Another Pretty Combo

        I usually go outside just about every morning with a glass of ice tea to see what new plant I may have flowering. With all the winter sown plants, it seems I am getting little surprise blooms pretty frequently. While out this morning, I noticed my peach colored lillies were blooming for the first time this year. Last year the deer ate them off just as they were getting ready to open.

I really loved the unexpected combo of the peach lilly and the Nicotiana lime Green.

Bachelor Buttons

    I sowed these Bachelor Buttons ( Centaurea montana) in early spring. I just have a small clump, but they are very pretty, delicate flowers. I especially love the the bluish purple colored one. 

I didnt notice the little bug on the flower until after I loaded the photo on to my computer. Its iridescent wings are beautiful. 

My plant either got beat down by some of the hard rains we have or is just a little floppy. But I think in a couple of weeks I will prune it back hard to make it a little more compact. This little beauty is supposed to re-seed. I have my fingers crossed, because i certainly wouldnt mind more of the bluish ones.

Bachelor Buttons prefer full sun to partial shade, and normal, to sandy, or clay soil. Mine is in partial shade and mostly clay soil, and seems pretty healthy looking.It is a fast grower. It only gets to a height of about 12-23", and the flowers are only about an inch and a quarter across and appear in early spring thru mid summer.It is deer and rabbit resistant. Dead heading will encourage repeat blooming.

Visitors That Don't Know When To Go Home

     You know the kind. They stop by for a visit. Eat everything they can find, and just literally make a pest of themselves. You keep dropping hints and still they won't leave. No....this time I am not talking about family,lol. But this guy:

Click on pic for a larger version. This is called a Turkey Vulture, because of its featherless red head. Off the top of my head, I called it a Vulture. My all knowing husband corrected me and said " No...Its a buzzard."
Well when I started to post about this "Buzzard", and actually took the time to look it up, I found out I was right to begin with. Lucky for him, he "politely" corrected me, because he already pi**ed me off this morning, when he let the weedeater get loose. I guess he thought he was helping pull weeds this morning in the potager, luckily/or unluckily, the only thing missing are my zuchini. I wonder if he was trying to tell me something? Anyway, I have been watching this HUGE bird buzz my windows, and sit outside my living room in a tree only about 30-40 feet away. I was afraid it was a predatory bird. With my little 5 lb Yorkie, and Maltese dogs and cats, I was afraid of what he had his eye on for dinner. I have gone outside, and he watches me for a few moments then flies in a wide sweeping circle and returns to a tree slightly further away, until I am not looking again. After reading this page on him: Vulture.
it says they are actually an "unagressive", "non-confrontational" bird. And does NOT feed on live prey. These are the birds we usually see eating on dead animals along the road side. As far as I know, cause I checked my pulse nothing is dead around here. I read this bird gets 25-32 inches long, and mine is every bit of 30 some inches. With a wingspan of 6 feet. It also states:"The Turkey Vulture, contrary to popular belief, does not feed strictly on carrion.  This bird enjoys plant matter as well, including shoreline vegetation, pumpkin, and bits of other crops. "  I hope its not waiting on my garden.

Unknown White Climbing Rose

   I have two of these roses, both on separate arbors. They are pretty vigorous growers, and survive my z6 garden very well, even in clay soil, and very little to no amendments.It has some dangerous thorns, and not much noticeable fragrance , at least to my nose. They are a true white, and as you can see some buds have a blush of pink. I am trying to get them identified. If anyone knows this once blooming beauty, please let me know.

This is not a small plant. These were taken AFTER we cut off 3'-4' branches on top growing towards the sky.It is growing from the right side, and dragging the ground on the left.

June 8 Update For The Potager

  I finally have some blooms going on inside the fence. The first is Nasturtium Creamsicle. I really need to get different photos as some of these are a little out of focus.

I love the green and white marbling in the leaves.

This is one of the new Mr. Big Pea buds. They are a pretty white.

My wintersown Marigold's are starting to bloom

I also have a few tomatoes starting to set buds.Cant wait for these!

Update: I dont know how I missed this early, but I was looking thru the garden again, and found this:

                               We have fruit! Thank You Early Girl!!!

Early June Views From My Garden

            June has just gotten started, but already I have some new things going on in my garden. I winter sown several varieties of poppies. I have never grown them before, but I am so excited. I have my first of two different poppy blooms. The first to show her face was Poppy Laurens Grape. Unfortunately I didnt get a good pic of it yet. The second was this morning, when I noticed one bloom about to pop.

Stella D' Oro was just showing her pretty face for the first time this season.

I bought these Lillies from Lowes last year during their clearance. Most had already finished blooming, but looked healthy. I think they were only $1. I couldnt pass up that price. I am getting to see them bloom for the first time.This one is 

Asiatic Lilly "Tiny Ghost"

This one is Lillium "Petite Pink"

This Clematis was a total surprise. it is the second season for Clematis Ramona that resides in this spot. Suddenly I noticed another pretty face in the same spot this morning. I dont remember planting another their, but you know how it goes. Now I have to ID it. 

Update: This has been ID"d as possibly Clematis "Black Prince".

I also have a pretty new pink Hollyhock. I must have planted it last year and forgot it, since this is the first year it has bloomed. I love the soft yellow center.

This Rudbeckia just fully opened its face this morning. I know it from its fuzzy leaves.

These Annabelle Hydrangeas were grown from cuttings traded for on Gardenweb several years ago. I just love Hydrangeas, and these are so hardy. they never fail to bloom, and are so easy to root. All my Annabelles came from this original clump.

This bed is along the walk on the way out of my courtyard in the back. To the left is where my stone raised bed is.There is Annabelle here, some Pee Gee Hydrangea (which I am sure will have to be moved one of these days), and a beautiful Climbing rose Cecille Brunner. Unfortunately is only a once bloomer. Also just showing its blooms are a purple clematis slimbing with the rose, and just now starting to open.

Then after you exit this area, and turn around to look back in (the opposite side of the above bed) is my all red and white bed. I didnt plan it, it kinda just happened. You can see the Annabelle blooms hanging over the fence, and then there are a variety of Hostas, and crammed in are the red Asiatic Lillies "Tiny Ghost", a Salvia Snow Hill, and not yet blooming but growing towards the front are Dianthus "Raspberry". When I planted everything the hosta's had just started opening up, and I forgot how big they were. So things really need dug up again, and spaced out forward some more. But I will wait till fall so I dont lose any bloom.

The Grow Project update

       This is an update for the Seed Grow Project for the month of June. it is a little late however, since it was supposed to be posted this past Sunday. I have the first Climbing Nasturtium Spitfire planted in the potager. However, I forgot about a plants tendency to grow facing the sun, so this gal is growing facing the fence of the potager. It still may look pretty nice once it gets more mature and blooms, I am hoping it climbs around the rails as it is growing up. It is about 18" tall and looking very lush and green. No blooms as yet. This one was winter sown in a milk jug, so it is my largest plant. I have done no fertilizing , but it is growing in soil topped with about 6" of aged horse manure. It is in full sun as well. So far I havent had to water. It seems when things are starting to get a little parched, it rains.

This Spitfire Nasturtium is growing in my raised bed in the backyard. It was spring sown then transplanted. Right now it is about a foot tall, and looks very green and pretty as well. I cant wait to see this one bloom. Where it is planted, instead of climbing, I want it to drape down my 30" stone wall that supports my raised bed. I think this will look very attractive. This one is also growing in full sun in my natural clay soil but with only a top dressing of composted horse manure.I have watered this bed a few times when it got dry, but thats only because its close to the hose, and I have a load of winter sown seedlings growing in this 60 foot long bed.

 
"I'm growing Nasturtium "Spitfire" for the GROW project, thanks to Renee's Garden for the seeds."

Happy Birthday My Son

    Well I wouldnt tell them I said that. They are all determined they are NOT babies anymore. They are big girls! Truth be known they really are growing up way to fast.

The two girls dad, my oldest son, just turned 30 yesterday ( yep....the BIG 3-0), and I had the audacity to forget it. Well actually we had been talking about it clear up to the night before, then forgot it on his big day. We all got-together for a graduation party for my niece. I really felt bad because my husband and I could tell he wasn't enjoying  the get together or his birthday because he and his wife are overwhelmed with sudden job worries right now. And to top it off, his mother FORGOT to wish him Happy Birthday, until he reminded me.Talk about feeling even worse. But I did forget my own anniversary and birthday last year, so nothing really new. But Happy Birthday my first born. The big day might have been temporarily forgotten, but your certainly not loved any less.

                                                                My son and his dad

Dancing on the table tops at an early age. Cute drawers!

6 Days old. The moment you were born, your dad's first words were :

 " I got my boy!"

Me and my baby about  24 yrs ago.

                                    The birthday boy and his younger brother.

My oldest with his oldest. Taken after he finished coaching their basketball game. It all came full circle. Seems like yesterday my husband was helping to coach him in sports.

My New Obelisk

      My pole beans are about 14" tall now, and I finally got my husband to build me an obelisk for them to grow on. He is going to build me one more yet. I plan on painting them a medium blue. I want an "X" pattern between the two cross braces, if I don't get them made from wood this year, then I will probably wrap twine here in an "X" pattern. I think they are going to need this to give the beans a little more to grab hold of.  We got part of  the tomatoes staked last night, but still have about a dozen more to do. I wanted to paint these blue as well, but the tomatoes needed them a week ago. One of the plants had broken off, but it had some small roots on the stem, so I went ahead and planted it back, hoping it will take new root quickly enough to support it. I may still try and paint them yet. I just dont like the looks of the bright bare wood.The Mr. Big Peas, are now about 18" high. Cucumbers are about 6" and the same for the squash. Nasturtiums and marigolds still havent started blooming inside the garden yet. I also planted some Zinnia's inside as well. The 2 plants of the Echinacea Berry Pow Wow are about 2" tall. they are growing extremely slow. I also have some Climbing Black Eyed Susie vines that are about 2" and growing along the fence above the strawberries. On the opposite fence, growing above the bush beans are some Luffa vines.The lettuce has alo been doing well. I have been just cutting off the leaves instead of pulling, and it grows back very well.

My husband built me another one, and added a little more decoration to the top of the original tower. I got them painted, but not without a little mess. While I was in the doorway of the garage painting, we got a sudden severe storm. The rain came down so heavy, gutters were overflowing, and my sidewalk down from the backyard looked like a waterfall. Luckily I was inside when it hit. After things settled down, I took them outside to dry and got them placed in the garden for the pole beans to climb. I really like the bright blue color. I had planned on painting the tomato stakes, but after the time it took on these, I changed my mind.