The lush restfulness of the garden in late spring is now disturbed by a weathered, brown edged hosta. Once crisp and green, the leaf is now frayed and preparing for its journey into winter’s dormancy. Thankfully, parts of the garden remain unblemished by summer’s heat, so I lounge peacefully on the stone patio (below) in the shade of Japanese maples and lilac, considering the day, or perhaps nothing at all. But, yellow leaves of the serviceberry (Amelanchier) float past, reminding of the changing season.

Though the season remains summer, it’s heat has passed and the air seems more crisp, even in the afternoon sun. After a dry week thunderstorms have returned, afternoons and mornings, but these are moderately intense, with less destruction and more benefit to the garden than storms earlier in the month.

While this year has inarguably disputed my overconfident claim that I had finally figured out daphnes, several continue to grow with vigor and, as always, flower continuously from late March into November. A ‘Summer Ice’ (Daphne x transatlantica ‘Summer Ice’, below) planted in slightly more sun than I thought ideal has performed ideally, so I must rethink most of my prior thinking. Despite some difficulties, daphnes will always be a part of the garden, even if they must be replanted every five years.