THE BIG CLEAN UP

Every day since we got home I have been out in the garden for the only 2 hours it is possible; 7-9am. The sun just wakes up every morning, bless 'im, and that makes it impossible to stay out there any longer. Of course there are others out there with me. If you look closely you can spot 2 hummingbirds seriously annoyed with me because I was out there in their garden with their Texas sunflowers. What was that I said about not allowing those plants in the garden this year.

They are there anyway and in the end I will let most of them stay. Mostly because there is little else doing as well as they are and the hummingbirds and goldfinches love them.

My vegetable beds are known for having plants other than vegetables in them. These zinnias self seeded in here and took advantage of the water that was meant for the tomato plant. They are doing a whole lot better than the tomato.

It seems zinnias steal the show right now although I normally have lots of these growing in between the pavers this year there is only this one clump.

But right now my absolute favorite is the Gomphrena 'fireworks' It is sure to be in next years garden.

IT'S LOOKING LIKE SPRING AGAIN

The cooler morning temperatures are having a positive effect on my garden. In some areas plants that were at their peak in the spring are coming back into flower. Zephirine Drouhin is offering up a few flowers with their delicious fragrance.

In the sunken garden the blanket flowers are coming back to life along with the white Alyssum.

Plains coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) have reseeded in among the Blackfoot daisies, (Melampodium leucanthemum).

The Cross vine  (Bignonia capreolata) is also sending out new blooms.

This is one plant I am having difficulty with. This Texas sunflower seeded in my herb garden and grew to be 6' tall whilst we were gone. How can I pull it out when the goldfinches invade the garden in the evening to feed on the seeds and it makes for a splendid vase of cut flowers for the house.We may even have bluebonnets for Christmas judging by these which started growing in an empty bowl.