I’ve worked a lot on getting gardens to preform year round, and it’s difficult, especially when factors like water usage come into account too. But there are some plants to think about if August is an important time for you, and why wouldn’t it be? Summer is still amazing.

The large white flowers open in the evening only and attract bees, moths and all kinds of nocturnal insects.

When I went back today, I was pleased that the peach tree and apple tree, planted last fall, had fruit on them, and the blue spruce trees had grown, the ash trees looked good, and the honeylocust was lovely.

So here we are, April 20, and my little Reliance peach is in full bloom, and we had a storm all weekend that has caused a couple of nights of 28 degrees.

Gardening is a game of gambling sometimes. We try new things and hope for the best.

I approach every September with mixed emotions, and sometimes I feel that that my plants follow me into this cycle. It is almost like every day is a going away party, much like I hope to feel the summer that my son graduates from high school.

So much changes every day and it’s a battle to keep up with pruning, harvesting and attention to detail, but worth every minute of the battle.

What to do when your gafills up with potato foliage? Well, cut the tops off to make room for sunlight to reach other plants near by, but that means dig up most of the potatoes. After that, get out your casserole dish because it’s gratin time.

Why worry if your house is surrounded by deck and no garden to look out from your windows? …

This is the time of year where it is easy to take our gardens for granted, and to let them go. The young love phase is over. The dog days are here. Weeds and insects are starting to win some battles and we pick out battles.

My favorite is the cherry. For many years now I have had a Montmorency Cherry tree right outside the back door. If we use them just for snacking, they are very bitter. Last year I discovered baking with them. This year made it officially a July ritual, baking with the Montmorency cherries.