Consistent

On a cloudy day daffodils are a cheering sight. They bobbed from side to side in a wild dance. The wind is here but the rain is holding off.

One year ago: Blossom Time

Two years ago: Creeping

The Only Show in Town

Fog, fog, fog. More fog. And then there was some fog.

One year ago: Clustered

Two years ago: Harbinger

Petals Gone

It was winter in the morning, spring by the end of the day. A strong wind from the north scrubbed the fog away by late afternoon. When I found myself outside unexpectedly early, I was able to take advantage of the sun.

One year ago: Deceptive

Two years ago: Gialli Holiday

The Landscape Therapist...

hopes to return to normality and photography on January 1. Yes, that's next year. Until then, here's hoping the rest of 2010 doesn't leave any of us hanging upside down.

Lotsa Spots

I think this is an Asian import, the Harmonia axyridis. Yes, it's a ladybug. Yes it's cute but it's also nonnative and drives native ladybugs out.

Green Guard

Our resident mantis, if it's the same one, has gotten much bigger this summer. I'm a little concerned about the black spot on one of its legs. No eggplants have appeared but the plant should be pest free.

More Where that Came From

We picked our first ripe, non-cherry tomato on the 6th of July this year. Now that we're having consistently hot temperatures, we should have a lot more ripening. The joys of a warm, fresh-picked tomato cannot be overestimated.

Cabbageworms A-Comin' Soon

And then it caught a bee...

Not only does the flowering oregano attract bees, it also attracts bee predators. This two-inch long praying mantis was hanging out waiting for dinner. A honeybee was the meal.

Pointy

As one might suspect, my garden has many pollinator-friendly flowers. The bees don't mind crawling around on the echinacea even though the centers are rather sharp. And, here's a gratuitous shot of green tomatoes in the background.

Starbursts

Green Day

It's Cooler in the Shade

Really hot again today so that air conditioning is almost mandatory. We got going early so we could soak the garden without melting. The tiny bees were happy to hang out on the agapanthus.

Growing Fast

The garden is going to town. Lots of large green tomatoes. Echinacea blooms have made their appearance.

Wasp or Cuckoo?

This bug racket I have going is highly frustrating. If the picture isn't clear, I can't make an i.d. (and if it's clear, there's still no guarantee). Today was the warmest-feeling day of the year, so far.

Summer Hug

Here we see dahlia buds in a curious embrace. The foliage has blackish highlights. The plant is very striking with its yellow flowers.

Which Bee?

This is a small bee and I'm not completely convinced that it's a bumble bee. I can't figure out what species it belongs to. It was very pleased with the lavender and the borage.














BONUS: Bee Movie! Brought to you by artichoke cam (click below).

Sweet Green Sweat Bee

What a silly common name for a cool little bee--Agapostemon is better. This year they're drawn to the oregano blooms. Many other bee species are right there with them.

Exuberant

The garden is coming into its own. A welcome breeze came to town last night and stuck around today. The windows are open.

Cute Cuke

Some of the cucumber seeds sprouted. Now they need to get going. I want to make pickles this summer.