On Friday, we had visitors from Yorktown, VA, and they were welcomed by our new sign.

 

This is the one that Mark and Karen made for us, and we painted and framed it.  It now graces the front of our beautiful home, however crazy it may be...

 

Thanks for the sign, and thanks for the visit.  It was a GREAT day for us!!!!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!!

 

 

 

While I was out in the garden looking at the butterfly weed, I came across this wildflower that we transplanted from the woods into our perennial bed. 

 

Fire-pinks are in the same family as the familiar carnation.  They grow on banks, cliffs, rocky hillsides up to 5000 feet.  The stems are only 1 - 2 feet tall, but the fiery crimson blossoms make fire-pinks quite noticeable.  We see them along the roadways, when traveling about 25 mph.  

 

I hope you see some, and they make you smile.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I've been waiting (not very patiently) for this to bloom.  We've had this Asclepias for a few years, and this is the best it's ever looked.  Of course, the deer ate it the first year, right as it started blooming.  So we moved it inside the fence.  It's taken a while for it to grow back enough to bloom, but ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL!!!!

 

Asclepias tuberosa is in the milkweed family.  It grows wild nearly everywhere, but especially in the southern US.  You can see it in the meadow near the gate, and all along Moccasin Church Road.  Just look for splashes of pumpkin-orange in the field and along the roadside.  

 

It's aptly called Butterfly weed because monarchs, swallowtails and other butterflies are attracted to it when it's blooming.  Monarchs use milkweed as a host plant for their caterpillars.  They lay eggs on the underside of the leaves, and when the caterpillars hatch they eat the leaves.  That's why we planted it in our garden, to support  the monarchs.

 

After they bloom, the seed pods are quite distinctive.  When they open the silky seeds are carried on the wind, like fairies.  Another cool reason to have them in my garden.  

 

I'm so happy that it's finally in bloom, and I can share it with you.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Everything's ready for the picnic today.  It starts at 1 pm.

 

We'll be there with a dish to share, and we hope you will be too.  

 

if you bring a couple lawn chairs, they'd be greatly appreciated.  We have seating for about 40, but there's plenty of room for extra chairs, and they are easier for group chat.

 

We're looking forward to meeting new friends.  Don't be afraid....We all wear name tags.  ;) 

 

CU SOON!!!!!   Love, Gerry

 

 

 

 

Yep, I want to be a cat in this house!!!!   

 

This is Ranger, he is 14 years old, and moves from sunspot to sunspot.  

 

HAPPY KITTY!!!

 

We brought this Lily with us when we moved here 14 years ago.  And it survives to make us smile every year!!!!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

Just before that rainstorm came through last weekend we saw a most unusual pollen storm. The pines had one last expression for us to enjoy as the wnd came ripping through the ridges.

 

Check out the pollen storm in this picture.

 

How did we know this yellow cloud was from the pines? The one right next to our deck generated a thick cloud when that wind started. Here is the culprit....

 

Mark

 

 

Yesterday I posted a picture of the Borage in bloom, and today it looks like this!!!

 

Funny, the difference just one day makes.  The whole garden seems to be showing this trend.  One day it's little, and the next day...taking off!!!!!  So exciting!!!!!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!!

 

 

 

Yep, the flowers are really that BLUE!!!!  They look like shooting stars.  Sometimes, it's called starflower.

 

Borage is an edible herb:  both flowers and leaves are edible.  They taste like cucumbers.  We put the flowers in salads, but the leaves are hairy, and feel funky in your mouth.  But...you can eat them and they won't kill you.  (See my article about edible flowers, back in August.)  Just go to Searching the site, and put in edible flowers.

 

Borage grows easily from seeds;  they actually self-seed in the garden.  We keep them in the garden to attract pollinators, and to deter Tomato hornworm.  Works GREAT!!!!  And they're pretty.  

 

We LOVE borage.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!!

 

This beautiful vine is growing at Nancy and Pete's.  It is Trumpet Honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens, also called Coral Honeysuckle.  You can buy it at most garden centers, or you could talk Nancy into a few cuttings; she has lots!!!!  

 

It's related to the familiar Japanese Honeysuckle that we see growing in the wild.  It is almost as vigorous as the wild, but can be trained more easily.  It is beautiful trained on an arbor or trellis. 

 

Best of all, the hummingbirds love it!!!  So do i!!!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!