Wednesday, July 8, 2009

The Garden in July


Hi there Mary,
I woke up this morning and saw three different (Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Northern Oriole and, I think, a Chipping Sparrow) fledgelings in the garden. Four if you count the damn woodchuck baby, but I only count bird fledgelings. Here s/he is enjoying my peas. It finds the chicken wire fence admirable for climbing up to the top of the peas.

I did go out this morning and photograph the trellis.

Some purple morning glories I started from last years seed are climbing up the base of it. Here is a detail of the trellis. It simply ties together with string, with a little weaving of twigs involved too.

Since I was seeing babies I decided to treat you to a photo essay of starts. Here are some of the seeds in my garden. First are pea seeds. Beloved by woodchucks and their offspring. This photo is from before I saw it munching.

Next the seed heads from my peonies. Aren't they weird looking? I think they look like those hats that some people's kids are persuaded to wear while young.

Next the 'walking' onions with their seed heads. They walk because the seed head grows out on the stalk and then falls over a little ways away from the plant and if you don't move it, that is where it grows next year.

And then my favorite of them all....
My Allium's. They look like fireworks to me.

I also saw Tiger Lily seeds

And the seeds of the Englemann's Ivy which I pull out constantly, but it is winning. I wish the woodchuck liked it. It spreads in spite of the fact that the birds eat every berry it produces.

Lastly the future Kay Grey grape which is hardy here in North Dakota. I think it might be a good crop this year. Two years ago I got 1506 grapes off of it.
This is my pond frog. He stayed with me through the trauma of cleaning out the pond and rearranging the stones. In fact he found a girlfriend.
This is just a small part of the result. I hope to have several million tadpoles soon.
Till then, they are being guarded by froggie and my pond cat.

Love, Nancy



4 comments:

  1. Nancy, you are a kick. DH & I both giggled. What is a chirping one, hadn't heard of that. TTFN ~Marydon

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  2. Was that a picture of frog sperm? Looked like it - I mean it looked like frog sperm to my mind, not that I know what frog sperm looks like.

    Peony seeds! I've never seen those before. Will you send me some?

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  3. I think it is frog sperm too, but will tell you when it (is hatches the right word)? Sure you can have some peony seeds. This one is called Sea Shells Peony. It is a delicate single pink peony with a fat pom-pom of yellow in the center. Huge plant after 2 years. It is about waist high on me.

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  4. Hi there Marydon,
    That is a Chipping (not chirping) Sparrow, but looking at it closer today I think it might be an female Indigo Bunting which is not real common here but I do see them occasionally. It was really too big to be a Sparrow but I hate to just say LBB.
    Nancy

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