Seems like it has been awhile since sharing pics of the yard. With the torrid temps, days-long hazes, and other things, it’s fallen down on the triage list. The tomatoes are finally on the plants. The mortgage lifter plants are caged and trellised, which has made them grow up instead of out. They fell over a few times in yesterday’s winds but they are back up for the moment. The other 3 tomatoes are Moneymaker variety from seeds from the library.
The birdhouse gourds have fruit that is getting bigger. I added Osmocote which helped them, I think. Look closely at the far right pic. I named her Gourdface Girl.
A friend of mine gave me some beautiful ferns that I planted out by the garage but walking the hose out there every day has been a real chore.
The lupine I got from the market down the street didn’t return, but instead delphinium is blooming in the pot.
I also got a pic of the height of the dawn redwood. It is thriving in the heat.
There have been some stunning winged creatures looking for water at the bird bath, but they aren’t birds.
Happy Friday!
Tao-Talk 
Such stunning pictures of flowers and butterflies! 👍☺️
You too, have a wonderful Friday!
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Thank you very much, Aptivi!
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You’re most welcome, Lisa! Take care and stay cool and hydrated. ☺️
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Some beautiful pictures Lisa! Your garden looks like it’s doing great…love the gourds…
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Thank you, Max. Considering the heat, the drought, and the haze, they wouldn’t have survived without regular watering. I hope more gourds develop soon. So many blossoms! One thing I learned about them is that they are pollinated by night insects.
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The gourds are what really get me…I love them. We are cooling down now…now we have got the rain…no problem in that at all. I didn’t know night insects do that.
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Glad it is cooling down with rain there.
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Garden growing up very nicely…all hail Gourdface Girl! But, you saved the very best for last, Lisa. Those butterflies are beautiful!
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Thanks, Bruce, there were other critters hanging out around the birdbath. It is sand dry here right now. I fill the birdbath and multiple ground level water containers for the chipmunks and toads and others.
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Wow – those butterflies 🦋
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The # of milkweed plants on the north side of the house keeps multiplying. Joe Pye Weed is another favorite of theirs that grows in the back field.
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Well at least there is beauty 😀
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<3 I saw a monarch one when I opened the back slider this morning. Lots of them have pods on them also, which means even more next year!
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Your garden is looking lovely and the butterflies are beautiful.
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Thanks much, Robbie!
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Lovely pics, Lisa. The close-ups of the butterflies are great!
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Their thirst overcame their fear and they stuck around. It was cool. Thanks, Christian.
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Ah Monarchs and American Black Swallowtails how lovely. I took in two milkweed stems because I thought I saw some eggs on them. I’m not quite sure if anything is happening yet. One cat is so small that it is not much wider than a bold letter l and not much longer either.
I haven’t started up a new butterfly caterpillar post yet. I’ve not had any swallowtail eggs on my herbs. But I have seen a couple of yelllow swallowtails.
Good luck with your garden.
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Haven’t checked the stems for eggs, but if it doesn’t rain soon the plants are going to start browning :(
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