Farewell to Summer and fairy tea parties

Late summer, early fall is such a mix of different flowers.  My hydrangeas, which for months have had slightly faded pink blooms, surprised me with a gorgeous new bunch of purple:

(in case you are wondering why purple, I bought two plants with blue flowers that have now changed to pink and green, so while the new flowers are trying to come in blue, the pink is winning out).

I live near wonderful trails through woods (I can't wait for the leaves to start changing color), and a creek.

While I was walking along I saw purple thistle (unfortunately no butterflies were around--I haven't seen many butterflies at all this year),

and false sunflower (also known as oxeye).  So many yellow flowers lined the path along the woods:



I also thought this would be a good time to share my fairy garden now--it has gone a bit wild:

The fairy now has some guests for tea--a monarch butterfly flutters on the verbena above,

while a tiny frog hides under the mini petunias.

The petunias barely bloomed this summer, but all of the sudden they seem to have bounced back!