I neglected my garden after this year's first flush. I let it do its thing, because I had to my thing too, and I decided that would be okay.
It was.
Life happens and gardens aren't actually dreamy stills or paintings. Kids kick footballs and ride hobby horses. Grass grows mightily. The flowers riot and claim new territory.
I'm planning my garden next year, and picking seeds and figuring out what else needs to be done. Fall is when we build the backbone of the full summer show. So more weeding to fight off blackspot and mildew for the summer, trimming grass better and reseeding the lawn so it come up better. Spraying copper and systemic fungicides to give this garden the immunity boost it desperately needs.
Then I'll let it bloom and bloom and bloom. I hope I'll have time for it next year, but I'll also do the work this season to give it as much it needs so it can do its thing even without me.