Late Spring in the Garden

Tomorrow is the beginning of summer. So I thought it time to post the obligatory late spring garden post. Lots of stuff going on in the yard along with driving every computer store in a 50 mile radius crazy on the hunt for a new system. So welcome to the Garden!

In the front I have Heliopsis along with Lavender and Siberian Iris. Supposedly, it's best to remove the spent blossoms but I love the pods. They are visible to the right of the lamp. I also have bearded iris but they did not bloom this Spring. We had a severe frost in April and I assume it killed the buds.

Among new plants is this yellow cone flower, planted in last fall. The plants are about 1.2 M tall and a bit spindly. Probably they would do better mixed with other plants closer to their height.

Of course I have my Butterfly "weed" and this milkweed again has at least one monarch larva feeding on it

Here is this year's monarch. The Butterfly weed isn't as healthy as last year. I think it is getting overwhelmed by the tall Lavender plants.

Around back, my bench is crowded with refugees from the deck. My step sons have been volunteered by my wife to screen in our patio so all the plants that normally reside on the porch railing have had to rough it for a few days.

My garden is pretty informal-organic is the polite term thank you. This is another shot of the bench area. The tall shrubs are viburnums.

Being informal, sometimes what other people consider weeds get left alone such as this wonderful daisy flea bane, growing among my phlox.

This striped grass makes a surprisingly good combination with yellow Heliopsis along the back edge of my pond area. I almost moved the Heliopsis last year and I am glad I left it.

No this is not butterfly weed, but an annual milkweed I am trying for the first time. Very attractive plant.

This is swamp milkweed- I think. It is growing in a small area of grasses along the west side of the yard.

Here is another new plant-Passion flower. This plant or a related species grows wild down South. I have always wanted one since I first saw the flower in 9th grade biology class so the other week I indulged myself. It is a container plant so will have to come in for the winter.

Finally the water lilies are in full bloom. Last summer, I just had a couple of blooms but the plant is doing very well. I have a chorus frog that lives on the lily pads and it croaks up a storm whenever I use the hose.