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.