flowers

I thought these pinks were done in by the "dust bugs" (see below), but I cut them back to the ground and they have come back.
The colors didn't come out very well in this photo, but the lilies are really starting to give some color. And the marigolds in front are starting to bloom. I can't wait to get rid of the fading daffodil and iris foliage. The fence is a bit of an eyesore, but it came with the house and I think we are stuck with it for the foreseeable future so I just have to try to cover it up.
A better idea of the color of the lilies. You can also see the neighbors' method of weed control (old bath covers and car floor mats)
My husband thinks we should pull these clover because they get out of control and he is probably right, but I do think they are rather pretty.

My 12, 2009

My husband took these photos because I was busy planting our final 9 tomatoes, well, not including the ones I've started from clippings which may or not make it. This was growing on the embankment. My husband says the leaves are edible (tempura), but I think it looks a bit like foxglove, which is used for making digitalis and is poisonous, right? It has fuzzy leaves. It is pretty.
My pumpkins on the embankment have been completely destroyed by those evil little orange beetles. Evil! Evil!
The nadeshiko (pinks?) which I got free last fall at Nagara park when they were changing their plantings are really outdoing themselves.
Our Japanese red maple has udonkobyo again. I think we are going to have to dose it with a bit of poisonous stuff this year, last year we tried natural remedies and they didn't work.
Our yamaboshi (Japanese dogwood) by the main back sliding door is now in full bloom.

flowers

This flower from the "blue flower mix" seeds I sowed (sew? what is the past tense of sow?) a year and a half ago is finally blooming. It's really quite pretty, but I have no idea what it is.












I saw nadeshiko (pinks?) for sale at the garden store the other day for 298 yen. These I got for free last year at the park. I was watching L playing on the swings and suddenly noticed all the older folk swarming over to the flower section with boxes and plastic bags, so of course, I went to check it out. The park was giving away nadeshikos. M was in the nadeshiko class at preschool so I brought some home and planted them. I cut off the dead bits and they looked rather pathetic all winter, but are doing well now.







This pink clover amongst the strawberries is quite pretty. We have tons of clover and I haven't learned to tell which are the kinds with pretty flowers and which to pull as weeds.












Orange osteos transplanted a week or two ago doing well.















The pink ones have survived and are flowering again after a fairly drastic late winter pruning fit.














These ones from the mystery flower shop I didn't like so much, so I transplanted them to a shady out of the way corner. I wonder if they will survive. I figure at least they are more attractive than the pipe, so I can't lose.












Dh mowed the embankment on Sunday, thank goodness, because the weeds were starting to go to seed. It's easier, anyway, if he does it before they are over his head. The neighbors have lovely cornflowers along the embankment that seem to self-propogate, but I am having trouble getting ours started. I finally started some seedlings and transplanted them. I hope they don't get washed away in the rain today.














Last year I pilfered seed heads from the neighbors down the way and spread them over our embankment every day on way back from the dog's walk, but only two actually grew, and in rather odd spots.