The Birds and the Bees.

The Goldfinches have arrived. I've seen a couple pairs hovering around the birdfeeder the past few days. They aren't content with the seed I've given them. They're ripping apart the rudbeckia blooms too. Notice the petals on the ground.



They attacked the poppy seed pods near the mailbox. I pulled those plants yesterday to collect about a 1/4 cup of poppy seeds. Not all are ripe, but I should have enough to make a nice display next spring. They will be sown in the fall.



The bees are downright dizzy. The purple blooming veronica by the front walk is always a favorite.



The dusty miller I planted last fall attracts all sorts.



They call it bee balm for a reason.



It must be June. Suicide is painless. Keep eating those Four O'clocks.



The butterflies will be here soon. We're ready.



It's 64 degrees. The high today will be in the low to mid 90s. No chance of rain.

Seed production and collection.

In my yard, everything is open pollinated. The bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies spread pollen from flower to flower. There's no telling what mix you might get from year to year. This is most evident in the black eyed susans. Early spring bloomers have started releasing their seed pods. Some have already been scattered around the yard. Some will be collected for trading. Most will be returned to the soil just before it rains for next year's plants.

Sweet Williams. I'm sending most of these to the backyard, especially the pink and white crape myrtle bed which needs some early color.



Columbines have already produced a lot of seed. Sown fresh, they will germinate this year and probably bloom next spring. I'm filling mostly shady spots with these plants.



Peonies. I've never grown peonies from seed, but I know it's possible. I might wintersow them, in summer.



Red Hot Pokers. There are a LOT of seeds on these two plants. I'll probably collect them instead of scattering them. People love these plants that start out looking like fine blades of grass. It takes 2 years for blooms from seed. Year three is where mine are now.



Poppies. I'll scatter them as soon as they are ripe. They'll germinate when it's time.



Mountain bluet seeds are hard to collect. These seedlings are beneath the current plants. Once they get a little size to them, I'll move them around this fall to areas that still need spring color. The parent plants need to be cut back soon.



Dusty Miller has just started to bloom. Planted in the fall of 2009, these plants have gotten huge. The blooms float about 2 feet above the soil. If I remember, the seeds are like dust.



Grown from scattered seeds, the annual Monarda citriodora is one of my favorites. After it blooms, it can be cut back for a repeat bloom. I did this twice last summer. The seeds are collected by shaking the spent blooms over a container.



Speaking to Cameron at Defining Your Home Garden, I've decided to scatter seeds as soon as they ripen. This seems the most natural method as it's what happens when there's no gardener present. Nature takes care of enough seeds to create a new crop each year. I'll save a few seeds just in case. You never know what could happen over the winter.

It's currently 81 degrees and pouring rain. Heavy thunderstorms are about to move through the area. The rain is expected to last a few hours.

Rainstorms.

Yesterday, it came another downpour. We've gotten nearly 5" of rain this month. Our average is just over 4" in May. I'm not complaining. No, sir. The garden has really taken off. Loads of rudbeckia are ready to bloom, we just need some sun. The potager is growing visibly each day. Squash plants are about to bloom. Seeds that I had given up on in the meadow are germinating. New seeds were tossed out last night just after a heavy storm. The ground squishes when you walk. It's 64 degrees, cloudy, and humid. 30% chance of late afternoon drizzle again today.

Some random pictures taken yesterday before it rained.

















8:37am - The microwave is in. I told you I was serious about getting this kitchen done. It was easier than I thought it would be. The outlet in the upper cabinet isn't hooked up to the breaker box yet, but I picked up the breaker yesterday and if I'm courageous enough, I might just install it myself. Robert has offered to come back to do it, but that's a long drive just to install a simple breaker. He gave me instructions.



Next up, a test piece for the new countertops I intend to build in a few weeks. I've decided I don't like the laminate. I'm thinking concrete.

Poppies and Rudbeckia

A new poppy opened yesterday near the mailbox. I like it.





Rudbeckia hirta.



Rudbeckia fulgida. These are coming earlier this year than last.



Gazania from seed.



Red Hot Pokers and Asiatic lilies by the street. The Stargazers have started to bud.



It's 77 degrees. Rain last night, more this evening and Sunday. Storms possible.

Reds.

Time marches on, and soon you realize it marches across your face. The sun turns my face red on hot days whether in the garden or at the store where I rarely find myself inside out of the heat and humidity. The reds are also starting to appear in the garden.

Another poppy bloom, same plant as yesterday.



Red spider zinnias. I was so disappointed by the less than impressive size of these flowers last year. When I ordered seeds, I expected huge swaths of large red daisy-like zinnias. The flowers are about the size of a dime. Later, they'll be the size of a quarter. They look good in mass plantings, and I allowed them to reseed last year scattering seeds here and there. So far, they've only come up where the original planting was.



Lilies. I don't know the variety. I planted them last spring where they grew to about 6" tall and did nothing else. This year, they shot out of the ground with vigor and are just starting to open. If you look closely, you can see a Rudbeckia bloom about to unfurl.



Gerbera Daisy. Only one of the two reds have returned. Several of the white are blooming along the back of the house. This is surprising since Gerbers aren't exactly fond of the cold weather we had in January, nor do they like wet feet in winter. But a few managed to survive. The purple violas behind the gerbers are going to seed. I had planned to collect a few and scatter them around, but I missed my opportunity. This fall, I'll just have to move plants like I did yesterday.



Over the past 2 days, we've received more than 2" of rain. More possible today. The potager is taking a liking to this new kind of weather. Water from the garden hose keeps things alive during dry spells, but real growth happens when it rains. The row on the left were the last ones planted out. They share the same first name as me and John Wayne.



The beans, squash, okra, cucumbers, and nasturtiums in the upper bed are growing too. It will warm up later this week. I expect to have squash in 4-6 weeks.



Finally, the fourth attempt at growing Oakleaf Hydrangeas has begun. The root of the mangled plant has put out new growth. My cuttings don't seem to be doing much. It's only been two weeks. There is still hope.



It's 57 degrees, cool and cloudy. Today I've got to work on the AC unit. A cheap part needs to be located and replaced. I'll do that after I've had another cup of coffee. I had hoped to mow the yard, but the hateful lawnmower detests wet grass. I'd probably slip and lose a foot anyway. It's best to just leave it alone until it dries out a bit.

A Good Day for Housework.

1.2" of rain has fallen since last night. It started about 11pm. Another 1-2" is forecast for today. It's a welcomed sight.

Two new poppies have opened. The lavender one is near the mailbox. The Shirley poppy is the only one out of several packs of seed sown last fall. I was hoping for Flanders field in the backyard. Maybe next year.

Rain.

A heavy downpour that lasted about 15 minutes came through about 4pm. The sun came out shortly after. It got steamy. Now the temperature has fallen and our chance for rain is about 60% for the next 12 hours. Storms will be moving through all night. I'm happy again.



The fragrant bed is happy too. The seedlings have managed with the water I've been giving them, but now they should really take off. Datura, Four O'clocks, and other seeds were scattered weeks ago. I even tossed in some zucchini seeds I didn't have room for in the potager.



It's 77 degrees and drizzling.

Morning Light

Red Valerian. The blooming stalks have grown a lot in the past week. I really like this plant. I hope it spreads into chaos.



It has a home with other pink and red blooms. I didn't plan it that way. I like the outcome. The transition into summer should be interesting in this bed. Self-sown datura seedlings are up. Great Blue Lobelia has been planted in hunks. Perilla is present. White Four O'clocks have reseeded heavily. Echinacea and Black and Blue salvia will turn this bed into a cool oasis from the hotter reds and yellows near the street.



At the other end of that space, the foxgloves are beginning to bloom. They are shaded until about 6pm when the hot afternoon sun hits them.



These are a creamy yellow. I was hoping the purple one survived the move late in the winter. I think it was too wet.



Yvonne's salvia seedlings, I hope. If not, they are S. subrotunda. I'm okay with that. It's a nice plant. The goldfinches love the seeds. The hummingbirds love the nectar.



A stray larkspur seed has grown into a 2' tall specimen. I avoid it every time I mow.



This poppy found a home in between the stones I use for edging.



Pulling back a bit, the garden glows in the early morning light. It's my favorite time of day to take photos.



I did find time yesterday to mow the paths and the front lawn. It's 45 degrees. The high today will be 84.