Welcome Summer

Summer has arrived with lower humidity today. It was rainy all week and cloudy with thick humidity. Felt like I was back in Jamaica. Kept me from starting some painting on the basement door and gate. Maybe next week. A gentle wind is blowing and the hope of a completely dry day tomorrow. My plan, the Philadelphia Zoo. Haven't been in years. It's supposed to be nice weather tomorrow so I'll get there before it's too hot. It's time to plant pansies for fall. Have a beautiful summer and happy gardening.

Resting on the asters. Don't know what type of insect it is though. It's nice to see different insects on the blooms this year including lots of butterflies and bees. Even saw the first grub in the soil which I've never seen in the flower bed. Now I know what has been eating my zinnia seedlings. I have one sunflower plant stretching for the sun with so many plants in a small space fighting for room. Hopefully it'll continue to grow. Thought I had a picture of it but next time.

Can't beat zinnias in summer.

Allium seed head. Can I get seeds from them?

All the plants have filled in, too many.

The ladies in red are beautiful this year and tall. Would be nice if they stayed in bloom longer.

Coreopsis

Cosmos

Echinacea soon to bloom.

Gloriosa lilies next to the zinnias  have buds and should soon bloom.

Asters

Lantana hasn't grown much yet but it's still alive.

The lily is taller than me, possible 6 feet now.

Black Eye Susan's starting to form buds. I can see this being a problem and taking over the flower bed.

Lambs ear looking better now that the cats have stopped laying on it. And one zinnia seedling. Guess I should move it so it has a chance.

Salvia and lantana.

I ate the first cherry tomato from the sad looking sun gold plant. It was a pretty shade of orange, sweet as described and so rich in taste. That's the difference from store bought versus home grown tomatoes. Hopefully the plant will fill out better but maybe not. One tomato is green and I hope for many more. They'll  be plucked off and eaten directly from the plant like the last one. The other vegetables, kale, lettuce, and chard were removed and replaced with vinca and impatiens. They didn't thrive. I've grown lettuce on the porch before and it did well but not this time.

Pothos from my desk at work home for the summer.

Most of the shades are kept down during the hot weather or the plants wouldn't survive on the porch. But the mandevilla is not having it. She hasn't bloomed since the first blooms although she's growing vines. Maybe soon.

New addition a boxwood topiary. Hopefully it's not dying already it was droopy today. I have the receipt just in case. Maybe a little water will help. That'll give me something green on the porch in the winter.

My begonia got burned from sitting in the window so I removed it today. Nice to see it has a bloom.

The other begonia tubers are growing slowly.

Repotted Christmas cactus in the spring and now it's developing new leaves. It must like it's spot on the porch. Hopefully it'll bloom again. The white blooms are beautiful.

Oxalis is such a pretty plant.

June and the Catmint

Catmint (nepta) has been removed from the flower bed out front. On the day I planted it one of many neighborhood kitties helped. He rolled all over the ground, rubbed my legs, and attempted to go sit on the sunporch which he often does. We're unaware until walking out and the cat is leaving the porch. Not a good thing because outside cats can transmit fleas and disease to house cats. I should have known this was a problem. Any way the first morning after planting it the plant was flattened, mulch and soil covered the ground. Lambs ear near the nepta was smashed and bitten off. I thought it was the work of squirrels. Never did I think it actually was a cat until the third time. I removed it from the flower bed what remained and replace it with 3 salvia and put up a small fence to hopefully deter the cat. The same day while sitting on my porch the cat came to my door. Not able to get in, he proceeded to the flower bed and found the nepta removed. I haven't had a problem since. I have to do some reading on cat mint. Wasn't aware the nepta is cat nip.

Today I planted 4 zinnia and purple sweet alyssum. The zinnia seeds I sprinkled in the bed have started coming up but I couldn't wait. Sunflower seeds also sown are coming up. The farm stand had beautiful flowers today including a variety of zinnias. Couldn't resist. Purple sage, sweet potato vine, and a cucumber seedling also left with me and a pint of fresh cheery tomatoes from the farm. Can't wait until it's time for peaches. This stand also sells wonderful selections of firewood from their farm. The year my regular man was sick and couldn't deliver I called them. It was the best wood ever and smelled wonderful. My neighbor several doors down commented on the smell and asked me where I bought it. It'll be that time soon. Until then, lets enjoy the weather. We've been having storms, heavy rain, flooding, and power outages in my area. Although the city didn't loose power, the county did and some schools were closed.

Pollinators are loving my choice of flowers this season with a variety of bees and butterflies. I've also seen the largest spider who sits in wait for flies and other insects. It's nice to see so many on the blooms. Last Saturday I had to pick up and release a orange and black butterfly from my sunporch. The blooms on the porch drew it in, but it couldn't find it's way out and needed help. The asters are getting taller and just beautiful. And to think I pulled up one and replanted realizing it could only be what I planted last fall. The other has light purple blooms but isn't thriving like this one.

Foxgloves are almost done. If I don't start taking care of the seedling ones inside they're won't be any next spring.

The other asters that aren't thriving. Maybe they'll do better next year.

Zinnias and sunflower seeds have started to come up.

Coreopsis

Hopefully the geraniums will start blooming soon.

Planted the sweet potato vine and it immediately wilted. Gave it some water and hopefully tomorrow it'll be okay.

They're starting to get their color.

Wonder how long the pansies will last.

May have to remove it. It looks too large for the container.

Planted the sweet alyssum.

Cats ripped the lambs ear when they were tearing up the nepta.

Unfortunately something is eating my seedlings already.

Seedlings looking good.

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Dahlias