After the record-breaking heat of June and July, we finally have some well-deserved gorgeous weather.  Temps have been in the 70's during the day and sweater-weather in the evenings. Usually we are sweltering in August.  Go figure!  Yesterday afternoon I took a long late afternoon walk at the Garden.  So many of the gardens are big and lush, full of busy bumblebees, hummingbirds and, finally, a few butterflies.  I gravitate to certain areas of the Garden this time of year.  One of my favorite areas is the English Oak Meadow, with it's beautiful display of zinnias, rudbeckia, milkweed, salvia and marigolds.  This is the perfect place to catch a butterfly perched on a flower.  Yesterday I was there so late in the afternoon, the butterflies had retreated to their resting places for the night.  In exchange I got beautiful late afternoon light for shooting flowers. 

The back sides of zinnias are as beautiful and interesting as their fronts.

The Circle Garden, another favorite area, is bursting with color, patterns and lush plants.

A freshly watered Mexican sunflower

Love the white tips of the 'Zachary Roberts' dahlia

Just love the 'Heartthrob' dahlia...and so do the bees!

A lovely grapeleaf anemone in the Dwarf Conifer Garden.

Love the patterns and colors of these leaves in the Sensory Garden area.

And of course, I always have to see what's blooming among the waterlilies in the Heritage Garden.