The Lazy Composter

Though the garden is pretty dry right now, there are still some good blooms. One big surprise this month was the fuschia, pictured above. This was here when I moved in around 15 years ago, but I haven’t seen it in quite a few years. Once the coyote brush tree was felled, it came back, I really didn’t expect to see it again. It’s growing underneath the cecile brunner rosebush, which is coming back with a vengeance. 

The sunflowers are almost spent.  It’s been pretty hot here, and I have been out gallivanting around, so have not been giving them the attention they deserve.

Still, they were nice while they lasted, and I was so glad they made it up to the porch:

Another flower that’s been blooming for months and is so beautiful is the clarkia:

It’s hard to capture in a photo, but it’s reaching habit and color variety was such an addition to the garden this year, I had no idea it would be so prolific or flower for so long.

Soon I’ll be collecting seed from the little seed pods and share them with friends. What a gift to receive these seeds!

What else?

The St. John’s wort is spent for flowering, but the alstromeria is still going strong:

spent St. John's wort flowers under lemon verbena

I was too late to capture this cardoon in all its glory, next year I should have a better photo:

This cool pink sage was under the apricot tree:

I’m hoping this turns into a cucumber soon:

Should I be worried about that bug crawling on the flower??

Rose geranium is one of the easiest plants to grow from cuttings, I plucked it from the sidewalk last year:

I never noticed the cool pinwheel shaped pistils (?) on these.

I love putting the leaves in my pillowcase, such a fresh smell.

Here’s my farewell to summer sunny photo. The garden is getting pretty dry, and the California natives are not doing much right now.  I’m already looking forward to when it starts raining again, or at least when I get my irrigation together!