This intense heat and sun is just the thing for flowers, if not humans.  I’m also noticing more bees and pollinators out.  And a little baby bunny keeps hopping between hiding places ahead of me.  This is the part where I’m letting trees, natives, and whatever I can’t stop recover and fill back in.  When it cools off, I hope to further expand the woody edge outward, and maybe some other areas, into the lawn.

I’ve read about chaos gardening, and in this one case, chaos makes sense to me.  It’s more like what nature actually does when we’re not trying to control and manicure it, or dictate where you think plants want to be.  You mix all your leftover veg and flower seeds together,  loosen soil in, say, the veg bed, scatter the seeds evenly, and lightly cover.  Then you sit back (other than minimal maintenance) and let nature duke it out.  Sounds like something I would do.

Other than that, I’m still considering a garden sabbatical year to allow the soil to recover and improve.  I would heavily leaf-mulch and compost everything over winter, then let whatever’s in there just naturally germinate or reseed.  From what I’ve done and witnessed this year, I believe the whole landscape will do most of the work and grow more profusely and colorfully, with a minimum of management.  One big random surprise bouquet of veggies and flowers!

Or, if you’re thinking that by sabbatical/chaos I may mean my own depletion, you may not be far off!