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.

These things aren't roses.

I've gone a little overboard with the hybrid teas lately. So here's what I've been neglecting.

Elymus arenarius 'Blue Dune' is blooming.





Fuchsia in a hanging basket. We had an abundance at the store. It was cheap. No, really.



Sweet william. Wintersown in 2008/9. From the same container. One clump on each side of the perennial arbor.





Just around the corner, Pinks Maiden dianthus. Wintersown in 2008/9. Bloomed a little last year.



Columbine. To be wintersown 2010/11. Lots of seed pods here. Dame's rocket is flopping all over. Seed pods are starting to form.



The first larkspur. These seeds came from Kathy in Texas. I tossed them out in the late fall. They germinated and held on through the rough (relatively speaking) winter. I noticed this one while Szylvia and I were walking the yard yesterday afternoon. I sent her away with tomato plants and a rooted cutting of the white butterfly bush.



Ditch lilies. Stella D'Oro clumps have formed buds too. The Coreopsis Moonbeam below them will not bloom for another month at least.



It's 72 degrees. The rainfall measurement reported by weather.com was 0.68". Parts of the yard are still dry. I'm going to spend the rest of the morning planting out Pineapple Sage and Sunflowers. I've already planted six ligustrum along the neighbor's chain link fence. They were on deep discount, $1 each. They'll need some recovery time before I show them. In a couple weeks, they should have new foliage. I've also planted two new hybrid teas. One is an unknown yellow with orange tones. The other is Gypsy.

One very positive note, NellJean was right again. The oakleaf hydrangea is regrowing from the roots already. It wants to live.

Fragrances

Mr Lincoln, this morning.



Mr Lincoln, at lunch.



Context.



Karl Rosenfeld peony. Knockouts, Lagerfeld and Blue Girl in the background.



Lagerfeld.



Blue Girl.



Sweet Williams.



This is the "Orange Rose" purchased last year. The pink blooms come from one side of the plant. Orange blooms will appear later. Neither have a fragrance. It might be moved if I find a suitable reblooming fragrant replacement.



It's 82 degrees. My scalp is fried.

Sunlight.

On a cloudless day, the colors are more vivid.



Every flaw, every weed, every nuance is highlighted. Texture is more visible with hard shadows. Fuzzy becomes apparent.



Red is true.



Orange.



In dappled sunlight, things are fuzzier. Weeds blend with the foliage of other plants making them less recognizable.



Backlighting is useful when photographing dark colors.



In deep shade, the colors are more muted.



Details are clear if you can focus.



But once in a while, the sun breaks through for just a few moments.



It's 57 degrees. The chance of rain has been downgraded to sunny and warm. The high will be in the upper 80s today.

More blooms and learning.

Over the weekend and through the afternoon Monday, we had a lot of wind. The Dame's Rocket didn't fare too well given its height. Next year, I'll cut it back before it blooms to make it bush out more and keep it from growing so tall.



I haven't had a chance yet to mow the yard either. I had hoped to do it last night, but it was sprinkling rain when I got home from work. The clouds looked as though it would storm at any moment. By the time it was dark, the clouds were gone and the nearly full moon was shining through the window. The white clover has received a reprieve. With rain coming today around 2pm and all afternoon, the mowing will have to wait until another day.



Clearance purchased Veronica is starting to bloom. The white has buds, but no color yet. Those plants are larger than the dark purple.



Wine & Roses weigela. The foliage isn't as dark as it should be. There isn't a place I can move it to with enough sun to turn it nearly black. The blooms are more pink than red too. Same as with the ones we have in the store.



Pyracantha is blooming. The bees are loving these plants. I have 6 or 7 of them scattered around the gully and one behind the upper meadow. They'll grow to about 12' tall. Mojave is the variety.



The sweet Williams I planted out last spring from wintersown seed are starting to bloom. They've got a nice fragrance. Other blooms are dark pink. I like the red.



Blue girl. Hybrid Tea Rose. Very fragrant. Silver to pale lavender in color.



It's 52 degrees. The high today will reach the upper 60s. Rain will be moving in this afternoon. There could be thunderstorms. I know the tomatoes will enjoy the rain.