Sparky standing watch over the containers that we transferred a couple of the bushes and the russian sage.

Globe Thistle

I think this is a weed, but I like it. It's in the "weed" area of the yard. The "weed" area is right in the middle of the yard where there used to be two ponds . The year after we moved in, Jerome took all the rocks and put them in a pile behind the garage. We were going to re-do the ponds. Then we decided that it was not a good location for the ponds (right under the magnolia tree), so we will eventually move them out in the open a little more. So, for nearly 3 years, this area has been collecting weeds and baby trees - the bamboo is getting over grown, etc. A neglected area.

Update - I spent a couple of hours weeding the neglected area Sunday - it looks MUCH better now. I filled up a whole "lawn and leaf" paper bag.

Update #2 - This weed is called a Purple Loosestrife (thanks again Dynochick) and apparently it's quite invasive. It's supposed to invade wetlands and choke out other plants and wildlife. I guess this is why it's in the area where the ponds were located. Not sure if it's wild or if the former owners planted it. I still think it's quite pretty and I really don't have very many spires...so...the jury is still out.

poi-son i-va-a-a-a-ay...

This is what happens when you weed-wack in a poison ivy patch - of course he didn't realize until a day or so later...

These pictures are somewhat disturbing. View at your own risk.

We've decided this is a 'Y', for Yvonne :)

life and death of a knautia bloom...

This is when it turns to seed and if you don't want millions of knautia plants growing everywhere, you'll need to deadhead at this point. It's a nearly everyday task from the moment they start blooming at the beginning of May until almost Thanksgiving.

summer blooms...

daylily

This rose (according to its tag) is called 'Chicago Peace'

Love-in-a-mist

I think this is called a 'mop-head' hydrangea.

I had moved a couple of these hydrangea's when we first moved in; four years ago. This is the first year that they actually had buds on them - and plenty! I hope this means that they will be budding every year.

It may have been the amount of snow that we had and the fact that they were covered with snow pretty much the entire winter - so no cold wind could get to them. I think this winter I will cover them, so that it will protect them. You can never count on the Michigan winters to be quite like they were last winter.

my pretty new bike...

lots of pink...

astilbe x 'pink' (spiraea)

I had replanted these two astibles (spiraea) under the magnolia tree two years ago. They had been right in the sun and were being choked out by some property demanding hostas and other plants.

They didn't do well at first - this is the first time I've seen them bloom - and it's quite BIG! I'm very happy and hope they will continue to flourish under this big, shady tree.

There is a white one right next to the pink one that has buds, but hasn't bloomed yet.

As you can see, their neighbors are pachysandras.

carefree beauty (bucbi)

If you click on the photo above, you will see the scourge of the garden - a Japanese Beetle!!! Now all my roses and other flowers are going to start to look VERY shabby. These beetles are relentless and will devour the whole garden. They just started showing up this weekend.
Makes me sad :'(
A couple of pictures before they start looking ragged.

happy independence day...

Some of the flowers that started to bloom over the weekend.

yucca - spanish dagger
lily (not sure what is the name of this one) - see the little bug - cute.
close up of the bear's breech spire - mostly green, with a slight purple on top and a white blossom coming out of the bottom.

good 'ol orange daylily

Also this weekend, I started moving some plants. We are having our garage demo'd (and eventually rebuilt) and the contractors will need to move about 6 of my boulders that are close to the current garage.

There are several plants in that area that will need to be moved; roses, lace-capped hydrangea, yew, russian sage, knautia macedonica, bamboo (and hopefully that will be it). Jerome said that we will have our contractor come out and tell us if we'll need to move more. UGH!

We live on a lot that is 75 X 200 - and we have most every space taken up by some kind of plant. I hope we can find a place for everyone.

I moved three rose bushes on Saturday and they are in shock. I really hope they survive. I just heard yesterday that they crave potassium and that the best way to get that to them is to cut up some banana peels into small chunks and put that in the soil around the rose bushes. I think I will do that right away and see what happens.

Also, pulled out all the "bean" plants. We've been successful eliminating a couple of other invasive plants by just pulling them out. One was called Crown Vetch and the other was called Bishop's Weed or Ground Elder. Every time we saw one poking its little head out, we'd pluck it. Now they are gone. Hopefully it will work the same with the bean.

Summer Stock Sunday.

what to look for in july...

In July, these are the flowers in my garden that we need to watch for since this is the month that they begin to bloom:

Blanket flowers
Dahlias
Lipstick vine
Russian sage
Cosmos
Globe thistles
Morning glories
Roses of Sharon
Hydrangea (mop head)
Chrysanthemums
Clematis