Knowing When It’s August

In temperate zones, we are all aware of nature’s seasonal indicators: snow and ice in winter, buds in spring, heat and deep blue greens on tree leaves in summer and carotenes and anthocyanins on fall foliage. But if we watch the living world a little more closely, even specific months leave clues behind.

In Montreal, how does nature let us know that we are in August?

Powdery mildew on lilacs becomes obvious in August but there is still affair amount of green on the leaves. By September, the fungus makes a stronger statement.	Damson plums begin to ripen in August.
Aside from a few late bloomers, most garden poppies have already been fertilized and produced seeds.	Soon after sunset, the summer triangle appears in  the east, high above the horizon.