AI in the Garden

The headline is completely misleading. I'm talking about Autumn Interest, such as the changing colors of the chokeberry bushes above. And Animal Intelligence. Caterpillars completely decimated the kale (below) when I was too busy with work. I picked 28 off over two days. Now the kale is recovering, thank goodness, so I can make some kale and potato soup, a fall favorite. 

And, no, my hibiscus didn't grow acorns (below). A squirrel hid them in the branches and returned a few days later to eat them. The squirrel had gnawed off both ends of the acorn-loaded twig. Those critters are pretty smart.

August Update in September

The photo above of zinnias and marigolds was taken today, but I've been crazy busy at work. All the following photos are from August. 

I love clearance plants! This Gerbera daisy (above) is looking good. I hope it survives our heat wave over the next few days. I also planted a red and yellow version, and the yellow may not make it. But for 99 cents for a designer flower that would have been $8.99, I'm happy to take the chance.

The pots in front look full and lush, absolutely spectacular (above). The only sad thing is an animal broke off a coleus at the base, and it has not recovered. There's still balance, however, because the two pots on each end have a coleus plant. I have to water them every day because they drink up the water so quickly. 

The hydrangea are so full that they flop (above). This is my fault, as I forgot to stake them. But I love them anyway. Next year I'll try to remember. Maybe I won't be so busy with work. 

I think this is the seventh year of this hibiscus (above), and, sadly, it will be the last. It's too big for my space, and it has had two ant infestations. Now a little frog is hanging out, which is delightful. I'll be sure to keep him safe when cool weather hits and I compost this plant (sad face). 

This is a view from the side of the deck, with the privacy screen. The screen is nice because the neighbor comes outside to smoke frequently.

This is the view from my back deck (above), a haven from the busyness of life. I feel fortunate to have this space and the money for plants to decorate it. 

The marigolds (above) are in the front yard, but I rarely see any pollinators on them. Sure, they look good, but I may not grow them again because one of my goals as a gardener is to support the bees. Below is a bee on a zinnia. I've tried saving seeds from the fluffiest and brightest pink flowers, but the results have been uneven. I'm going back to buying the seeds. Sure, I may save $3, but I spend a lot of time drying and sorting. It was a fun experiment.  The zinnias have frequent visitors (bees! butterflies! hummingbirds!), so I will be sure to plant some variety again next year.