The Flowers and Gardens of 2006

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  This year, as in the past, we have had such extremes in weather and temperatures that it makes it a real challenge to grow anything outdoors.  It seems like the old "standbys" can't be trusted to grow well anymore either. Just as everything got off to a good start, we had no rain. Then came the triple digit temperatures with the nighttime "lows" being in the 90s!. Last week we got almost two inches of rain in one morning. As of today, the temperatures are staying in the 80s during the day and dropping into the 70s at night.  It's no wonder that the plants are confused. Many are going to seed already; something that usually doesn't occur until late August-September in our region.  Many plants that I have dead headed aren't re-blooming like they should. My ever bearing strawberries only produced enough berries for one pie and a couple cereal bowl size dishes. And since the rain the patch is now overtaken with grass and a few weeds. My dilemma is whether to let it go or weed it. I'm planning on digging it up next year anyway and putting in a tiered patch. I will more than likely weed it (several times) even though I'm going to dig it up. I just hate seeing the plants being choked by weeds.
    My old fashioned flowers haven't done as well this year either. My amaranth has come back and looks pretty good. It hasn't flowered yet, so I have no pictures. My "Love Lies Bleeding"  also is slow and I'm just not sure if it is going to grow anymore. Right now it's only about two feet tall and is so spindly, I have my doubts it will ever get big enough to flower.  My Queen Anne's Lace  is always beautiful, even if it never blooms in the same place twice. (My neighbor has mentioned how it has moved across the street to her yard too). I think my giant sunflowers have gotten too much water. They get watered with the lawn and two of them have actually rotted at the base.
    Even though my flowers aren't "picture perfect" Rick & I still enjoy them. And I am always flattered when a passer by tells me that our yard and flowers are beautiful.