I spent all day yesterday at home, mostly working outside. I potted the rest of my seedlings, so they're all out of the seed trays now. I also re-potted a couple of plants that Dave bought -- another lupine and a delphinium -- and one of my dahlias.
Dave's azaleas are blooming away, as you can see. It wasn't until after I took the picture that I noticed that little greenfly on the left side of the flower. See him?
Oh well. We're a pesticide-free zone, so these critters are ubiquitous!
And here's the natural solution to greenflies and aphids. I assume they're mating...?
A few years ago I found a little twig of a tree in a pot with some bluebells and other plants, all being discarded in someone's trash. I brought the pot home and planted everything next to the birdbath. Now the tree is almost as tall as I am, and we have no idea what kind it is. I've tried to look it up online and my two best guesses are some kind of fruit tree (but it's never bloomed) or a copper beech. The latter would eventually be a problem because they get HUGE. Any ideas?
Our roses are about to bloom. Lots of buds but no flowers yet. This one didn't bloom at all last year so I'm glad it's apparently happier this season.
As I worked nearby, Olga lolled on the back steps. I don't know if you can tell, but she's lying half in the flower bed, right on top of our love-in-a-mist. I didn't even try to move her. Fortunately love-in-a-mist are tough plants, and ours do tend to grow in inconvenient places!
I found this lying on the ground in one of the back garden beds. I looked it up and I believe it's a pupating moth. I'm not sure why it's above ground, because I think they usually pupate below the soil surface, but I didn't try to move it. I covered it with some leaves so it wouldn't be easy pickings for birds.
And finally, our potato plants have come up. (You may remember I'm growing them in bags.) We have three little sprouts, all looking like this. Everyone tells me potatoes are incredibly vigorous, so we'll see how this experiment goes!
Otherwise, it was a quiet day. I finished "An American Marriage," which was a pretty good read, and I called my mom in Florida for Mother's Day. I also sent her some flowers, but I had them delivered last Thursday because the florist wanted $15 extra to deliver them yesterday. (And $5 extra on Saturday or Friday.) I told Mom that's why her flowers arrived early and she thought that was pretty funny. She's frugal herself so she gets it!
You have got a dirty mind. Why would you think the two ladybirds were mating? Perhaps the one at the back is partly disabled so the one at the front is giving him a lift to "The Aphid Cafe" for brunch.
ReplyDeleteThe little tree is not a Copper Beech tree. There is one in the next door garden and as you say they get huge but when the sun shines on it there is nothing more beautiful, thankfully they keep it well pruned. In our local cemetery there are two of these lovely trees that have been allowed to grow to full size, just wonderful. I always said to Tom that I would like my ashes scattered below then. lol
ReplyDeleteBriony
x
Gorgeous photos. You should enter them in a photo competition. Especially as what you are documenting is precisely what's been on the news over here. The loss of wildlife in the UK. :-)
ReplyDeleteI love these close ups and the variety in your garden. Olga is a very content dog and I'm sure your Mom appreciated the flowers coming early. Hopefully, she'll get a couple of extra days to enjoy them. Please tell her I said hello the next time you Skype.
ReplyDeleteI saw a pair of ladybugs doing that exact thing yesterday. weird that we can grow so many of the same things at two very different latitudes.
ReplyDeleteThe variety in your garden!
ReplyDeleteOlga's half-on, half-off position is so dog-like. Kind of, this is where I fell and I can't be bothered to move. Mamie's favorite thing is to find a patch of ivy or pachysandra and burrow down until all you can see is her nose.
I do love all of these pictures. Dave's azalea is a marvel!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ellen- it's odd that we can grow so many of the same things.
I wish some ladybugs would use my garden as a boudoir of pleasure. I need help with the bugs. All the help I can use.
No idea what your tree is. Keep us posted if you find out. You could take it to a nursery for possible ID.
I'm always amazed at how much you can crowd into a small space. But watch that tree! Sometimes they grow very fast.
ReplyDelete"I covered it with some leaves so it wouldn't be easy pickings for birds."
ReplyDeleteI bow to your superior altruistic kind heart! And I thought *I* was a softie!
-Kate
I can't help with that tree either although, the leaves do look familiar in a way. I might have some similar questions for you when I get my weekend photos downloaded. I saw some amazing flowering plants in Oregon this weekend. I especially loved the California lilacs. I love lilacs but, had never seen this variety. I love how content Olga looks sitting in the sun while her people are working around her. Your plants all look so healthy and happy.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos especially of Olga relaxing in the sun, spring started early down our way and I'm glad for some much needed rain today.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like love-in-a-mist is just another name for "nature's cushy mattress"! Olga looks so comfortable.
ReplyDeleteYour pictures today are a lovely mixture. After Olga's (of course), I especially love the rosebud and Dave's azaleas.
I love seeing these photos. Makes me want to go out and take pictures of what's growing here. I keep forgetting to do that, and you inspire me. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI have An American Marriage waiting in a stack of books. Glad to hear you liked it. You have such a green thumb. Have you been gardening for a long time?
ReplyDeleteThe color orange in that top photo. Swoon.
ReplyDelete