I'm looking at a flower that my mother-in-law (who is 75) calls a "ginger lily." It blooms mid to late summer and is a terrific backdrop to a mass of black-eyed susans and coneflowers. Here's a picture for you.

Birds in the garden

During the summer your garden is like a farmer's market for your bird friends. Summer is the time when many bird species are laying a second clutch of eggs or in high gear rearing their young.

When it is available, let the birds feast on natural foods so limit what is in the feeders during the summer. Your main efforts should be to keep the feeders clean and the birdbaths clean.

Hummers should be here in force so add a hummingbird feeder as a supplemental nectar source. Tubular bells of flowers like red penstemon are great for hummers.