Hello dear friends! Can you believe how fast summer has been flying by? Even though school will be starting back next week in our area, summer weather will linger on for at least six more weeks, so there is still plenty of summer fun to enjoy. With that in mind, I asked several blogging friends to join me today for a Summer Celebration Blog Hop! You will find links to all of the talented bloggers’ fun summer posts via the links at the end of this post. To get this celebration started, I am sharing some late summer garden treasures.

 

August in Kentucky is hot, hot, hot! Nevertheless, it’s time for enjoying some late summer garden treasures from nature: fresh veggies and herbs, bouquets of colorful, drought- hardy perennial blooms, sunny sunflowers and the happy dance of pollinators flitting around the garden! Sunflowers will actually be at their prime in Kentucky during August and September, so I always decorate with sunflowers this time of year. To celebrate August’s arrival I refreshed the breakfast nook with yellow checked pillows, fresh sunflowers and yummy garden goodies.

 

 

Since my herbs are still thriving in the garden and I will be planting even more for fall, the “fresh herbs” and garden theme in the nook still works for this transitional time of year.

 

This summer I started a new herb and perennial garden for pollinators in our back yard. It has been such a joy to watch the bees and butterflies every day while tending to my herbs and blooms.

 

I didn’t plant any tall sunflowers for cutting, but this smaller compact variety is a favorite of the honeybees.

 

For today’s hop I picked up a couple of inexpensive grocery store sunflower bouquets for the breakfast nook.

 

The bouquet could have used a few more flowers and better arranging, but right as I was setting up the vignettes for photos my dad came in from out of town for an unexpected visit. I chose to enjoy time with him rather than worrying about a “perfect” arrangement for this blog post. For now I will call it “perfectly imperfect.”  If the sunflowers last, I may spruce  up the bouquet a bit more later this week. I still think it is pretty in it’s simplicity.

 

 

I was so inspired by the bees in the garden that I decided to bring the theme indoors. I just love my new Frenchy bee urn (a summer clearance find from At Home).

 

I also love the little bees on this pretty Sunflower pillow cover.

 

The pillow cover is one of a set of four that I shared in last year’s Transitioning from Summer To Fall Home Tour. 

 

 

Decorative Set of 4  Sunflower Pillow Covers Linen Cotton Cover (affiliate link)

 

 

 

Despite the non-stop rain of June and the July heat wave, it has been a great summer for my herbs. I have been cooking with them daily since late June and this week I harvested enough to dry to refill my herb jars. I also use them in simmers to keep the house smelling fresh. Yes, you can call me the “crazy herb lady!” I think the freshly picked mixed bouquet of herbs looks so cute in the antique English advertising ironstone jar. The trio of colorful coreopsis in a little vintage blue glass bottle also came from my new perennial garden.

 

All the plants shown here were purchased on clearance for less than $5.oo at the beginning of June. They all looked quite pitiful but they were so cheap I decided to take a chance on them. I simply pruned off all the dead leaves and spent blooms before planting them, and as you can see they are doing just fine now.

 

 

 

 

 

These adorable vintage rooster salt and pepper shakers are from my mom’s collection. Just the other day when I was visiting her she let me choose a set, since she is trying to downsize and edit her collection. I always think of roosters and sunflowers for late summer, so these little guys fit right in with the late summer garden vignette on the table. They are pecking around at the delicious cherry tomatoes from our garden.

 

 

The tomato plants did struggle with the high heat wave during the week that we were gone to the beach but thanks to my sweet Momma who watered them everyday, they survived. They are bouncing back and have been producing fruit like crazy this past week.

 

 

I had to hurry and take some pictures, because these little tomatoes are truly super tasty.  Cherry tomatoes don’t last long around our house…

 

..especially when tossed in a salad or pasta with fresh basil from the garden! YUM! I planted several varieties in a huge pot along with some bee balm and the scents are just wonderful together!

 

 

 

All of the beautiful, organic veggies in the dough bowl are from our local farmer’s market. Our garden is expanding, and next year I hope to be able to harvest more vegetables here at home.

 

 

At the end of this month I will be starting some cold weather vegetables from seed, so I will update you on the progress  of the garden throughout fall.

 

 

Now that all the pictures are taken, it’s time to savor some sliced tomatoes with fresh herbs, fried peppers, onions, and zucchini!

 

 

While August is way too hot for me to be out in the midday, I will meander around the garden during the early mornings and evenings, snipping herbs, pruning perennials, and watching as the bees and butterflies work their garden magic.

 

 

However you choose to spend the last days of summer, I hope they are bright, sunny, and beautiful!

 

 

 

 

Now it’s time to continue the Summer Celebration with Marty at A Stroll Thru Life! Don’t forget to check out all of the other inspiring summer ideas via the links below.

Thanks for visiting today!

Amber

 

 

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 *Affiliate Disclosure: If you purchase an item I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you.

 

 

Sharing at these great link parties:

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