some things

around the yard: boarage is getting big leaves and filling in thick around the mailbox spot!

Some sensitive ferns are growing in among the lilies of the valley- I don't mind how it looks mingling, but probably will have to dig/pull some ferns before they go too far. 

My first cranesbill, that seemed to have died off earlier in the year, is doing just fine now! Although still half the size of the other one.

Spiderwort blooming. Looks taller and fuller this year.

All the joe pye I hastily dug up and moved to be against the house wall on the first sideyard, survived the winter and are coming back. They did much better here than the swamp milkweed (I still haven't found more than the first three clumps to move) so I think the milkweed wasn't really thriving here.

That one orange flower came up again among the bleeding hearts and hellebores.

Mountain laurel is starting to bud! Though it doesn't look so happy in this spot- still doesn't have many more leaves. Now I'm starting to wonder should I move it yet again.

Rumex. I always like seeing this plant in spring, though later in the season it always looks ragged from the bugs. . . 

Yesterday

I just did two of the many tasks on my list, and it was enough to wear me out again, sigh. Because I actually mowed half the lawn a few days before that, which got me really beat. Cleaned up a bit in the rear perennial beds- cut out older leaves from under the hellebores, and cut back all the dead stems of monarda from previous season. Pulled up some volunteer viburnums and japanese honeysuckle. Noticed that my spring beauties are a bit more numerous this year, and the mayapples are coming up!

Admired my little patch of lysimachia purpurea- it's hard to notice unless you look close- but the leaves do have a nice delicate blue-green edged with red. I hope these spread some!

the arum has got nice and thick

I love seeing the new leaves unfold on the oakleaf hydrangea. They make me think of candles when the light hits them in late afternoon. Hope next year the plant will be tall enough I can remove the fencing that's keeping deer from eating it.

From the kitchen window or deck, can actually see the younger euonymus shrubs I moved back there, finally filling in (to the right and behind the hydrangea). There's three more on the other side of that tree, but they're much smaller- eaten more by the deer, or don't get quite as much sun I think.

Under the panicle hydrangea, rumex is coming up again-

All the shade areas have yellow salvias growing back in thick and fast. I've gotten a bit tired of this plant and started actually pulling it out where it's spreading too far.

I do like seeing how thick the 'autumn joy' sedums come in though

Sad that in the front, I still only have one cranesbill growing in. The other shows no signs of life although when I push aside the mulch there's a little center shoot left, so I hope it can regrow eventually.

Ajuga is showing bright color under the trees- but in some places it's not staying in a tidy area, spreading out into the lawn. Just an opportunity to dig and move some.

things happening among the plants

My 'Lavendar Magic' african violet bloomed and it is so pretty.

The runners on my plain spider plant have tiny babies now, and another one is sprouting. 

The 'wandering dude' plant (haha) is growing upwards against the window- I am wondering at what point the stems will become too heavy for themselves and fall over to make the trailing habit. 

Outside I thought the sweet peas were done since I left some pods to go to seed, but there's another round of flowers blooming. 

Zucchini and the others in the melon bed are getting big fast, so I hope I actually have a decent amount this year.

The unknown plant in my garden is getting huge- it's up to my hip now. And cardinal climber behind it have wound all the way up the trellis, so lovely, but I still haven't seen a hummingbird visit.

Some of the rumex I moved look shabby, but others are growing new leaves!

Monarda and echinacea are blooming-

Cicada noise is diminishing, and though the oaks and maples have lots of "flagging" with dried leaf bunches hanging down, all my smaller shrubs seem okay- even the youngest rose of sharon

and the two-year-old ones- have taken no harm.

Summersweet-

Bay laurel-

Oakleaf hydrangea- all okay!

Daylilies are blooming on the top of one sideyward by the driveway,

and on the opposite side, turtleheads are making a nice thicket,

and gladiolas coming up strong- though I do need to go out and pull some weeds

flowers etc

Hyssop in the container

and in a bed- behind them, nicotiana 

Lavender

Rue is flowering-

Yesterday I saw a small, velvety black butterfly with white spots there

It has plump orange upper legs-

In the rear perennial bed I found a volunteer- its leaves and flower shape look like the cranesbill in the front yard, but this one is orange.

Largest borage by the mailbox was flowering-

but it was actually off to the side, in the grass. On a rainy day I took a slim chance and dug it up to move into the bed space, but broke the taproot (of course). 

Well, there's plenty more not far behind it.

I moved the rumex from that spot. Also too late in the season- it wilted severely even though I transplanted it during  a week of rain. It wasn't doing well out front. Too much sun I think, and unwell in a spot too hot for it, was beset by whitefly. I sprayed an insecticidal soap, pulled off the worst leaves, threw out the worst two plants. The remainders

they're now around the rhubharb flanking one panicle hydrangea

Here's the turtleheads I dug and moved much earlier in spring-

on the newly-sunny sideyard. Which has such a long way to go.

On the other side, my milkweed have all come up-

Black-and-blue salvia looks great so far

Looks like the dark blue salvia will be okay too

Lamb's ears recovered from their move (just two of them)- the row is tidy now-

and the ajuga in front of them is filling in pretty quickly

Next year it will be as thick as this! previous year's bunch under the hydrangea (with a bit of mock strawberry mixed in there)