Blooms this week ...

It's a beautiful, sunny day in the garden, so I thought a few photos of perennials that are blooming along the path would be nice.

Astilbe

Coreposis

I ordered three plants of this pinkish purple calla lily (below) through the mail and am happy to see that they have flowered and more flower shoots are growing from their bases.

Calla lily

English Lavender and yellow yarrow

Butterfly weed in full bloom to attract monarchs for egg laying

Astilbe among the ferns

St. John's Wart flowering on both sides of path

Clematis

Foxglove

I've planted a few varieties of low growing miniature hostas along the path and Curley Fries is my favorite!

Miniature hosta "Curley Fries"

Cutting a path through the raspberry patch has made picking them so much easier!

Red Raspberries

Yarrow

Wandering around the garden ...

Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle

Potato vines growing out of our composter from kitchen scraps!

Asian Lily

Head beginning to form on the broccoli

First cluster of Cherry Baby tomatoes

First cluster of Big Boy tomatoes

We're going to have a big crop of blackberries this year

Common Whitetail Skimmer Dragonfly

Corn in the barrel

Sundrops

Hot & Steamy

It's been hazy, hot and humid for the past few days with no rain, although the forecast shows some relief coming our way.  The hanging planters and pots have to be watered twice a day and the flower and vegetable gardens once a day.  The stock is blooming now and fills the air with its wonderful spicy sweet scent.  We've seen our first monarch in the garden laying eggs on the milkweed and have also been visited by black swallowtails, tiger swallowtails, red admirals and a gulf fritillary. 

I've covered the strawberries planted in the VegTrug with netting, since they're beginning to ripen and  I have to try to outwit the robins and chipmunks.  The tomato plants are about 2-1/2 feet tall with blossoms.  

Associate Gardener weeding and cultivating veggies

Strawberries in VegTrug protected by netting

Monarch Egg on Butterfly Weed (Asclepias Tuberosa)

Monarch Egg on Common Milkweed (Asclepias Syriaca) 

The zinnias that I started from seed under lights in the house are now blooming.  I put a patch in the vegetable garden to attract bees and butterflies.

Patch of Zinnias

Last year I started Lychnis seeds in the house. After planting outdoors, they developed into beautiful plants, but never flowered.  This year we have flowers and they should seed down and provide new plants next year.  I love their bright magenta blooms on the silvery green foliage.

Lychnis - Abbotswood Rose Hybrid

Some of My Favorites

A couple of my favorite perennials this time of year are iris and lupin.

The rhododendron are in full bloom and making a big splash this year.

Monarch Waystation Update

Our weather has been cooperating this Spring, so I've removed the cover over the VegTrug that has tropical milkweed growing at the back, zinnias in the center and strawberries at the front and sides. From now on, nighttime temperatures won't be going below 50 degrees.  It's been a great Spring and the earliest I've ever planted!

The front area of the Monarch Waystation on both sides of the little brick path are planted with zinnias, poppies, cornflowers and fragrant stock.  There are two giant milkweed plants (calotropis gigantea) in front of the telephone pole that I ordered online from EducationalScience.com.  Other milkweeds include Common (asclepias syriaca) , Swamp (asclepias incarnata) and Tropical (asclepias curassavica), so when the monarch butterflies decide to arrive in our area, they should be happy with the smorgasbord. Monarchs will only lay their eggs on milkweed (any variety) and their caterpillars will only eat milkweed.

The hanging baskets on the left are planted with nicotiana, million bells, cosmos, lantana and bacopa.  The hanging pots at the back right have strawberry plants in them.  The front left corner of the shed has bright orange Asian lilies coming up, but no flowers yet.

Hanging basket of Million Bells, Nicotiana, Lantana and Bacopa

Swamp Milkweed 

Asian Lilies (left),  Swamp Milkweed (top right)

Common Milkweed growing from seed

Common Milkweed growing from rhyzome

Rows of Cornflowers, Zinnias, Poppies, Fragrant Stock.  Nicotania and Million Bells in blue watering can, Parsley under spout, Zinnias to right of Parsley

Butterfly Bush in back, two pots of Swamp Milkweed, a clump of Lychnis Coronaria in center, Common Milkweed in two little round pots and square terra cotta pot, and Common Rue in little square pot


HAVE A GREAT DAY!!

Gorgeous Springtime Weather!

The spring weather's been beautiful this year!  We're working in the garden almost every day.  Our azaleas are in full bloom and one area has mounds of white and red azaleas bordered with blue forget-me-nots.  Patriotic red, white and blue!

I love this little shrub called a Tinkerbelle Lilac.  It's near the back porch and the fragrance is wonderful (except if you have spring allergies!).

Tinkerbelle Lilac bush