August 1st: Clematis

There comes a point in every summer when the combination of hot temperatures and dry weather begins to take its toll on the garden.  I'm enough of a Californian to be careful about the use of water to keep things lush.  I water my vegetable patch regularly, but try not to water the grass or established flowers. 

And that's what going on with my clematis vine: things got too dry.  I know this from some research I did on just this subject.  It's too late in the season to begin watering it, but I'll know for next spring and summer, when I hope that it will return and I will have the sort of lush vine I'm looking for.

In the meantime, my garden is about to start producing in abundance, I still have a month of vacation to enjoy, and the chirping morning birds make me smile.  I've had a great summer so far and I'm heading into the final month with a sense that the month ahead will bring more happiness, plenty of flowers and plants to enjoy.  And that's worth celebrating.