It was thunder storming and flooding today, so I literally did nothing in the garden but take some photos in the rain (the best time).  It was also extremely warm and muggy, so Loucious and I were glad for the AC.  I did the usual stuff, plus reorganized the linen cabinet.

Yes that is a pun, but you can’t beat it!  I grew Big Beets!!  And not just a pair!  They’re gorgeous, and taste good, too.  I incorporated the first harvest into the erev meal, and everyone was pleased.  It was a full house, seven including Jess.  Loucious turned tricks for challah, the slut!  I did not just say that.

On the way over, I stopped at VP to see what else I could get for half price to fill out some missing gaps.  I got two kinds of onions (red and white), a tomato (yellow pear), and another eggplant to keep the lone one company.  Also two annuals, a yellow nonstop begonia, and a colorful purslane (related to portulaca, which is also in there) for my “desert” garden.  Today was their last day, selling out everything by the cartload cheap, which I didn’t make it to, probably a good thing.

As you can see, this is the part where all the garden beds have essentially settled into their personas, or informed me that they have a better idea with what they have to work with.  For example, the high and dry strawberry bed has “accidentally” doubled as a squash jackpot (because of the compost), as has one of the raised beds.  Next to it, the once undecided prickly pear bed I’ve restored is obviously meant to be a dry desert succulent/ CA poppies bed.  And next to that, the tall ferny asparagus fronds and the giant horseradish monster have taken over and look beautiful, with monarda (bee balm) in the background.

Same with the “hosta shade garden”.  Once I sorted out that nondescript area, mostly shade, I thought about all the pre-existing hostas in the “woods” area, and thought, “hosta garden”.  That suggested other non-native but non-invasive perennials that typically go in a hosta garden, much as I “disapprove”!  Not very creative thinking, I admit.  But there it is–some perennials I really love had an excuse to join the heinous hostas!  Now that garden is starting to look intentional, at least.  Hey, it improves property value, if nothing else.

The largest raised bed that I’ve tried to grow additional lettuces and greens in (because it’s shadier and cooler) is finally making some progress, but under protest.  It and its sister beds are desperately in need of a soil revival– or resuscitation!  Even all the natural amending I’ve done is still not enough.  Each garden area is either nutrient-depleted, or its components are too heavy on clay, or it’s too shallow with gravel or concrete underneath.

I’m tempted to do a garden sabbatical next year, with plenty of natural composting, to let it recover and regenerate.  I’m pretty sure at this point it would almost reincarnate itself with little “help” from me except some maintenance.  Or I might let E have at it!  If he’s willing, I know he’s able.  Maybe Y could also participate.  It’s time I loosened my proprietary grip!

Speaking of Y, he’s off to summer camp (“gay camp”, as it’s sometimes called!) for a couple of weeks, on his own this time.  The kids there all have a lot in common and get a lot of love and support, and I know it will do him good.  Allie and Billie also headed back to TN today.  I know at least one dog who will be relieved!  Then we get to graduate to the next level, with Stacey’s dog T.. (sp?).  She and S will be staying here while she house-hunts.

You may think my life is boring and mundane, but I’m too busy most of the time to notice.  Never a dull moment here.  So much reality.  I have to take off the occasional day or weekend just to keep up.

The first thing I did at Avdi’s was to put that *&^% exotic invasive in its place–a pot!  Not a minute too soon!

I weeded the hosta shade garden, and transplanted a non-native Chinese wild ginger (Asarum splendens) from the “woods” to there.  That garden is really shaping up to be as intended.

Then I went back and stomped down all the aggressive natives along the woods edge that have probably crowded out my wetland natives.  So there.

I planted a basil plant from my apt in the basil section of the herb garden.

I weeded the outside of the veg garden that has lupines, foxglove, and okra.

Here’s Billie attempting to look even smaller, and Loucious wondering what that encroacher is still doing here.

I may not be a natives purist, but this time I confess I def went too far.

That Ruellia simplex (Mexican petunia) is actually illegal or restricted in many states for being extremely invasive, although the newer sterile cultivars are safer.  They had to outlaw it in Florida! It likes it hot, wet, and humid.  I had never seen or heard of it before, and it wasn’t labeled, but I can see how it might have become popular here!  The only solution is to pot it and add it to my tropical houseplant collection, before it does any damage to the environment!

This is what I get for experimenting outside of beneficial natives and harmless annuals.  The nativars or native cultivars was already a step farther than I wanted to go, but they’re close enough to not disrupt anything, while my own natives are being !@#$%^& slackers!  Also the perennials (and everything else) were on sale half-price!   I mean, c’mon, Joe Pye and Liatris!  Other aggressive natives have taken over like weeds, but if I can outlast them until next year, I’ll try again.

There’s a political metaphor in here somewhere, but I leave that to your imagination.  Just be warned!

In other (non-hort) news, yesterday evening while A&A went out, I took Y to his high-end (to me) hair salon appointment for the first time.  I don’t know why the whole experience made me very nervous, though everything went smoothly and we survived.  I guess it was the combination of a new-to-me place, with Y (condescending as usual), and the sticker shock, even though I wasn’t paying for it myself.  (Probably the road block detour and fire truck sirens didn’t help.)  The place made me feel very out of my element or league.  I just wanted it to be over!  One more challenge under my belt.

Today at VP, I was able to get (half-price) some of the tomato and pepper plants I needed to fill out the rows a little.  The ones I sowed are taking their time.

I think I’ve ID’d the purple plant–it’s supposed to be Mexican ruellia, so definitely not a native.  It bloomed purple today.  At some point I’ll move it.

I finally sowed all the flower seeds I had left, into various beds.  More amaranth (love-lies-bleeding), jasmine-scented white nicotiana, tithonia (Mexican torch), assorted heirloom columbines, African marigolds, more CA orange poppies, and a part-shade wildflower mix.  Most of it is non-native, so shoot me.  I’m going for a 360-surround cottage garden.  Must Have Flowers.

I’ve included a photo of Loucious and Billie having a standoff.

Yesterday’s VP finds were a cranesbill perennial geranium which went into the hosta garden, and a mystery plant that I put in along the woods edge for now.  Both areas are turning into actual gardens, even if not strictly native.

I dug all the water bowls into the ground more for easier critter access.  Birds and amphibians tend to utilize “puddles” more than raised bird baths.  I added rocks to each so nobody drowns.

I was able to photo this monarch on the milkweeds!

I’m getting to the garden tweaks phase now, refining it for aesthetic and practical purposes.

Loucious and Billie were actually outside together with no real issues.  They mostly ignored each other, Billie nervously grazing, and Loucious showing off maniacally to keep his status intact.  At one point Billie got the zoomies, as if wanting to join in the action, but L continued to ignore her.  So that’s progress.

After my whole weekend at home, I ventured back to the Avdi’s, by way of VP and Ace.  VP is having their big BOGO sale before wrapping things up their season, so I took advantage and got some great perennials half price: Joe Pye, Jap painted fern, red yarrow, a red and yellow coreopsis, and deep pink coneflowers.  Not natives, but a compromise to fill in some gaps.  I also got a brand new red hose nozzle, to replace the old broken ones.

The yard of course had flooded from all the rain, but it kept everything watered, so I didn’t have to.

Loucious was relieved to finally see me after his tragic ordeal of having to meet and deal with little Billie, who it turns out, can hold her own.  No one was murdered, and now it’s like an uneasy truce.  Loucious thinks he’s being supplanted as the #1 exclusive favorite; you can hear the violins in the background.  It’s good practice for working him up to a more challenging foe.

Loucious and I spent the day outside gardening and frisbeeing.  I planted the new perennials in their appropriate places, and transplanted some previous annuals to more conducive spots.  It’s really looking festive all around.

E and I had a great conversation, probably the first we’ve had of that depth on a grownup level.  He’s obviously done a lot of thinking and learning, and we had a lot to catch up on.

More work to do, so I’ll leave it there.

I got somewhat back on track yesterday.  I stopped briefly at VP (for mental health reasons!) and got a liatris (sadly, not a native species, but close enough) and a freebie annual impatiens.  I planted the liatris along the edge of the woodsy area, where my natives still haven’t come up, and the annual in one of the patio beds (where the perennials and natives I sowed never appeared).  More aggressive natives keep crowding things out.

A beautiful E. Tiger Swallowtail butterfly showed up on the milkweeds and let me get close enough to take a picture.  So far I haven’t seen many Monarchs.  A lot of flowers are about to explode in colors and reveal what they are (I forget what I planted!) and that should attract all kinds of pollinators.

K and E have been attending summer classes at the HS every half-day.  E has been industriously building his greenhouse and planting his seedlings back in the SG.  He seems to be able to propagate anything!  Y will be going back to Camp Indigo Point this summer.

I baked challah and made a big caesar-type salad, including the first lettuces and greens from the garden.  Y had two friends over, who joined us.  I think they like our Shabbats more than Y!  (Y doesn’t seem to like anything unless it centers around him and his instant gratification or “needs”, and doesn’t get why grownups can’t cater to his every sudden demand.)

Allie and Billie the Dog are visiting this week, and I’m curious to see if we can convince Loucious it’s really a tiny sheep so they get along!  It will be good practice for when Stacey and S bring their dog to stay while house-hunting, coming up soon.

Also my brother Robert is briefly visiting in early September, can’t wait!

In fact, this whole summer should prove to be interesting and a game-changer, hopefully for the good.

I was having one of my off days, which is somehow different from day off.  All I got done was watering, then I had to lie down on the sofa.  I didn’t even attempt to clean up.  I was feeling useless, so I went home and slept for hours.  Try again tomorrow!

I think this is a Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly on the Asclepius (butterfly milkweed)!  I’ve never see this type before.  And I saw my first hummer of the season, flitting between the purple poppies and the tall milkweeds.  This is what creating habitat for native wildlife is all about.

Someone (E) has been very busy in his SG (secret garden).  He says he’s building a greenhouse.  Lots of plants are growing back there in raised beds.  I enjoy watching his project unfold.

I direct-sowed some heirloom pole shelling beans into the 3-sisters,  I just keep chucking relevant seeds into that bed and hoping something will come of it!  So far various beans and squash are coming up.

I’m even trying to germinate some Passiflora (passion flower) seeds in the basement.  I’m determined to grow some!

Avdi and I moved up our next date to yesterday evening.  We checked out Zia’s, on The Hill (Italian).  It was very family-friendly, and the food was great.  We got to catch up a little.