Blueberries are Ready

The blueberry experiment is bearing fruit. The bushes we planted a month ago are beginning to provide snacks for my daughter.

Blue is Tricky in Boise

This hydrangea has come very close to being evicted from my yard, but seeing this baby blue bloom makes me happy it's still here. This plant bloomed pink for the first 4 years I owned it because the soil has to be more acidic than alkaline for the blue to show up...and Boise soil is naturally alkaline. And it took four years of acidifier additives to get it to this color.

Hollyhock

A barely pink hollyhock along the foundation.

Garden Glads

A wonderful pink explosion of color. I tuck glad bulbs in the garden beds each year.

Greek Oregano

The blooms on Greek oregano, which I clip as a fresh herb and use as a landscape planting. It re-seeds itself and bees love it.

Black-eyed Susans Waking Up

One of my garden favorites just waking up: black-eyed Susans.

Spirea

An ornamental shrub very popular in this area: spirea. It needs a little trimming each spring and fall.

Mallow Flower

A real mallow flower. This delicate blossoms cluster at the end of stems about four feet tall. Supposedly, every part of the plant is edible, including the roots. I also grow "false mallow." The flower is similar, but the foliage is different, and the false mallow only grows about two feet tall. Below is the false mallow for comparison.

Here Birdie, Birdie

This is THE cutest bird feeder ever! Thank you Sooz!

Gerber Daisy Blooms Again

The yummy orange Gerber daisy is sending up more blooms.

Light Blue Delphinium

The light blue version is taking its blooming turn. The dark blues bloom first.

Rose on Fire

Three of the yellow roses are blooming in the rose garden this week.

Heat Wave

Saturday, it was around 100 degrees. This is our neighbor's cat Damon. He lolled around on our patio all day as the misters were going.

Brewer's Blackbird

A Brewer's blackbird...which if you look really close, you'll notice this male has a purple and green sheen to his feather coat.

Snapdragons

More prowling around the yard and garden after dark...and after the sprinklers ran :)

Papery Purple Petunia

Interesting texture on the petals of this petunia, one of the starts in a container.

Red Star Lily

This fiery lily is a petite plant. It blooms for a few weeks and then the leaves look similar to a clump of ornamental grass.

Peach Lily at Night

A thick-skinned lily as a foundation planting.

Daisies in the Dark

Went out for some after-sunset shots in the yard and garden this week. These are shasta daisies.

Big Smile Lily

I believe "big smile" is the name of this lily. Although the petals look fragile, they're quite thick and rubbery.

One of the "teenager" yellow-headed blackbirds feeding himself. Mom was nearby, and he was begging, but she made him get his own food :)

Hummingbird Perch

They don't stay still for photos very often. This hummingbird was on top of the wisteria vine.

Yellow Minis

Miniature roses in full bloom. They may be small, but they carry a powerful scent.

Hanging Baskets

A splash of color outside my home office window :)

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

Hiding in the wisteria vines.

Crazy Daisy

This frilly Shasta daisy is called a "crazy daisy." The plant's blooms are all different while featuring fringes and curls.

Welcome Bees and Hummingbirds

The bee balm is just starting to put on its jester hat blooms. I have these plants tucked into garden bed corners.

Container Flowers

It took a few weeks, but the container flowers are starting to fill in and be happy.

Orange Rose

The orange roses in my garden are my favorites! This one is especially nice :)

Delphinium in Blue

I have a variety that was sold as one that didn't have to be staked...I've found that was untrue. I'm not staking this year. When they fall over, I'm cutting them for indoor display.

False Mallow

Paper-textured flowers for this plant. It's an annual, but reseeds freely. The flowers are prettier than the "real mallow" that will bloom in a few weeks.

English Rose

I have just two English roses in my garden. I had three, but I found one dead this spring :(

Clematis

This is the type of clematis that has to be cut to the ground every fall, or spring. It shoots up about 8 feet tall.