Purple Coneflower

Purple coneflower is a staple in my garden because it does so well and it's great for pollinators. Above is the native flower bed. Below is another front garden bed.

And here are a couple of volunteers on the side of the driveway. I didn't have the heart to mow over them. 

Below is an example of asters disease on a coneflower. I pulled that plant up. I wasn't sure it would make it because the bunnies nibbled new growth day after day, so I think it got too stressed. 

The last photos all have some kind of bee on them. Bees like these plants like humans like potato chips...you can't have just one. 

July Garden Tour

Welcome to the garden looking its best! Please ignore all the weeds in the photos (they're doing well, too). Tomorrow I will trim back the daisies (this photo is from last week). It's been a terrific year for them. The watermelon vines have quadrupled, and I have baseball sized melons and a lot of blooms. I had to use a scent deterrent to keep the animals from eating the baby melons. 

The flower raised bed is a mix of many things including zinnias...

...and bachelor buttons. The red is amaranth. 

The rose is having a second flush of blooms. Every day I pick off some Japanese beetles. 

The potato grow bag is full of cosmos, and you can see two pots of petunias in the background. 

I've harvested the garlic.

Below is Queeny Red Lime zinnia. 

Tomatoes and peppers are looking healthy.

Yum! I cut back most of the beans to make room for a new crop I hope to plant later today.

For a cherry tomato, these are a good size.

The painted lady runner beans are vigorous! 

I picked one bean. I think the squirrels or rabbits or both may be eating them. But they can't reach the top of the vines, so I'll get those when they're ready. 

July Update

Happy July! Normally, I'd complain about the heat, but it's been refreshingly low humidity lately. Above is Sonata dwarf cosmos, smaller than the normal varieties but still nice punch of color.. Below is Easy Wave Rosy Dawn petunias. I was drawn to the frilly edge and the bright pink color. The six pack was divided over three planters, but I might have overplanted.

The geraniums on the deck are filling in nicely.

The lavender is in full bloom.

The painted lady runner beans have begun to bloom, too. They need protection from the bunnies. A lot of bunnies.

Tomatoes are looking good so far.

We ate a handful of beans, but more are on the way.

The watermelon is spilling over the edge of potato bag. It seems happy to be in that spot.

This is best the butterfly weed has ever looked.