In Bloom

Heat and humidity (and pollen and mold) are on the rise, so the flowers are blooming for show and for future food. Here's what's blooming these days:

Day lilies are just so pretty. One of the only plants left along this side of the house when I moved in, they remain strong and beautiful 10 years later. Maybe better now that they have company.

Same here. These were back here all alone when I got here, now backed up with fountain grass, more flowers, and a baby redwood tree.

This is right behind the day lilies and the zebra grass clump. Yellow "happy returns" lilies are in bloom on the left. Gay feather getting ready to pop on the right.

I'm really trying to rein in the morning glories this year. The seed lands far and wide each fall, and it is quite hardy. There are still more sprouting all over the place on a daily basis. Yes, they are pretty, but they tend to take over. If you stand still too long, watch out...

Some critter--I'm betting a deer--decided to help with the morning glory control last night. Chomped off most of the leaves from about 1 foot to 4 feet off the ground. No other plant in the area was touched, so I can't complain. At least not too much. It does look pretty strange.

Sometimes the plant decides where it wants to be, and you just have to go with it. I have tried with limited success to grow cilantro in the garden, in a pot, anywhere. This year, it has volunteered to grow over by the hummingbird feeder. I'm okay with that.

cilantro

early blooms and more to come by the hummingbird feeder

cosmos in bloom, pollinators on duty

the first of the spaghetti squash. 

tomatoes and basil in a pot

little green apples

bean flowers

unripe black berries

black berry flowers

I love crepe myrtles I planted two of them here, and they've always done well, even though they are borderline hardy for this area. Well, it seemed that this last winter--polar vortex--might have been too much. Since it is always late to leaf out--and I've got my hands full with 15 knock out roses covered with dead branches--I've left it alone in the hopes it would come back. Here it comes! It may only be the larger of the two, but I'll continue to wait and see. There is a volunteer lilac standing guard, so I may just let them grow together.

 

The squirrels and deer ate every last one of my hazelnuts last year. I am going to try harder to get some this time around. The bushes are loaded with nuts-to-be, so I am quite hopeful!

hostas in flower

woodland garden filling in

rose of Sharon

zucchini and yellow squash flowers

With lots of mature trees in the yard and more hanging over from the neighbors' yards, and some winter damage, there is a lot of clean up needed on an ongoing basis. These piles of downed sticks and pruning remnants, along with two big bags of weeds, made for a busy evening. I know work was done, but you might not notice if you didn't witness the before and after!

yard clean up

Unfortunately, the poison ivy seems to be popping up everywhere again this year. Must have liked the harsh winter. I am extremely allergic, so I have to get into some hazmat gear one of these days to tackle this part of the weed removal project.