When leaving the garden untended for two weeks in early summer, the gardener is assured of one thing. There will be plenty of weeds to pull when he returns. I can live with that, and since I depend only on rainfall to water the garden little else is necessary.
Yes, a tree could fall in a storm as the bigleaf magnolia did a few weeks ago, but I could not have prevented that if I was standing next to it. Despite the weeds, I expect the garden to look better than when I left it.
The cold hardy, but tropical-looking Rice Paper plant (Tetrapanax papyifera, above) has grown a few feet in recent weeks, so I expect it and the red-leafed Castor Bean (Ricinus communis, below) will grow substantially with the heat and rainfall that’s forecast. The hardy banana (Musa basjoo) should also jump a foot or more.
Most of the perennials flowering when we left should keep it going, but I expect to see many more pollinators as Joe Pye weeds and Mountain mint come into bloom. I know there will be a bit of work to get the garden back in shape when I return, but there’s no hurry, and there will be plenty to enjoy.
Ramblin' through Dave's Garden 
Hi DaveI have my first 2 milkweed this year that were ‘gifted to me by nature’ They now have big seed pods on them which are a healthy green…at what point should it remove them from the plants so as to make sure i can spread them to get more plants ? Enjoy your posts always! I have saved them all in a folder in my email as inspiration and reference!Thank You!Susan Thurst
Wait until the seedpod dries and begins to crack open. Seeds should be dried and some varieties require refrigeration before spring planting.