You can give your garden borders and containers a quick update by replacing those tired looking Impatiens and Geraniums with plants that will thrive in the cooler temperatures to come. Brown Eyed Susans, annual Grasses and Amaranths can do double duty.  

Growers are introducing lots of new, and old, varieties. Designers are reworking standard tools in ergonomic ways. And information is so readily available. Many of us have planted vegetable gardens or have made room in our landscapes for fruiting plants.

The brightest of the stars in the Big Dog constellation is Sirius, the Dog Star. In the mid-summer, it can be seen rising and setting with the sun. This conjunction caused the ancients to believe that Sirius’ heat added to the heat of the sun, creating a stretch of hot and sultry weather.

When you’re at the Garden Center choosing summer-flowering perennials and annuals for your yard, there are probably many factors that affect your decision. The size of the plants at maturity. The color and time of bloom. Perhaps whether or not the plants will re-flower. These are all qualities that we take into consideration. But let’s throw one more factor into the mix. Do the flowers that you plant attract birds?

Many of the native prairie plants will be starting to flower soon. Besides being drought tolerant, they attract birds and butterflies. To get a feel for the natural beauty and diversity of prairie flowers and grasses visit one of the local prairies in the Arboretum or Schumacher Prairie just east of Waunakee.