In our mountain desert region, July means it’s hot and dry (although I note nature gifted us with some rain earlier this week). We continue to wait to see if summer monsoons will develop. The garden, while green from lots of supplemental watering, doesn’t have much color beyond yellow. Sure there is the occasional pink or purple Lupine still hanging on but the majority are bright yellow with an occasional pop of orange. The sunflowers continue to bloom like crazy, Coreopsis is naturalizing throughout the garden, Black-eyed Susan’s, and Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) have begun to announce their presence. It’s a welcomed volunteer, since it certainly wasn’t planted there but we’re always happy to greet botanical visitors like this fella. It just shows how determined nature can be despite inhospitable conditions. Hopefully there’ll be a few seeds to harvest for spreading this beauty deliberately around the garden.
Because our garden receives a fair amount of afternoon shade, some perennials are slow to bloom which means we’re waiting for the Goldenrod to begin its beautiful yellow appearance, though we’re seeing it elsewhere around the neighborhood.
Try as I might, neither Norman or Elsa were willing to pose next to this border sidewalk flower bed along our walk. So sad because these are the loveliest Black-eyed Susan’s around the ‘hood.
This year I began a bit of a garden experiment. By some miraculous way, nature seemed to take it upon itself to volunteer a tomato plant between some flagstones. I can only surmise its location was due to a germinated seed from a nearby pot where I had planted a cherry tomato last summer. I was curious to see whether it would do anything but with the tomato loving perfect conditions of hot days/cool nights this month, it has grown by leaps and bounds and began setting flowers a few weeks ago. Yesterday morning as I watered the nearby plants, look what I discovered.
Squeals! While I have no idea if they’ll be tasty at all, I will continue watering the plant to see if there’ll be enough for a small salad. Stay tuned on this botanical experiment.
We hope everyone has a safe but fun-filled weekend. Like Norman advised earlier this week in his video, make sure to wear your masks, social distance and wash your paws whether or not its mandated. Only together can we lower the COVID numbers and go back to giving ear rubs to all dogs we encounter and hug our family and friends again.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Cute video Norman!!
He’ll make a great pet therapy dog once we can get back to visiting the hospital. He’ll already good at sharing medical protocols.
Yes he is and is also adorable!
Aww, thanks. I think so but then I’m biased. 😊
As you should be. 😊😊
I love love love your Black Eyed Susans!!!! What a dense and gorgeous bed of them!
I had something similar happen with a tomato seed. Yours is further along than mine. Let us know if the tomatoes are tasty!
Trust me, I’ll be shouting out if the tomatoes are tasty. I’ve seen volunteers before but none have ever produced fruit so this is pretty exciting. I love Black-eyed Susans but mine have never looked that good! 🌼
Volunteer tomatoes – now that’s fun!! We have our yellow phases with flowers here too, but since yellow is my favorite color I’m always good with that. We do have some pink and red daylilies thrown in, and now some pink phlox too, so we’re starting to get more variety. 🙂
The volunteers were quite a welcome and lovely surprise. We like surprises like that. ☺️
Lucy and Xena: You look sooooo handsome sitting among the sunflowers, Norman
the Mom: Those little tomatoes are a gift of nature! Lovely pics of flowers all around.
Thanks, girls. They’re all special gifts. 😍
Your flowers are so pretty. We hope you get to eat some tasty tomatoes from that plant.
We hope so too though I suspect it will be a very small meal. LOL
Love your flower pictures! During the heat your tomatoes do not like to germinate so if you flick the flowers a bit in the morning that will help them germinate.
Ooh, great tip! I’ll give that a whirl when I’m out there watering the pots.
Brilliant colors of the season and tomatoes are on the way ….. well, as long as someone in nature doesn’t get them first.
Luckily it’s located close enough to the doorway (fingers crossed) to keep squirrel types away. Ok, maybe seeing the huge fur beast is more incentive for them to stay away. 😆
Norman and I have a deal. I won’t rag on him and he’ll protect and save the sunflower seed for ME.
You’re on Kismet. 🌻
Norman looks great next to the sunflower. And the black –eyed Susans are so pretty.
Mom has a tomato plant in a smart pot on our deck. It had a lot of flowers but they didn’t produce any fruit until just recently. She now has about 9 tomatoes. They are going to be small ones, but she doesn’t remember what kind she bought. She too is hoping for some to add to a tasty salad.
Woos – Lightning, Misty, and Timber
How exciting. I do t think I’ve ever had that many tomatoes from a pot! Good for you!
We love your beautiful flowers, and your magical tomato plant. Our black eyed Susans are starting to bloom.
I do wish my own feeble attempt at growing Black-eyed Susan’s were as successful as that sidewalk border we walk past every day. Have a great weekend.
Blanket flowers are one of my favorite wildflower…we don’t see them too much here in the Pacific Northwest, but they were part of the Austin(TX) Spring wildflower collection!
It’s a favorite of mine too. Even if I’ve never been able to grow them before. Hopefully this little guy will thrive. 🤞🏻
Oh, that is a beautiful Gaillardia! I would love to have a naturalized flower area, for the bees and butterflies and hummingbirds, too. I put the dead-headed blooms of desired plants where I want them to grow, but they might only gift me with one or two new plants, though the originals bloom heartily! Go figure…
I need to take a walk later and harvest some milkweed pods…the monarchs need lots of those.
How cool you got a cherry tomato plant that is returning the favor of you letting it grow:)
My one cherry tomato plant is in a patio pot, it is huge now, and full of fruit, but I had to anchor the pot, though while heavy, the wind kept knocking it over…sigh…so now its wired onto the patio table…hope the whole arrangement doesn’t go airborne, now that would be a sight!
I only plant tomato plants in pots to deter the squirrels. Still have to stake them though. My whole garden is what you’d call a cottage garden with loads of naturalizing. Started out with just 2 lupine and now they’re everywhere, which I love. Happy weekend Meezers and Woofie. 😍
Nature really IS tough! And those tomatoes . . . I already started thinking up dishes . . .
What’s up the kids not wanting to pose? Come on beauties? Give us your lovely mugs!
Happy Friday, Monika
Tough in spite of our abuse. Elsa has never been a fan of posing but I’ll work with the two of them more to make it a better experience. Read…LOADS of treats. Luckily both of them are good motivated. 😏 Here’s to a bravo kind of weekend!
Yes, they take a licking and keep on ticking.
Hahahaha! Whatever works, right?
Bravisima!
☺️
You guys always hit a home run. 🙂
Aww, that’s so kind of you to say. Thank you!
Such lovelee Daisyss’ Miss Monika…ourss will bloom soon. Mee hopess ourss are as purrty as yoress! An yore wee tomatoe plant iss furry hardy…hope THE tomatoess taste guud when they are ripe.
An Norman yore one stylin poochie….
Happy Furiday to al of youss’!
**purrss** BellaDharma an {{huggiess}} LadyMew too
Thank you sweet kitty. It’s always fun to look for pretty posies around the neighborhood. Have a good weekend!
That is the coolest thing! A tomato plant popping up between the flagstones. definitely a gift, I say.
Have a fabulous Friday and wonderful weekend, Monika!
Isn’t that the coolest gift from Mother Nature? Right back atcha on the weekend wishes, Miss Dale!
The coolest!
Thank you, kind lady!
😍
😘
I just love the overall tone of your blog. And your pics are super sweet. Thank you for sharing your heart! 👍🌼🙏
Aww, thank you so much for the kind words. Wishing you a weekend filled with joy and happiness.
Norman looks so sweet sitting with those flowers!
I’m so fortunate he’s so accommodating on posing for me. Hope you have a marvelous weekend.
Same to you 🙂
I love Norman. He’s so handsome and so well behaved.
Love all the nature and especially those beautiful flowers.
Have a fabulous day and weekend. Scritches to the pups. ♥
Aww, thanks. He’s a real sport for letting me pose him around the Ranch. Happy weekend to you!
Norman is such a handsome boy. You garden looks great, interesting to see if you get tasty tomatoes.
I hope they will have some flavour but have no expectations. Norman really looked regal in the sunflowers and makes me smile whenever he dashes out to follow me before the door fully latches. Hyvää viikonloppua!
Kiitos samoin!
🥰
A tomato from a plant in your own yard is always wonderful!
Especially one from a previous season! 😲
And a free one!
👍🏻 even better
Love your garden blooms and the art piece of your pooches are gorgeous!
Thanks, Garfield! Norman often follows me outside before the door latches. I love it when he sits in the flowers. Happy weekend!
Norman is gorgeous!!
Thanks, he’s a sweet and handsme boy.
Good luck with the tomatoes! 🙂
Have a great weekend, and stay safe,
Pit
It should be interesting to see if they taste good. I’m not a huge fan of tomatoes but once in a while they are rather nice…when they’re tasty.
once they will be big enough to hide there norman ;O) the mama awwed and ohhed … then she saw that you have tomato plants… the leaves looked promising to her hahahahahahaha
It was quite the surprise to see such a volunteer. We’ll see if anything comes from it. Happy weekend.