Nature - Summer Petals
“The earth laughs in flowers.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
July and August brought brightly-colored, smile-inducing flowers around our home!
Pretty, dependable, hostas never dissapoint, year after year. These delicate flowers emerge from their big, green foliage. They look like fairy skirts to me. Our oldest daughter adorably called them “pastas” when she was little. Hostas have to be one of the heartiest plants known to man. The flowers don’t last all summer but they sure are lovely while they gently sway in the breeze.
The cheery red flowers in the window box are impatiens.
shade lovers
Hostas, also known as plantain lilies, are usually shade-loving perennials. Fun fact: There are over 3,000 varieties of hostas!!
“Don’t you think daisies are the friendliest flower?” - “You’ve Got Mail”
I believe ours are Shasta daisies and these perennials are a joy to see every summer. They symbolize cheerfulness, new beginnings, innocence and purity. There are over 20,000 species of daisies! They’re found all over the world except for Antarctica.
Zinnias
happy blooms for pollinators
These gorgeous annuals attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds all summer. We usually plant the tiny seeds in late May or early June and delight in their bright, happy colors until early autumn.
sun lovers
Plant the seeds in a sunny spot and watch them flourish! You’ll get more blooms the more you deadhead or cut them throughout the summer.
rosy surprise!
After our roses bloomed their heads off earlier this summer, we thought that was the last of them until next June. This lone cluster surprised us in July.
begonias
These sweet annuals were given to us by a friend and boy, have they thrived in these cutie “wicker” planters. I found the outdoor-friendly holders at Walmart. The bees love the little petals! I’ve also seen a hummingbird make a stop here. Begonias like partial shade so this was a good location for them.
the best nest
Someone thought this basket of begonias would be the perfect home for her little ones.
babies-to-be
As best I could tell, there were three tiny blue eggs in this amazing nest at the back of the basket. A petite brown mama bird sits on them. Since taking this photo, I’ve seen teeny babies moving around in their nest. Makes me very happy to know this simple basket of flowers has provided a home for them!
sunflower
Last but certainly, not least, is the sunflower! These darker petals were a happy surprise! I had forgotten what kind of sunflower seeds we planted earlier in the summer, but I assumed they’d be the common, large yellow variety. You know what, I LOVE this different variety! They’re shorter and smaller than the giant sunflowers and have several buds on each stem. Sunflowers are native to North America and part of the daisy family. Pollinators love them and provide seeds for other creatures. Sunflowers symbolize vitality, positivity and happiness.