I was going to skip Six on Saturday today. The garden is bedraggled as the beauties of summer are fading. Looking around the yard, I see a liminal phase that could be identified as entering a time of rest or the chaos of deteriorating glory.

But this morning, I went out back with Shep around 6 a.m. Darkness was just starting to fade in the East, but I could still see shimmering stars above me and to the West. The moon was nowhere to be seen as it’s in its last phase of a waning crescent. Then I noticed white flowers glowing in the dark yard. Some had a little help from the overspill of the streetlamps out front. The eternal fluorescent light above my kitchen sink shines through the window to cast its own shadows across the lawn. But it was mostly dark.

I know I’ve told you this before, but I’m intentional about planting white flowers in the garden. My grandmother loved white flowers because of the way they showed up in the moonlight. However, today they caught whatever light the early morning afforded and seemed to have a little of their own ephemeral radiance as well. It was just too good to enjoy it by myself.

This limelight hydrangea is still looking pretty good. It’s a new addition this year, and I’m delighted that it continues to bloom this late in the season when other hydrangeas have faded.

White annual impatience is taking its last gasps of life, but I’m not ready to pull the plug to make room for winter pansies in this planter.

Little Bright Eye periwinkle (vinca) volunteered in this spot. It’s a little happy accident that is doing well when other plants around it are dying back.

Encore Autumn Angel azalea is having one of its blooming spells. These never have a big showy “ta-da” like regular spring azaleas, but I’ve learned to appreciate their intermittent blossoms throughout the year.

Finally, this white phlox seems to be entering another phase of blooms. The plant has grown and spread nicely under my middle rose bush. I think it may be an annual, but we’ll see.

I believe Granny would be pleased

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. -John 1:5

Shalom, Dottie

I haven’t done this in a while, but I want to give credit to the guy who founded this fun Six on Saturday idea. He lives in Great Britain, and his Twitter handle is @cavershamjj 

You can find his blog at: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/