Zinnias. 8.20.2020

 This year I didn't do as well with zinnias.  Something ate the first batches that I planted, and the second group never really took off.  Finally I bought a six-pack, which was so root-bound that I had doubts about the viability.  However, they grew and some of the earlier seedlings are starting to bloom too.

So far, there hasn't been much honeybee activity in the zinnias.  Not like, say, alliums, poppies, milkweeds, etc.

No a zinnia, but an African marigold.  It's not supposed to have single flowers.  They rest of the plants have fully double flowers.  But I like this one more than those.  I think I'll save seeds from it.

More zinnias, this time from the seeds that I planted.  On the side is a "wild" petunia.

Flowers and Some Honeybees. 7.28.2020

This is kind of prime season for a lot of summer flowers. Some are volunteers or perennials, some are grown from seeds and a couple from transplants.

Volunteer Cosmos.  Very pretty white.  7.28.2020

Tigridia, survived the winter and now blooming. m 7.28.2020

Dahlia.  I think this was a tuber in a box at Winco this winter.  7.28.2020

Shirley Poppies.  These seeds were a couple of years old.   First time growing them.  Honeybees love them.  7.28.2020

I grew these Echinacea from seeds a few years ago.  I didn't know if they would survive.  They did.  7.28.2020

I grew this rose from a cutting about 15 years ago.  I forget the name.  7.20.2020

These gladiolus were from a box at Winco.  They should survive the winter, so I"ll leave them there.  7.28.2020

Yellow Cosmos, a volunteer among the squashes.  7.28.2020

Another Dahlia from a grocery store box.   7.28.2020

Zinnia from a 6-pack.  I had trouble getting the seedlings to grow this year and something ate them.  6.28.2020

Another zinnia from that six pack.  6.28.2020

Another Shirley poppy full of honeybees.  6.28.2020

French marigolds from an old seed packet.  7.28.2020

African Marigolds from an old seed packet.  So far they don't look great.  7.28.2020

Another rose I grew from a cutting about 15 years ago.  7.28.2020

Sweetcorn Seedlings.  5.15.19

Seedlings are germinating nicely, planted last week. Zinnias, sweetcorn in the garden and cucumbers, some squashes, in the sunroom.

We had a hot spell, now chilly and rainy.  We'll see how that affects things.

Pickle Seedlings.  5.15.19

Zinnia Seedlings.  5.15.19

Some Flowers Still Blooming in Early November. 11.4.18

Bachelor's Buttons

Hybrid Buddlea

 Having some flowers around brightens up the yard work and gardening.  I always include some in my planting.  These continue to bloom, despite increasing chill and wetness.  I planted the bachelor's buttons in mid Summer, the zinnias in late Spring, and the Echinacea was a purchased perennial.  The buddlea has been there for a number of years.

Hybrid Echinacea

Mixed Zinnias

Zinnias and Dahlia. 11.2.18

 Dahlias haven't done well for me.  I think there are a couple of reasons.  First, I've bought big box store tubers.  I think they are mishandled and the growing points are not firmly attached to the tubers, so they just die.  Second, deer like eating the plants.  Third, slugs eat them.

Today while cleaning up, I saw this flower in a spot that doesn't get much attention.  I didn't know it was alive.  This dahlia was planted two years ago.  Where there's life, there's hope.

Meanwhile, zinnias continue to bloom.  This plant was among those that I thinned from the original row, and stuck in the vegetable garden because I hate to waste them.  Still looking nice, in November.

Cactus, Zinnias, Marigolds, Echinacea, Crocosmia flowers. 7.12.18

 Crocosmia does great in this region.  I see bunches in a lot of yards.  Mine need dividing every few years, which gets me even more plants.  Hummingbirds love them.

 I don't know the species of cactus.  Maybe, Opuntia humifusa?  It's prostrate.  Two years ago, I planted it in this pot of lilies.  It's had no special treatment at all.  During the winter, when the lily is dormant, I place the pot under a spruce tree where there might be less rain.    These are the first flowers.  This is the first time it's bloomed.  Very pretty.  Flowers last one day, like daylilies, but there are many buds.

 I  grew the Echinacea from seed, planted Aug, 2016.  I transplanted the plants into the ground May, 2017.  There were flowers last year, but much nicer now.  These are basically no-care perennials.  I read they might not do well in our wet winters, but so far, looking great!

The zinnias are starting to bloom.  I grow them in rows, like vegetables.  Same for marigolds.  These zinnias have a little rust on the leaves, but not affecting much.

Planting Annual Flowers, Brussels Sprouts, Collards, Tomatoes. 4.23.18

 Today the soil temperature was 65F.  It might be too early for zinnia and marigold seeds, but I planted some anyway.  Also some nasturtium seeds.

Brassicas, on the other hand, are cold tolerant.  I planted the collard green and Brussels sprouts seedlings into the vegetable garden bed.  I think they will thrive now.  If not, it's easy to grow more from seeds.

Yesterday I planted some of the tomato plants into their outside garden bed.  Again, it might be too

early, but these are extras and they are large enough that I'm finding it a challenge to take care of all of them.

I'm not sure if nasturtiums count as kitchen garden or flower garden.  The greens are peppery delicious in salads or mixed greens.  The flowers are also good.

More photos. 7.29.17

 Some nice flowers are blooming now.   Now that the zinnias are larger, they seem less palatable for rabbits.  Maybe the leaves are dryer and more tough in the summer.  Even weedy flowers are nice when cut.

The Rudbeckias are second year now.  I'm glad they survived another season.

I don't know that bigger is always better, but the current batch of onions is the biggest I've ever grown.  The ones in the ground are even larger, but the tops have not fallen over yet, so I'm waiting to harvest them.  The brown-wrapper onions are the hybrid "Patterson".  The white ones, which are the largest and the biggest of those not yet ready, are Ailsa Craig.