Garden

This garden seems to overflow.  These people must have very green thumbs.

 

In the Garden

The theme for August is "Garden."  

The eggplant is still blooming.  

The tomatoes are setting on.   It's a race to get them before the squirrels do.

The dill is going to seed.

The cucumbers are keeping the bees happy, and the bees are returning the favor.

 

Blue or is it purple?

Just a pretty flower.  

 

Garden blooms

Flowers in the garden promise a good harvest later.

Eggplant

Tomato

Cucumber

Pepper

Strawberry

 Bon Appetit!

 

Theme day: Smile!

The Theme Day for June is "Smile."  This guy wasn't quite smiling, but his mouth is big enough.

 

For Sale?

During a visit to the nursery for garden plants, we found this little frog in one of the pots.  Was he for sale?

 

Watchful eyes

While I was checking out the rock garden, this little lizard was checking me out.

 

Rock garden

 

What make a place a rock garden?

Is it many painted rocks?

Or a few carefully placed stones?

Or all of the above...

Worth the wait

Finally the garden is starting to give back.  

Fighting squirrels, rabbits and heat is finally paying off.

 

Preying or praying?

I know that the Praying Mantis is named for the way it's front feet are bent into a praying posture.  But they're great in a garden for preying on other less benign insects.  I was glad to see him in the garden.

(see here)

 

Sunbathing

This little Carolina wren was just sitting on a post in the sun fluffing himself up and breathing.

 

garden flower

This looks very exotic, but it's just a carrot that bolted.  We planted them a year ago, and they're finally coming into flower.

 

Flowers in the Joslin garden

Rhododendron

Red buckeye

 

garden table

This little garden table was completely surrounded by ferns.  Were they invited to lunch?

 

Through the gazebo

At the edge of the Joslin garden you can look out to the neighbors' gardens as well.  They must have been inspired by the Joslins' work.

 

Joslin garden

Joslin garden is a hard to find Raleigh park.  

It was the home of William and Mary Coker Joslin for over 60 years.  In that time they created an amazing garden on their 4.5 acre property.  It was given to the city of Raleigh in 2021.

Their home is still in the park, and can be rented for weddings and parties.

 

Tithonia

 

I'm beginning to love Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia. see here)   This one is so tall that I see the underside of the flower instead of the top.  It's nice either way.

Invaders vs invasive

Suddenly, I'm seeing these beautiful bugs on my butterfly milkweed.  They're everywhere on it, crawling all over the seedpods I've been watching, hoping for seeds to extend my milkweed patch.  It turns out they're Milkweed bugs (see here).  They don't hurt the plant.  They don't damage any monarch eggs.  Their sole purpose is to destroy the seeds of the milkweed.  In nature, that keeps the potentially invasive milkweed seeds from spreading everywhere.  I hope they leave enough for me.

Japanese garden

The entrance to the Japanese garden at the R.C.Raulston Arboretum.  The bell made a deep gonging sound, but it would take a good wind to make it sound.

 

Theme day: Tools

 

The theme day for July is "Tools."

So, here are the tools I use most often.