We're moving into a new season in the garden. The spring plants like foxgloves are falling by the wayside, and the summer flowers like hydrangeas are beginning to flourish. Here are some things we're seeing at this transitional time.
Above, some borage that grew of its own accord with my hollyhock seedlings. I transplanted it along with them when I put them in the ground.
We have two kinds of poppies blooming, the field poppies (above) and a red-hued opium poppy (below).
I think those opium poppies came from some seeds I collected and planted a couple of years ago. I guess they can hang around a while before germinating.
Remember the crab spider I photographed on the wallflower not too long ago? Well, here's one of his smaller relatives, hanging out on a slightly damaged beach aster.
And finally, here's our last lupine. I expected it to be yellow, but as you can see I was mistaken! I think it's a variety called Gallery Red, which is a bit darker and slightly more purple than the Beefeater.
You're getting lots of garden photos because Dave and I didn't even try to leave the house yesterday, given the tube and transit strikes. Supposedly things will be running again today so I may go into town and run some errands.
23 comments:
Gorgeous flowers and photos! The opium poppy is striking.
I love borage and had lots of it in my previous garden, the bees loved it too. I tried growing it here, but the seedlings just died.
I thought opium poppies were the ruffly pink kind? unless there's more varieties and I just don't know about them.
Your lupin is wonderfully erect.
I love poppies but every time I see them I tell myself "You can't pick them."
I grew up in California where it's the state flower and you can't pick wild poppies.
I think there's a Poppy Police?
Do you even have an estimate on how many varieties of flowers and plants you have growing in your yard, patio or house? I've only been reading your blog for probably less than a year and it already seems to be in the hundreds.
I always enjoy you garden photos.
You MUST read "This Is Your Mind On Plants" by Michael Pollan. You will be harvesting those beautiful poppies!
I love all of these, but that unexpected non-yellow lupine might be my favorite.
Love seeing the flowers blooming there. We have opium poppies here and they reseed like crazy.
Even if we didn't have other ways of knowing the seasons we would by what is blooming.
You always have something beautiful blooming in your garden! You and Dave have done a great job of planting for every season!
Never too many garden pictures for this reader.
Your garden photography is exquisite.
A spin through your beautiful garden is always a pleasure.
I'm in love with the blue borage color.
I love seeing all of your flower pictures!
Your flowers are gorgeous! Such a joy to be able to sit out in your garden, I'm sure. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.
I love seeing all your flowers and enjoy the fact that no matter what the time of year, there always seems to be something lovely in bloom. My allergies always let me know when there are new things in bloom around here!
I love the crumpled looking (crepey?) look of poppies. With the sun coming on later this week and weekend, I'm expecting growth from my annuals. I hope!
I like all the flowers. In one yard we had some amazing flowers plus equally amazing poppies.
You are growing opium poppies even though you work closely with children? Well, I guess people have to supplement their incomes somehow but heroin? Hell, that takes the biscuit.
Love poppies! All your garden flowers are so lovely! Seeing the opium poppy reminds me of my great grandfather's recipe book with its recipes for opium lozenges (c. 1895)
Mitchell: Thanks! The opium poppies that I took the seeds from were that same color but much larger. Ours aren't that big, I think because they're growing in a pot of rather exhausted soil.
River: Well, there are oriental poppies, which are big and ruffly.
Andrew: It demands to be noticed!
Bob: I have a song on my iTunes sung by a group called the "California Poppy Pickers." Your explanation puts a whole new spin on their name!
Ed: Oh, Lord, I couldn't begin to guess. Hundreds. Especially if you count all the weeds and random things that appear of their own accord in our garden (and which I sometimes photograph).
Wilma: Thank you! I sometimes wonder if my neighbors think I'm crazy, wandering around out there with my camera as much as I do.
Ms Moon: OK! I will add it to my list! Surprisingly that's a Pollan book that I don't think we have in our library.
Bug: It is a pretty lupine, but I'm kind of bummed that our yellow ones apparently died.
Robin: Poppies are known for being vigorous re-seeders!
Ellen: It's true. The regularity of seeing the same plants come around again year after year illustrates the annual cycles.
Ellen D: We didn't plan it that way, honestly. It's just a matter of having so many plants that there's ALWAYS something blooming.
Boud: Excellent! I'll keep 'em coming!
37P: Thank you!
Sharon: I'm glad you think so!
Colette: It IS a terrific blue.
Marcia: Thank you! I'm glad!
Edna: The garden bench is one of my favorite places to be!
Kelly: Ha! I don't normally have a lot of trouble with allergies but this was a challenging spring, for some reason.
Margaret: I do too! I just wish they lasted longer.
Mage: Glad you like them!
YP: I wouldn't have the patience to do all the refining. LOL
Jeanie: Wow! Homemade opium lozenges? I never knew that was a thing.
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