The Jungle Blooms!

 Starting out in the early morning mist

The usual time for my slug-hunting expeditions, the triumph of hope over experience.

Gradually the sun comes out

And things start looking lively. The burning bush to the right is taking its time. Japanese beetles ate most of the top of it, so don't look too closely.

Amazing that this trumpet vine started from just a tiny shoot from brother-in-law's garden.

I resisted these ubiquitous chaps for a long time but they do so well here - if you can keep  the pests off 'em.  When I first started, I used to wonder why the petals kept getting shorter. As for the foxgloves, I keep hoping they'll come back but so far I've had to keep planting new ones.

 The English country cottage look is starting to get a bit overgrown

A forest garden, more like. It's quite a feat to find some sunny spots.

We grumbled about all the rain for most of this miserable summer but somehow it must have paid dividends. The garden phlox are prettier than they've ever been.

 And for the first time this year, the vines have met at the top of the arch leading to lands beyond.

Those hardy hydrangeas are on the rampage

 I like this delicate combination

 Another shot of the coneflowers - in the sun, this time

And just for fun, another of the phlox with a few of the pushy yellow rudbekias getting in on the act.

And to top it off, a brazen lily.

 It may not be all-American neat, there's not much mulch in sight but considering it started from nothing, it's doing OK. Anyway it's my jungle and I like it.