Bright And Sunny

Summer is finally here and the temperature is making the point so far.  We had a very cool spring which was very good for the roses and many other cool loving plants.  Tomato, chili pepper and basil think otherwise.  My basil are only a couple of inches tall and the chili peppers are taking their sweet time to grow.  But I’m not complaining.  I deal with whatever nature throws my way.  It just seemed like ‘early’ spring weather lasted too long this year.

It doesn’t matter what the official summer date is, my summer is here when the Black-eyed Susan and Echinacea bloom.  They brighten up the garden like little sunflowers.  We have more flowers this year as a result of putting up the deer net around our property.  We are really happy that the net works so well.  Rabbits still nibble plants here and there but they stay in the lawn most of the time.

The Black-eyed susan are all self-sown.  I don’t remember when I bought them last time, probably ages ago.  I just let them grow and move them when they get too crowded.  It results in many shades and markings on the flowers.

I let the Echinacea set seed as well.  Birds love them and they are a good food source in winter.  Seeds that the birds dropped sprouted.  I don’t mind at all since they are slightly fragrant and the bees love them.

I bought many other  Echinacea in various colors and shapes but they have to be propagated by division.  Here are some of them.