Spider Spider On The Wall

This was the first day I have seen a spider
in this location. I don't
think this is the same one that had
the grasshopper for it's meal. This one is
much larger. It made me jumpy just
trying to photograph it.

Baby Watermelon

Baby watermelon

The Evolution Salvia looked very pretty and purple this morning.

First daylily seeds from the Chosen Love
daylily. I am going to try and
grow new plants from these. From what
I've read you take the
seeds out of the pod when it splits open. Let
them dry for about 3 days.

Then after drying, put the seeds in a ziplock bag and
refrigerate for 6 weeks. So this is where I'm at
so far.

July 25th In Texas - Beauty Can Still Be Found

Sunflower - I think it needs some water.

Graham Thomas David Austin rose. This has
to be, to me, the most beautiful
color of yellow I've ever seen. 

Red Knockout rose

This zinnia is huge in size and is such a beautiful
color of pink. It measures 5" across.

Cantaloupe is still progressing. (Hale's Best Jumbo)

This is not a gardening photo, of course, but this
is what I'm working on until this unrelenting heat
subsides. I started this quilt in 1983
when my children were little, so I didn't
get to work on it much at that time. The 100+ temps
 send me into house
by 9:30 a.m.

Close up of hand stitching.

A Scary Looking Little Garden Protector

Black and Yellow Argiope (Argiope Aurantia)
Last night I was in the garden and a grasshopper
had just fallen into the web. I checked back
this morning and the spider had it all
wrapped up ready to eat.

Another one in a different part of the
garden. I guess it hadn't caught any breakfast
or maybe it already had it. This one is over
by the tomato plants and knockout roses.

Such a cheery face in the garden.

Another bud on the azalea.

Zinnia bouquet

And The Winners Are...

I thought I'd mention a few top performers in my garden
that still look pretty good considering we've
had around 30 days of 100+ degree heat
and no rain since mid May.  This is a photo of the
Catnip Nepeta cataria.
I read though, that it can become invasive. 

Of course, lambs ear and alyssum.

Happy Returns daylily

It's not blooming now but the foliage is nice on the
Queen Elizabeth rose and next to it is the
coleus Electric Lime.

Miss Muffett caladium.

Candidum caladium

Another shot of Electric Lime coleus. It has done better
than the red coleus.

Coneflower - Echinacea
I started these from seed. They haven't bloomed
yet but are still growing and may yet.

Mystic Spires salvia.

Bell Pepper. Earlier in the season this plant produced
one bell pepper, now it has 3 pretty good
sized ones on it and more flowers.

Sunflower started from seed dropped by the
birds from their feeder. This is the really
large variety.

We Have Cantaloupe

Despite 100+ temperatures this little Encore azalea
managed one bloom for it's mid summer
bloom cycle.

This is a Janice Brown daylily seed pod. I've never tried
to grow daylilies from seed. If anyone has any tips on
harvesting the seeds and growing them, I would welcome the
advice.

I was out watering the okra this morning and discovered
 cantaloupes in the vines. There are about 6 of them in
varying stages of development.  I'm not
sure which variety this one is, as I planted two kinds
together - Hale's Best Jumbo and Charentais.

A baby watermelon - Crimson Sweet variety.

Another shot of the newly dug
hosta bed. Note the red coleus which I
started in pots a couple of weeks ago and the newly divided
 lambs ear. When I moved here I brought
one plant with me from my old house
and now I have about 10,
all from dividing them. My
grandson recently discovered the nice
soft texture of the leaves. 

Lambs ear, coleus and hosta.

Fireworks Purple Fountain Grass. 

Another shot of Fireworks Purple Fountain Grass

Hosta Past And Present

This is a photo of my past garden with hosta, azalea and liriope. I built
the little stone bench out of leftovers from the stone
patio we built in the backyard.
The hosta here are from left to right -
Climax Plaintain Lily (the leaves  on this one get really large),
Moon River Plantain Lily and the Krossa Regal.

Past garden with my then
six-year-old granddaughter posing for me. 
  On her right are Coral Bells. The
 golden one is Caramel (Heuchera Villosa).
It's one that tolerates heat and humidity. I don't remember
 the name of the purple one.
I didn't buy
any this year.  I want
to have the perfect spot for them, which I
haven't decided on where that will be.

The one in the front is Color Glory and behind it is Patriot Plantain Lily.
"Hostas" by Rosemary Barrett is my hosta
go-to book.

This is the stone patio my hubby and I made. We want to do another
one for our new yard. 

Notice the flowers on the coral bell. 

This picture was taken in the early spring time - so
no hostas had come up yet.

Present photo of my yard. The poor little hosta on the left was
just getting established under the tree - but something is
eating the leaves - whatever it is - it's not eating the one
on the right. Eventually I hope to have more hosta and
St Augustine grass growing up the edge of the river
rocks. I would like to build another stone bench to put
under this tree.

I can't believe it - with all the heat and no rain - I have
a bud on the Encore Azalea bush. They are suppose to
bloom spring, mid-summer and fall.

Another shot of the interior of Geodesic Dome. Zinnias
make nice cut flowers.