Why I Oughta...

Yesterday, I posted a photo showing the mid-Summer update on the 36 Titan Halo Lavender Blue Annual Vinca that are planted down by the sidewalk in the Island bed.  I talked about how they had grown slowly the first two months - all of June and July - but have recently put on some size.  A little too late for my taste, though.  At least down there where they're supposed to provide some curb appeal. Further back, in the front porch bed, I also planted Titan Halo Lavender Blue vinca plugs.  I planted 76 of them in the newly expanded bed .   In 2025, I planted 64 vinca plugs .  They were bedding vinca from the big box store.  Nothing special.  But, by the end of July they had created a carpet of color.  Branching out and filling in.  And continuous flowering.  They were great .  So great that I went ham on annual Vinca this year.   With...what I thought was a 'better' vinca.  At least, bigger and bolder. ...

2025 is the year of the massive hydrangea flop in our garden.  All of our hydrangeas (panicle ones) are flopping more significantly than they've ever flopped before.  Historically, the Vanilla Strawberry Panicle hydrangea out front of our porch 'flop' most years.  But, I can string them up and keep them (mostly) off the boxwoods.   The Limelight Hydrangeas on the side of our house have NEVER flopped.  But, this year?  Big time floppers. And, even weirder...the Little Lime (dwarf) hydrangeas in our backyard ?  They're FLOPPING this year, too.  See below for a look at the Little Lime hydrangeas flopping over with big flower heads: I'm not sure what the reason is for this:  a wet spring?  A colder Spring?  Something happened to create more leggy (and less supportive) stems so much so that EVERY HYDRANGEA (not Oakleaf) is flopping this season.