddleia on the other side which is starting to set seed and the wild black berry that crept into the raspberry patch. The thing is, I've got to stop worrying and start doing something about it.

And then the hummingbird visits. She feeds at almost all the plants I grew for her: scarlet runner beans, zinnias, and the hummingbird salvias. My heart lightens and I forget about all those fall garden worries. I am in the moment enjoying the luscious end of summer. These annual salvias are from a mix put out by Swallowtail Garden Seeds and you can buy each color separately as well: Salvia coccinea. I hope I can get some better photos this week as I rest up before my marathon performance as the Queen Bee at the 125th birthday of Stanley Park this weekend. Lord, give me strength!

In the mean time I am enjoying my garden, feeling like Grizzly Adams with all these insects and birds coming to visit. The chickadees and I have a good dialogue going on now that they have claimed one of the bee oases as their own. They perch boldly on my chair when the water needs to be refilled and I usually get the message when I am not otherwise preoccupied with buddleia and bamboo.