Johnnies in July...

I discovered something this week that I just have to share with you!  But first - when I went out this morning to photograph my find, I saw a black swallowtail butterfly!  He - or she - sure was hard to get a picture of, but I did manage to get this one of the butterfly on one of my Morning Glory blossoms.

Now, back to my wonderful discovery!

A Johnnie has reseeded itself in one of my pots and is blooming!  In July!

The pot that the charming little Johnnie is in holds a Bat-Faced Cuphea.

I love Bat-Faced Cupheas!

As you have probably noticed from photographs on my blog, I'm not really into red flowers.  But I started growing Bat-Faced Cupheas several years ago because the hummingbirds like them.

Now I seek them out because they are so unusual and I like them!  (Can you see the bat face?)

Have a beautiful day!

So many butterflies...

Have a beautiful day!

Too many butterflies...

Garden question of the day: is it possible to have too many butterflies?




This morning as I was walking back toward the house after taking care of my chickens, I noticed the butterflies on the clump of volunteer sunflowers.



There were 3 butterflies on one sunflower!



So. of course, I dashed into the house for my camera.



They are so beautiful. So intricate. So delicate. And it's nice they are willing to share.



While I was taking these pictures, there were 5 different swallowtails enjoying the clump of sunflowers.


And I never get tired of watching them. Aren't they amazing?





Well, is it possible to have too many butterflies? I think not. What do you think?


Have a beautiful day!

Morning beauty...

The Morning Glories have taken over! They really are beautiful. Julie loves the Morning Glories and then she says, "Oh, that's right. You don't like them, do you?" I try to convince her that I do like them or else I would not have planted them in the first place! I have just been hoping that they would stay in one little corner, but that is simply not their nature. So, as a result, I have this lovely picture of my Morning Glories this morning. The feathery vine is Cypress Vine and the red is Bat-faced Cuphea.




Usually pictures of butterflies are of the very colorful tops of their wings. Here the underside of the wings of a Swallowtail breakfasting on my 'Nanho Blue' Buddleia. (Yes, I know. I said that name backwards. I always do.) The underside of the wings is amazing, too; it is just more pale. I love the beauty of the intricate markings.


Have a beautiful day!

Today in the garden...

Well, look what my dear little chickies left for me today! There's an egg from each of them. I guess they like their new nesting boxes.



Today in the garden it is about 100 degrees. Way too hot. But next week should be cooler.


My Bat-faced Cuphea has really taken off. I read that it can be used in hanging baskets and I can see why. I like the way it looks with the Morning Glory vine and Cypress vine. The "dog" lived here before I did, so I let him stay on the deck. I am not sure what he is made of, but he is very heavy.



A few weeds are a good thing, right? At least the bumble bee thinks so.



My Salvia 'Black and Blue' doesn't seem to mind the heat. There were 2 small bees, maybe orchard bees, on the flowers as well as the large bumble bee. If you look closely, you can see the large bee and one small bee. Click on the picture for a larger view.



The Geranium 'Rozanne' looks so nice and cool in the shade. Very refreshing.



I can't believe that this butterfly let me get close enough to take this picture. Normally they don't like paparazzi. The blue on the Swallowtail's wings is just about the same color as the blooms of the Buddleia 'Blue Chip.'


Have a beautiful day!