catching up with the garden!

 summer is here!  just look at how the rain garden has exploded!  the yucca has put on its show and several other plants are too.

we aren't the only ones loving the yucca, leaf footed bugs seem to like it too.  i spent some time catching them and dropping them into a bucket of soapy water to kill them.

soldier beetles are always welcome-they are predatory and can eat large numbers of pests such as aphids.

 native butterfly weed and salvia in full bloom near the rain garden.

 beauty berry in the rain garden is blooming.  it won't be too long before it is covered in tiny purple berries.

 the three sisters are growing up and out!

the corn is already producing ears

 blue plate sedum, one of my favorite plants in the rain garden

 mexican oregano in bloom

 the lavender is in full bloom too and the bees are loving the nectar

a close up shot of the lavender

 we have a raised bed that if home to asparagus and potatoes.  did you ever see the blossom from a potato vine?  they are pretty and short lived.  these were gone in a day.

when you see this blossom, it is pretty obvious that potatoes are a night shade plant.

 just look at the square foot garden!  can you believe how nicely it is doing?  a big round of applause goes to shirley for such an impressive sight!

 there is so much to see in that 4x8 bed

 have you ever wondered what a carrot flower looks like?  wonder no more.  shirley let some of the carrots in the square foot garden flower.

thousands of tiny white blooms on each stem.  can you see the resemblance to queen anne's lace and poison hemlock; they are all in the same plant family.

radish blooms

 the vertical garden is finally planted and beginning to grow

 black and blue salvia in bloom

 monarda, commonly called bee balm, in the herb garden

 tarragon in bloom

 walk around the garden and you will find buckwheat growing in random places.  we just toss the seeds around so that it will grow all over.  it attracts green lacewings which are beneficial to the garden since they love to eat other insects.  it also attracts little bees.

 the next generation of buckwheat plants

 this year i have decided that thyme is one of my favorite plants in the garden.  there are so many types to choose from.  it is considered a beneficial plant because of the insects it will attract, it can be used in many dishes and some varieties, like this elfin thyme, make a great ground cover that can withstand some foot traffic.

 and i am not sure who we have here.  isn't it pretty?  this little metallic insect investigated that entire coneflower blossom-i wonder what it was looking for.

and as always, a cake.  this weeks offering was a strawberry ribbon cake with nut crumb topping.