Gardening? What's that?

I have been so busy with work (computer consulting) and the heat has been so incessant, the biggest garden job I have completed is stripping the spent blossoms off the hanging geranium on the front porch. I am feeling quite unaccomplished and the garden is looking quite worn in all the heat. I removed the one dead tree fern a few days ago and now the second one is starting to look bad, as well. Not sure what is happening out front, but I am guessing it is heat and , possibly, age that is doing them in.

The 2 Nandina I transplanted into the back garden due to termite tenting started off well enough, but now they too don't look so well. I have stepped up the watering in that area, as I was probably underwatering for the temperature. Only time will tell if they will establish themselves. Honestly, that area of the garden seems to kill nearly everything I put there. The poor soil, along with the prolific tree roots make for a difficult environment.

My wife always jokes about "night garden" when it is so hot during the day. There has been one or two occassions when I set up my worklight and finished some long-neglected project, but usually evening means a little rest and then back to work on other things. This is one of the curses of working from home, you never really leave the office. Of course, I probably have a prettier view out my window than most people, though.