Squashes Are Blooming! 7.4.22

 The Costata romanesca zucchini, and Saffron summer squash are blooming.  One of the zucchinis had male flowers, so I used those to pollinate all of the female flowers.

The Burgess Buttercup squashes have female but not male flowers.  They are not the same species as zucchinis, so I didn't try.

Transplanted Lavender, Thriving. 7.4.22

 During the winter, I transplanted about a dozen old lavender plants.  They were old plants, ten or fifteen years old but not thriving at all.  In their original locations, they were being out competed by grass and weeds.  Now they are in the meditation garden.

These may need a year or two, to become more bushy and really stand out.  Even so, they are covered with flowers.  It's a sensual pleasure puttering and weeding these plants.  Every brush against them brings out waves of lavender scent.

Similar in some ways to lavender, I also moved a half dozen rosemary plants.  Only two survived, and their growth so far is minimal.  I moved a dozen sage plants too.  They recovered, are putting on a lot of growth, but no blossoms yet.

Final Seedlings. 7.4.22

 These are the last of the seedlings now.

The "Black Eyed Susan Vine"  (Thunbergera).  These have not been thriving.  They originate in East Africa, and our climate may just be too chilly.  I potted them into larger containers and will keep them in  the sun.

The rest.  Basil, like Thunbergera, doesn't appreciate the coolness, so I started more.  Also some cucumbers, which thrive in summer heat but not chilly Spring.  Ning's Red Kuri squashes were trampled by house painters, so I started new ones for him.

There is also the Brugmansia which is not a  seedling but I've been treating it like one.  Lots of TLC, dilute fertilizer every day.  Most of the old yellowing leaves have dried out and fallen off.  The newest leaves are greener and larger.  Not as green as I thought, but still much better.

Summer Kitchen. 7.4.22

 "Summer Kitchen" might be an exaggeration.  It will mostly be a sheltered stove and a table.  The frame is up now.  The stove will be moved under the frame, when tile is installed and roof is done overhead.  The roof will be translucent or clear so it will be bright.  This is the East side of the house.  The tile will raise the stove slightly above the patio to keep the stove's feet dry.

Rufus is watching through the doggie door.

Milkweed and Honeybees. 7.4.22

 The milkweeds are blooming.  I grew these from seeds about ten years ago.  Honeybees love them, as much or more than any other flower.  Honeybees have been scarce this year - worrisome.  But if there are any around, this is the flower they will find.  These are a highly fragrant flower.