Lest we forget the leaves....

The beautiful spring leaves tend to get overshadowed by showier flowers.

Hosta, my all-time favorite leaf:



Duck's foot:

Macro Monday 08-03-09 Apples!

Macro Monday - hosted by Lisa







It's almost apple time!

Nature Notes 07-31-09

Nature Notes is the brainchild of Rambling Woods who challenges us to "look at something you might never had paid attention to..a flower…a plant..an animal…What changes are taking place?..Is your garden starting to come to life again?"



This is an artichoke that didn't get eaten. I love to see them go to seed, such spectacular color and texture.



Hmm, what's that crawling around in there?


Aha - a pollinator. Ms. Bumblebee, I presume.

Today's Flowers - 07-19-09

Today's Flowers hosts can be found here.






The hydrangea are particularly brilliant this summer:

Color Carnival - 07-03-09

Martha has a new meme!



I love this purple and red color combination. Clematis is the purple, crocosmia is the red.

Nature Notes 06-25-09: Anticipation

Nature Notes is the brainchild of Rambling Woods who challenges us to "look at something you might never had paid attention to..a flower…a plant..an animal…What changes are taking place?..Is your garden starting to come to life again?"



There's so much happening in the gardens in June here. Berries are ripening, buds are getting ready to burst open, seed pods are forming.

I just have to wonder what's going on inside these lily buds. Looks like someone else is curious too.



Top row: Blueberries almost ready! -- Crocosmia will soon burst into colorful red and yellow -- Hydrangea buds.

Middle row: Cone flower, or echinacea, getting ready to bloom.

Bottom row: Kiwi vine -- Poppy seed pod -- Baby tomato.


Click on photos for a larger view.
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Nature Notes 06-18-09: Bugs for hire

Nature Notes is the brainchild of Rambling Woods who challenges us to "look at something you might never had paid attention to..a flower…a plant..an animal…What changes are taking place?..Is your garden starting to come to life again?"




Did you know you can buy ladybugs? And hire them to work in your garden?


Our fruit trees have been infested with aphids the last couple of years. Aphids are a ladybug's favorite snack.




We turn them loose in the garden in the cool of the evening, and by the next day they're hard at work.


They even get down inside the alliums to munch.


Of course, then they start showing up everywhere - in the kitchen, the bathroom, on the dishes. But we forgive them their trespasses since they do such good work!

Click on photos for an even larger view.
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Wordless Wednesday 06-17-09: Ripe

Click to enlarge.

Check out other Wordless Wednesday participants. Or become one!

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Macro Monday 06-15-09

Macro Monday - hosted by Lisa






I just can't resist these water droplets

Wordless Wednesday 06-10-09: Dew drops

Click to enlarge.

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Photostory Friday - Instant Garden

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Sometimes we don't get our vegetable seeds started in a timely manner. Then we resort to our local nursery stock to create our instant vegetable garden.


I supervised (and documented) last night as Laurie planted.


Adding used coffee grounds to the soil, courtesy of one of our (many) local coffeehouses.


Stirred, not shaken.




Voila. Tomato plant.


This method does have its instant rewards. This marigold even came with its own ant.



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Nature Notes 06-04-09: Signs of summer

Nature Notes is the brainchild of Rambling Woods who challenges us to "look at something you might never had paid attention to..a flower…a plant..an animal…What changes are taking place?..Is your garden starting to come to life again?"




Strawberries ripening in the garden: the first sign of summer!

Round Robin - Growing

Our Round Robin challenge this time is GROWING.







New growth.

Nature Notes 05-28-09: Anticipation

Nature Notes is the brainchild of Rambling Woods who challenges us to "look at something you might never had paid attention to..a flower…a plant..an animal…What changes are taking place?..Is your garden starting to come to life again?"



One of the plants I monitor closely in spring and summer is the artichoke.



The foliage is quite impressive and spiky - it's related, after all, to the thistle.



Way down inside there appears to be a kind of nest...



...and this is the treasure it's nurturing. Mmmmmmm, artichoke!



Right now they're about the size of a ping pong ball. I hope we get to them before the aphids do.
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Shadow Shot Sunday 05-24-09: Toadstool

Visit other shadow shooters via Hey Harriet's site.

Nature Notes 05-21-09: Study in Dandelion

Nature Notes is the brainchild of Rambling Woods who challenges us to "look at something you might never had paid attention to..a flower…a plant..an animal…What changes are taking place?..Is your garden starting to come to life again?"




They may not be welcomed additions to the springtime garden, but they are fascinating!