This is one of the Blanketflower that was wintersown. It really hasn't done very well this year but hopefully next year it will be larger and have more blooms.
I have enjoyed the combination of Russian sage, lambs ear and dusty miller again this year. The carpet rose and the knockout roses are still blooming. As is the Russian sage. For some reason, the 'May Night' salvia has had a dismal year. Last year it was beautiful all summer long, this year they all looked as though they were diseased. I wonder if it is due to the wet spring we had.
I love this color of zinnia!
I have several groupings of zinnias around the back yard. Some did well and others were a flop. I need to do a zinnia post to remind myself of what not to sow next summer.
Several weeks ago the 'Purple Wave' petunias were looking pretty bad. I cut them all the way down to about an inch or two and they quickly grew back. I'll definitely grow these from seed again. There is nothing easier to grow from seed that gives a great display of color all spring and summer long than the wave petunia.
The front flower bed has filled out nicely with the impatiens. The coleus seeds from the front porch planters must have blown into the bed because now I have a lot of little coleus growing with the impatiens.
I have quite a few grasses and they are all in bloom right now. I have two of these near the kitchen window and I love when the sun is shining on them, the feathery plumes just glisten in the sunlight.
It is so nice to have the windows open and the fresh air coming in. I love this time of year! The cosmos and zinnias are beautiful...
painted lady butterflies are all over the verbena.
Of course, not everything is wonderful; there are late summer pest too. Just like last year, the praying mantis are trying to catch the hummingbirds. I knocked this one off the feeder three times. Each time he climbed back into position, and would swipe at the hummingbirds while they drank. Thankfully they were quicker than the mantis.
I'm seeing a lot of grasshoppers too.
While watching the butterflies and hummingbirds, I saw this little rabbit next to the house in the butterfly garden. It was so small and so cute. I wish they weren't so destructive. I sure hope it doesn't take up residence here this winter and eat the rest of my burning bush. They feasted off them all winter and are still working on the smallest one. I definitely need to somehow cover them this winter.
I love zinnias...
especially close up! They are so interesting and beautiful!
The zinnias are beginning to bloom. This is one summer flower that I absolutely must have in my garden. So easy to grow from seed and the butterflies love them.
The 'Lady in Red' salvia is beginning to bloom as well. I saved the seed last year and sprinkled them on the ground in the spring. They are doing very well and before too long I should have plenty of these red flowers for the hummingbirds.
The hydrangeas are still pretty small and only one of them has blooms and this one only has two small clusters. I may try to move them in the fall to see if I can find a location where they might be happier.
The rain-soaked Japanese maple.
I think this is a wild geranium.
This should come as no surprise to anyone who regularly reads my blog, but I garden mainly to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. I love flowers and would grow some of them regardless, but the thrill of gardening for me is the sight of some little creature enjoying the fruits of my labor. I usually plant parsley to attract the black swallowtail butterfly to the garden. It is a host plant for the caterpillar. This year I added fennel for the black swallowtail butterflies, it too is a host plant.
I was delighted when I noticed the caterpillars munching away on the fennel today. The parsley is right beside the fennel, and I didn't notice any caterpillars on it. Maybe they prefer the fennel. I'll definitely be adding this for them from now on. Besides, I love the smell of fennel!
The small butterfly weed plant is blooming beside the fennel, hopefully soon I'll see the newly emerged black swallowtail butterflies enjoying these blooms.
I was standing at the kitchen sink last evening and noticed a cedar waxwing in the tree. I quietly slipped outside and took pictures. This was only my second time to see one of them here.
This is an almost black and white picture of the seed pod of the balloon flower. I let the seed pods dry on the plant and then I broke them off and poured out the seeds.
Yesterday my zinnias were covered with American painted lady butterflies, the most I've ever seen at one time. I'm not sure if they were migrating south and just stopped here on their way or if they had just recently emerged. They were very calm and didn't fly away when I got close, in fact I was able to get the camera within inches of them.
What a wonderful treat to be this close to so many butterflies. I will most definitely plant masses of zinnias again next summer.
