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While vacations are nice, cards on the table, I do miss the gardening when I'm away, although it does give a nice break. While gone, it is amazing to return back to see just how much things can grow and how fast. This this summer I choose to expand the wildflowers garden. Backstory. Two summers ago, I had an 8oft Eastern pine taken down as it was leaning terrible and worried it might hit the townhouses next door if a bad storm came through. In the past autumn, I had a huge burning bush removed that was next to where the pine had been, so I expanded the wildflower garden, added a stone walk in the middle, and also choose to move the Cassia and some sages and Allium to also fill in. I cannot believe how great the garden has done!!! It has also doubled the amount of honey and bumble bees visiting and now attracting butterflies. Some of the wildflowers have gotten taller then I! When I'm down there dead heading, the bees don't even seem to bother me. The garden has a number of things. Aster, Daisies, Bee Balms, two kinds of coneflower, Borage, poppies, Hollyhock, Cosmos, Dalhia, Zinnia, Black-Eyed Susan, baby breath, Sulphur Cosmo, Mexican Sunflower, ( which at this point is almost as tall as me now) Oakland Mariposa Lily, Butterfly weed, Queen Anne Lace, White Campion, Sweet William and many others yet to bloom.
You are a much more accomplished gardener than I am. My young flower bed is just coming about. Mine is pitiful; yours is brilliant splashes of Color, Vibrant !!
ReplyDeleteNew gardens take a while to take old and flourish. I also have a herb garden which is doing quite well too. I clip a lot to use in recipes...and the blueberries are ripen now.
Delete"Plant bee-friendly flowers, and they will come" - it's so true! Our garden's smothered with loads of different varieties of bees and hoverflies, pushing each other out of the way to get to the Agastache, hardy Geraniums, Salvias, Osteospermums, Verbenas and Fuchsias - and in the evening, in come the hawk moths to sup on the Phlox and species Lobelias. Gardening is so rewarding! Jx
ReplyDeleteIt is very rewarding; I tend to agree! Especially since the wildflowers reseed themselves. They spread out quite nicely from last year in addition to the seeds I added. It's been a glorious weekend.
DeleteWhat a colorful and welcoming oasis you've created. With a declining bee population due to climate change and dangerous pesticides, it's up to the gardeners to help them be successful. Yes, the bumblebees, honeybees and Mason bees are relatively harmless unless they feel threatened. They are there to do their work. It's the wasps that take to the flowers who are more aggressive. I love watching the fat bumblebees crawl into a flower with their big ole butt hanging out.
ReplyDeleteSomething I learned yesterday. The Mason bees are better pollinators than honey bees at about 90% more efficient. They have no queen to protect so they are quite docile. Because they have no pollen sacs like honeybees, the pollen clings to their fat bellies and they pollenate every bloom each time they enter or land on a flower.
Mistress, you've created a country Monet garden in town for which you should take great pride. Beautiful pics by the way.
Thank you Milleson for such a kind compliment! Coming from one with a glorious garden himself! I have seen some of those fat bumbles sleeping in some blooms already! It's cute!
DeleteWow, it's amazing what rain and a little sunshine can do, eh? Aside from 32 tornados, we've had much more rain than normal and everything, even the boulevards, are green here! And I was just thinking the other day that no one grows hollyhocks or gladiolas in their gardens anymore, but your pink ones are gorgeous, Maddie. You've certainly created a bumblebee heaven too!
ReplyDeleteI am not too fond of Glads as they remind me of death and funerals. But thanks heavens the last two storms didn't wreak to much havoc. The last storm almost flatten the wildflowers, but they sprang back nicely.
DeleteI love hollyhocks and other so-called "Heritage Flowers" that were popular in the 1950s. They remind me of my childhood, coincidentally enough from that same period as well, LOL.
ReplyDeleteI tried foxglove last year, they didn't didn't do well in this climate...so I tried hollyhocks and have been very pleased with them.
DeleteReminds me of the wildflowers my greenthumb grandparents grew at their house they retired to in California, when they heeded the call of Ladybird Johnson to plant native flowers and plants.
ReplyDeleteTheir Southern California front yard was home to Prickly Pear Cactus, Yuccas, Chaparral, Desert Willow, Indian Paintbrush, Jojoba, Calistoga Fuschias, Goldenrods, Chuparosas, Monkeyflowers, Mallows, Sunflowers and Triflorum.
Their backyard was host to California Poppies, Lupines, Mariposa Lilies, Asters, Yarrows, Clarkias, Manzanitas, Calliandras, Phacelias, Toadflax, Verbenas, Trefoils, Jasmine, Honeysuckle and Penstomen. :)
Sad to say, when they passed and their house was sold, the new owners ripped it all out ! :(
Pan in Wynnewood
Ripped it all out?!?!?! People don't know what they have till it's gone. I love a wildflower garden because they are so organic, and you never know what is going to pop up where and what will entwine together. And you mentioned paintbrushes. My maternal grandmother adored those.
DeleteYou have a magnificent Garden and the Photography is wonderful too. What are those puffy White Flowers that almost look like a big Seeding Dandelion waiting to be blown? I have some Faux ones of those and just love them but have no idea what they are coz I don't think I've ever seen any growing in Arizona. The Wildlife sure do appreciate your efforts.
ReplyDeleteAre you referring to the sixth picture down? If so, they are one of two different Allium I have. Those are the bigger ones. I love all the bees. I caught a few taking a sleep on some of the blooms today.
DeleteI always enjoy seeing your flowers in your gardens. They comfort me.
ReplyDeleteNot a day goes by I don't visit the wildflowers.
DeleteYou have me right from the first picture! Oh Maddie, such variety and color. Is it any wonder the bees and butterflies like to visit? The picture with two bees in it is a beautiful picture! As is the butterfly on the Mexican sunflower. What a difference it looks from when the pine tree and the bush were there. You must have a green thumb or something.
ReplyDeleteIt's all so beautiful! You inspire me to try my hand at a wildflower garden. I love the scarlet bee balms!
ReplyDeleteGORGEOUS, sweetpea! Our garden has suffered this year because neith of us has been really able to give it the attention she needed! The rose have decided to spite us and are blossoming in spite of our lack of attention! xoxo
ReplyDeleteHow fabulous such a wealth of plants and bees
ReplyDeleteOh, we did a wild flower garden here too - so many Bumbles, and Honey bees! Loads of butterflies, and a Hawk moth! Yes, it's amazing how fast it all grows.
ReplyDeleteSx
I saw the title and my heart did a little skip! I love, love, love these beautiful pictures. So much colour. I miss gardening if I go away.
ReplyDeleteWe are having a week away soon and am hoping to visit two lovely gardens. Chatsworth house and Haddon hall. Both in Derbyshire. I love Haddon especially. The roses there are breathtakingly beautiful.
I love to see your garden too. It makes me smile. Thank you! Xx
Feed the bees!!! Fantastic photos!
ReplyDeleteOh babes!
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic! You DO have a green thumb!
So inspiring.
XOXO
Growing like love this year.
ReplyDeleteCan’t wait to hear about the weekend with Sigourney Beaver! That name alone brings me joy. As usual, a fun mood board. The zebra image is stunning. I love seeing Annette bounce on the make-believe board. And “If you were waiting for me to care...” has been pasted on my desktop; I’ll be sure to use it (but probably only in my head—and often). (Oh, and what a cool hat hook in that paneled wall.)
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