A Lot of Activity in the Garden.........

I have been enjoying different types of activity in the garden lately. The clean-up has progressed nicely. But, no matter how many hours is spent on it, there is always more to do! Taking some time just to sit and enjoy what I see has been a treat. One day last week I had a neat surprise ...........

 

........when I walked up on this Iris.  It's been five or six years since I got a start of these Florida blue Irises from a neighbor. The plants have lived all that time without one bloom until this one - a reward worth the patience of waiting. I see no signs of other blooms, however.

 

 

The newly potted plants are looking colorful and nice. I am thinking of these as temporary, though, as I have a hard time keeping zinnias and gerber daisys for any length of time.

 

The hollyhock in the pot to the right may not have a chance to bloom. I fear the heat will set in and ruin its chances. When nice big plants are being sold at the farmers market for a dollar a piece, you can treat them as you would cut flowers - temporary.

 

 

 

 

 

These will burn up as soon as we start having high temperatures day after day.

 

 

 

 

This red geranium has performed quite well for several years. Recently and after this picture was made, something made lace out of the leaves. It's just full of holes.

 

 

This guy (funny how I never think of any squirrels as "she") has really been trying my patience! And, he knows it too. Look at him looking at me! He has kept the bird feeder bouncing!  He can't get any seeds but not for the lack of trying. He has managed to get up to the hummingbird feeder, too - spilling out the sugar water. Then, I had an invasion of bees on it. I brought it in hoping they will move on to a new and plentiful location elsewhere. I hated to do that to the bird(s) that were feeding regularly. 

 

 

Because this potted plant didn't get frozen back this winter, it is now huge. The small plant in the ground is an elderberry that I transplanted from nearby woods. I am hoping this will be the year it takes a growth spurt and will multiply.

 

 

A large aster bloom with a bee. I am really disappointed that I don't have a full bed of these by now.

 

 

A pot of ground orchids have been blooming steadily for a long time. Not one of my favorite flowers but I appreciate its effort.

 

 

The butterflies seem plentiful this season. All but the monarchs. I read that their count is way down. Something is causing them to disappear.

 

 

I haven't had any luck getting any recent pictures of the mature butterflies.

 

 

So far, the Carolina wrens have not put a nest in the begonia planter this year.  It could happen still since March just begins the nesting season. The plant came back nicely after nearly dying when I stopped watering it last spring so as not to disturb the birds.

 

This is the same area, looking from the opposite direction, from my dining room window. So, you see where I spend a lot of my time, working and playing and getting exercise, with the things of nature.