Heat Slows Everything Down

As July winds down, the garden has slowed way down. It's been hot-hot-hot! And rain has only come in a couple of big lumps. The DC region had an epic rainstorm - most ever recorded at one time at National Airport - 6"! While the airport is only 12 miles from here, we got about an inch of rain is all. I've watered the garden, at least the parts I care about, with the flowers and especially the new plants. And my old epic oak tree gets watered with that, and denuded shagbark hickory. But the heat and lack of rain means I may need to water more, despite my vow of not encouraging the grass to grow and then need cutting. So here are the vignettes of what is blooming.

I have NY Ironweed seeded everywhere.
I love its deep purple blooms.
Coneflowers in the background.

This tender tropical is my favorite this year!

This obscure guy is a native lobelia,
known as "Indian Tobacco".
I'm certain it's a native that just volunteered,
but it's welcome in my yard.

This is the showy, but also native lobelia,
known as cardinal flower.
I planted it and I want more!
I love red flowers.

Coreopsis, or tickseed.

These are onions and hyssop, pollinator favorites
but deer resistant, planted in the harsh sun where the
Big Spruce used to be.

This is looking down over the slope the Big Spruce used to occupy. In the foreground, Verbena bonarensis (not native but lovely, seeded itself from the single time I planted it nearby years ago), mid-ground is the hyssop and onions, and background is NY ironweed.

Not blooming, but thriving interesting foliage.
"Brighten a dark spot" they said. It does.