High Altitude Gardening

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Glads, happily blooming in an old whiskey barrel, on the deck.As I peck away, on my computer keyboard, I hear the soothing sounds of rain drops outside my open window.

Just a sprinkle. This, on the heels of 2 consecutive, afternoon rains has me hopeful the tide has turned.

Clematis drape across the other side of the deck.
By all outward appearances, it has not been a good summer.

Oppressive heat, our western landscape so deadly dry... We went for 37 days without a drop of rain.

And, then. A rash of scary wildfires. Too close for comfort.

The wind carried ash in the breezes and left a reminder of this danger, as a layer of dust in the garden.

Sky Blue Flax, a volunteer wildflower, makes her home in the raised veggie bed.Been using that as an excuse not to work out there.

The smoke. The heat. The... oh, give me a second and I'll come up with another excuse..

Penstemon, Primrose, & GeraniumsInstead, we've been saddling up the horses and combing the trails in search of wildflowers. (Like that's a cooler past time than pulling weeds in the hot, hot sun? Oh heck no! But, infinitely more enjoyable.)

I've been calling this my non-gardening year.

And, it's all because of.... a brand, spankin' new drip irrigation system!

Every single summer day, schlepping hoses dominated my life. Moving sprinklers, to and fro, caring for my flowers.

This year, I threw in that proverbial towel and automated the joint.

Catmint & ValerianOh! Joy! Free Time???

Plentiful designer weedsI had never tallied up the number of hours I spent watering the gardens until I no longer had to do so.

In fact, I never really minded, since I love putzing with my flowers. But, it's given me the freedom to experiment with all kinds of precious posies I shied away from in previous years.


So, there ya have it. I've been a lazy gardener. And, a lazy garden blogger. Heck, I've been such a slacker I forgot to celebrate my 6th blogoversary (May, 2012.)

But it's been a glorious summer.

Here's hoping you're having a wonderful growing season, too.

Happy Bloom Day, Everyone!

Pay a visit to Carol @ May Dream Gardens to visit more flower lovers for this Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day monthly meme.

Follow @Kate_HAGardens



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