Three Seeds For Thursday

It's fall and seeds are everywhere. Here are three reliable (if at times over-enthusiastic) reseeders in my garden.

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Mirabilis, or four-o'clock, has been in my garden for years. Returning from tubers as well as seeding itself enthusiastically it will never be gone. Fortunately, I like them...they remind me of my childhood in Ohio.

 Hollyhock Chater's Double is not nearly as invasive enthusiastic producing, at least, some every year.

Garlic chives seed freely. But unlike some of my friends who find them invasive I am blessed, like the little bear, with an amount that is just right.

It Pays To Hand Water

I usually use the sprinkler system or the hose end sprinkler for watering much of the garden. Today I was watering pots with the hose and wandered over to the fig tree to give it a good soak. The figs have been plumping up and I've been keeping a watch on them. I had one fig last year when the tree was newly planted but this year the crop is MUCH larger. There are 12 figs of various sizes on my two foot tall tree and I don't really want to share them with the birds. I was rewarded for my vigilance by the sight of the first ripe fruit! I contemplated a Fig Ceremony along the lines of the Plum Ceremony but decided instead to share with the other fig eater who lives here. That might change in future years when the crop is a bit bigger but for now it seemed a little selfish...and I didn't want him to see that here :) In any case there will be more...if not many...soon!

Inchworm, Inchworm Decimating The Parsley

I've seen this type of caterpillar at least once before in my garden...several years ago on a potato plant that oddly enough disappeared by week's end. Today as I sat at my patio table I noticed that the parsley plant I had tucked into the bay laurel pot had lost its leaves since yesterday. Upon closer inspection the culprit was discovered and a quick Google search identified it for me...this is the caterpillar of the cabbage white, our most common butterfly. As long as they don't show up on every parsley plant I'm happy to share.

Three For Wisteria

Today is Thursday and Cindy at My Corner of Katy invites us to join her in posting three of something...photos, thoughts, whatever we like. One of the things I like best about summer is my wisteria. It's where I can see it from inside or sitting out on the patio, it blooms all summer, and it softens the fenceline along my side yard. Although I had to cut it back last winter due to fence replacement it has grown and by next summer should be looking like the photo in  my header which was taken two years ago. Of course that is the spring extravaganza...the summer blooms mix with green leaves and I think I like that even better. Here then are three shots of today's blooms...