Purple loofstrife and other invasives are often wolves in sheeps' clothing

and why landscape fabric can be a bad idea

Some of my garden favorites: purple coneflowers, harvested garlic and Liatris. (Jessica Damiano)

Hi, guys!

The garden was off to a slow start but is hitting its second peak right now. The hydrangeas, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, Liatris and daylilies are in beautiful, full bloom.

I harvested the garlic, which is drying as we speak, and spotted 9 baby figs on my small tree, a succession of (male only) blossoms on the 8-ball zucchini plants and a single, still-green tomato.

I’m also noticing gaps and plants that are bothering me (it’s never perfect, is it?), so I’m making plans to divide the phlox and coneflowers in early fall and use those divisions to fill a couple of blank spaces.

The Dutch iris was a no-show for the second year, so I’ll have to rejuvenate the bed with a good thinning. And the maroon daylilies will have to go: I’ve been tolerating them for several years, but they don’t match.

Every year, I tell myself that this will be the year I get everything perfect, but so far, perfection has eluded me.

📬 Ask Jessica

Helga Breen’s beloved plant may not be that lovable. (Helga Breen))

DEAR JESSICA: Would you please tell me what this tall, pink perennial plant is called? I’ve enjoyed its flowers for several years, but I’ve never learned its name. -- Helga Breen