Buckets, Bees & That Just-Before-Peak Feeling

Late July in the garden feels like standing at the edge of something big.

The flowers are picking up speed—every day there’s more, and every day I’m filling buckets like it’s my full-time job (which, to be fair… it kind of is). But we’re not even at the peak yet. The strawflowers just started, and once the statice joins in, it’s going to be a full-blown flower frenzy. I can feel it coming. We’re close.

The bees are buzzing like they’ve got a to-do list and a deadline. They don’t even flinch when I reach past them anymore. The sweet peas are showing off, some of the ranunculus managed to hang on until last week thanks to the cooler weather, and I’ve actually had to dig out a sweater a few mornings. Real rain, cloudy skies, and gentle temps? A dream. With the heat we’re having now though, the warm season crops will be coming fast- zinnias are just starting to bud up, glads have started to show some color and the dahlias will be following soon!

Evenings are soft and still—the kind that make you want to sit down and listen. Birds, frogs, the occasional mosquito buzzing in your ear. The light feels slower, more golden, but we’re still firmly in our pink and pastel era. Snaps, cosmos, sweet peas… all doing their thing. The golds and bronzes are on deck, though—the sunflowers are just about to pop, and when they do, it’s August’s turn.

We’re not slowing down. Not even close. But it feels different now. The heavy lifting is done—no more big weeding blitzes. Now it’s about maintaining, cutting, arranging, and taking time to soak it all in. The hard work is starting to pay off, and I’m actually noticing it.

What I’m thankful for this month:
– Sweet peas that smell like candy
– Cooler mornings and surprise rain
– Bees everywhere
– A garden that’s starting to explode
– Cutting flowers with dirt on my hands and a coffee in my cup
– Customers who light up when they pick a bouquet
– Knowing the best is still ahead