Yes they sure are!

I got out and did a little work early early, and took a few pictures I haven't downloaded yet. If any came out well I'll post them.

I'm testing those seeds from the place I don't like to see if they are viable -- the ones thatnever did anything for me outside. Of course, two types were and did fine, the thyme and whatever that is calling itself tarragon.

I've had great success with the other suppliers I have used, Horizon Herbs is awesome, as are Peaceful Valley and Seed Savers Exchange. Johnny's Seeds is also a good company as is PineTree. Why on earth would Ineed anyone else, I ask you? I have from time to time ordered from more "specialty" places but hope I can resist getting into that this year. It is a big list already, you betcha.

Going to download pics now, I'll be back probably.

I was swept away on a sudden and lengthy shopping excursion, which I needed to go on for catfood and suchlike supplies. Whew!

And the pictures, most of them were not in focus, but here are a few.

1.) I call this my sparklegroup, all small flowers that seem to sparkle in the sun, but not in a photo so well. That's a new little red coreopsis on the left.
2.) my morning's work was to lift up the remaining iris back there so I can divide and reposition them. I discovered those viola are full of buds! but I didn't know, they were concealed. I replanted what I disturbed so I hope they'll bloom.



And just now, this visitor was discovered on the recycle bin out front! It was moving so the picture is not well focused but worth sharing anyway.

Nice, Kyla! I love that--sparklegroup. Sometimes I think most of my blooms are like this--sigh. Still having trouble getting my new cell phone camera to work--I can't figure out how to change any settings on it or be able to focus it on what I want to focus it on.

Viola are great--mine have bloomed pretty continuously since March in a part sun spot. Right now they're not doing much, but I think as the weather cools, they'll pop out again more. I really love viola!

Ha that's quite a visitor! Here's one I found yesterday:



My reaction was egads! you're big!

Other blooms (mostly new blooms) from my walkaround this morning:

1) Iron Butterfly open at last
2) Anthemis tinctoria (Golden Marguerite) finally blooms--yay!
3) Garlic chives blooming at last


1) Caryopteris Sterling Silver--didn't bloom for me last year, so this is the first time I've gotten to see the blooms!
2) Phlox Paparazzi Blue enjoying a rebloom--can't get the camera to capture the lavender color, though
3) Goldenrod 'Little Lemon' blooming at last

hi, everyone. Here is a message for us from @Greene--take a look!

"I heard from Nan at Hayefield. She is doing a very small seed give away:
http://hayefield.com/2014/09/0...
- but you have to be really FAST to get some.
The rest of the seeds she will be sending to:
http://www.hardyplant.org/seed...

Oh, how cool! I emailed her already.

Were you able to get something?

The way she's working it is, she will confirm within 24 hours, and hopes to mail things by the 7th. The give-away is open through the 5th. I listed five choices, in order, so I should be able to get at least one of those, I hope!

I worked fast, too.

For photos, today all I took pictures of were these zinnia I collected seeds from (before they get consumed by the goldfinch.)



The color is pretty washed out because, hey, it was noon! But that's when inspiration struck, so I acted. Then I was too lazy to fool around with them and make the color a bit richer.

I also took a picture of a grass seed, um, I guess it's a pannicle? that I thought was pretty.



It was far too hot outside to do anything much. We have had less rain in August than we did in July, slightly less than 1.75 inches for the whole month.

Oh, here's a nice news note: My cousin has said she thinks it would be fun to organize a plant and seed swap in the neighborhood here next year. She's a very local-focused gal, and recording secretary of the neighborhood association and stuff.

I'm delighted she thought of this! and I know it will be fun.

all right--what fun! I would love to come down to Richmond for a seed and plant swap!

The zinnia are beautiful--I love that color! Glad you are saving those seeds! I need to go take a closer look at the T. lucida and see what it's doing.

Found a black swallowtail cat on my fennel and a monarch cat on my butterfly weed this morning! yay!

It looks as though the T. lucida seeds are in the flowerheads:


So, I'll let the flowers dry on the stems, and then snip them off for you, Kyla.

One new bloom for today--R. hirta, noID--seeds from a swap in February:




Can't help but wonder which cultivar it is--it's very large for R. hirta!

Cat, It's probably 'Indian Summer' from me!

I was wondering about that Typ! It does look like Indian summer! it is so huge!!

Found another BST caterpillar on my fennel today! The one I found last week or so is getting ready to pupate soon.

The 5 Monarch cats are getting bigger--munching on lots of milkweed each day!

We've been seeing a Black Swallowtail around here lately. Gorgeous!

I did projects this morning! I had two of my new daylilies that had been probably stepped on by a cat just as their new growth was starting, breaking it off. Then, opportunistic eaters came and ate. I moved one back to the containers to nurse it; the other I only protected where it was because it was not that bad. I took two clear plastic paint can liners we had a stack of and cut the bottom off to make sleeves. I also put shortened stakes around the vulnerable dls.

Anyway, this morning the one that was the worst damaged I moved back to the bed and set up a little recovery area:


Then, I put the kale seedlings into the vacated space in the container. They were outgrowing their seedling pots but they are still very teeny. Most of them do have two true leaves but they had to be moved now or they would languish; those little containers get too hot.


Then, I transplanted about ten coneflower starts into the Coneflower Forest section, and watered them in. There is a mature coneflower and a black eyed susan in the middle so the new forest is in two sections sort of:


(Some of those were already there.) Then, I rested under the big old crapemyrtle tree:


One of the coneflower starts, a big established one, had been at the border of Hannah's Corner under this rose which is doing nicely now I've given it a bit of attention:


That's the third of three blooms it's offered, since I did the work over there. Anyway, the coneflower was right under it at the edge, so it needed to be moved.

you sure got a lot accomplished! Sorry to hear about those daylilies. Hope they make a full recovery!

that coneflower forest is sure going to look great once everything is established!

The crape myrtle is a pretty color! :-)

Well, I was just out in my jungle of a garden. Last week I was very good and spent very little time there, giving my ankle more of a chance to heal. But I'm feeling the siren call for tomorrow!

Take it easy, though. I know how hard that is to do! but you don't want your ankle taking even longer to heal.

Whoa! The banner just changed right as I was posting and this one is so different from the last -- I wondered where I was for a minute. Gorgeous rainbow!

yeah, that rainbow is really pretty!

Hey! I made one of your puddling things, Catmint.



I was watching four or five cabbage whites fluttering around this area and decided I'd better not wait til I found the perfect dish:


It has more water than the pictures show but I know it will evaporate soon. I tried to find a somewhat shady spot.

I'd been trying to capture several of the butterflies in one photo, but didn'tmanage I don't think. I did get this nice one on the Salvia, though.