Variety

The mid-summer flowers are beginning to bloom this week.

I treated myself to a few new dahlias this spring. I only had one type until this year. The new ones have had a difficult time in our garden. Something likes to eat them.

This one fared a little better, but you can still see insect damage here and there. Aren't those beautiful colours?

I am in love with my new coneflower's colour. If I were to paint it, I think that I would need to use some Opera Rose and some Cobalt Blue along with the Cadmium red. Oh, and Cadmium yellow and maybe some Quinacridone Gold. So many different colours in one flower.

The evening sun was doing fine job of filtering through the Hosta flowers next to the road.

I think there's been some hanky-panky going on in the perennial garden. Looks like we've got a cross between the purple and white coneflowers this year. I guess they figured we needed a little more variety in the gardens.

Blue Vervain has found its way to the wetter part of our re-wilding border. Never knew this plant's name, much less its benefits: Health benefits of vervain:

"It is usually made into a tea that is used to treat stress, anxiety, mood swings, and sometimes depression. Verbenalin is thought to be the part of blue vervain that makes it good for your mood. It helps people relax and fall asleep, which makes stress and frayed nerves go away."

Our new crop of froggies are growing!

Every year, new plants find their way to the pond area. Aren't these lovely grasses?

The compost area is divided into three sections. This is the section where we took compost from for the gardens this spring. Ted is experimenting with planting some cucumber seeds at this time of year in the compost. They should have enough nutrition.....

.... if what last year's compost is producing is indicating. This one must have sprouted from last year's composted pumpkins. So far, it has not produced a female flower, but aren't the leaves gigantic?

A few Siberian Wallflowers were catching the evening light. Two walking-stick insects are exploring them. "Hmmm.... you smell good!"

Finally, this I-really-should-use-my-iNaturalist-app flower. No idea what it is. Too lazy to get the phone and take a picture. But, a rose by any other name.....