Flowers Around The House

[geckzilla]

This one has 4-little bees on it.

Those are actually flies. They do try to imitate the coloration of bees a little bit but these particular ones aren't doing a very good job. There are some impressive bee mimics out there but if you watch them enough you'll learn not to be fooled. Even if you can't get a close look, they actually move significantly different from real bees. Of course, they are happy you think they are bees and avoid touching them since they don't actually have the stinger to back it up.

[Beyond]

Why those sneaky little devils.....

[orin stepanek]

Why those sneaky little devils.....

I really haven't seen too many bees this year. Last year a lot of bumble bees were always in my garden. I haven't seen them either.

[Orca]

We have a hydrangea plant in the front yard. It's doing great this year; it usually ends up shriveled and burnt but we've had such a cool wet spring and summer that it has escaped its normal fate. It is in full sun - on hot days it ends up getting damaged. Same with the vine maple next to it.

[orin stepanek]

I found this little flower growing at the bottom of my back steps and didn't have the heart to pull it out. I just decided to let it bloom there.

Kind of reminded me of an old song; but at least it doesn't have to worry about onions.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7soxUKX ... re=related[/youtube]

[orin stepanek]

I almost forgot about these until they decided to shoot out of the ground and bloom!

[eleanormars]

oh those are beautiful! i wish i had a garden. i just have a pathetic little window facing the common court towards which all the flats have their windows facing at...brilliant...

[orin stepanek]

This came from a box of mixed flower seeds; I believe it is a Daisy but am not sure.

flowers 002.jpg (37.96 KiB) Viewed 5010 times

[Beyond]

Looks just like the 'spanish' daisys that used to grow around my place, except that yours is all yellow. If i remember correctly, the spanish daisys have red petals with yellow tips. Keep on eye on them every year. One year i noticed that the petals were grouping in 2's & 3's. The next year they grouped up to 4. the year after that, they grouped up to 7. Sometime after that, most of them just disappeared. I think i remember seeing a small scragly looking plant around here somewhere this year. Once all the Tiger Lillies hit about 6-ft in height, for about 2-3 years, i forget exactly, they all disappeared also. For the last couple of years I've only had a few sorry looking, about 1-ft high plants scattered here and there.

[orin stepanek]

Looks just like the 'spanish' daisys that used to grow around my place, except that yours is all yellow. If i remember correctly, the spanish daisys have red petals with yellow tips. Keep on eye on them every year. One year i noticed that the petals were grouping in 2's & 3's. The next year they grouped up to 4. the year after that, they grouped up to 7. Sometime after that, most of them just disappeared. I think i remember seeing a small scragly looking plant around here somewhere this year. Once all the Tiger Lillies hit about 6-ft in height, for about 2-3 years, i forget exactly, they all disappeared also. For the last couple of years I've only had a few sorry looking, about 1-ft high plants scattered here and there.

I have a couple of lilies that are quite high. I hope I don't lose them but you never know. I just recently dug up my flower beds and reset the bulbs. Most of the flowers seem to like the looser soil.

[orin stepanek]

And now my wife's hostas are in bloom!

hosta in bloom

[owlice]

Orin, I'm reminded of a friend whose mother loved the foliage of the hosta, but not the flowers, so while growing up, my friend and his brother were dispatched each blooming season to cut all the flowers from the hostas; this is in contrast to my first husband, who liked the flowers, but didn't like the foliage.

I think some people just shouldn't have hostas!!

[orin stepanek]

Orin, I'm reminded of a friend whose mother loved the foliage of the hosta, but not the flowers, so while growing up, my friend and his brother were dispatched each blooming season to cut all the flowers from the hostas; this is in contrast to my first husband, who liked the flowers, but didn't like the foliage.

I think some people just shouldn't have hostas!!

I think Hostas make a great ground cover as the foliage is around for most of the growing season. They also do well in shady areas where other flowers don't do well. They are super easy to care for also!

[Ann]

Orin, your wife's hostas are lovely! (And blue, so let me give them a green smile!)

Ann

[orin stepanek]

Thanks Ann!
Ahh! Then there's my mums! I had 4 different colors but 2 of them died out over tbe winter. Only one is just starting to bloom.

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[orin stepanek]

Tahesre flowers haven't bloomed yet! Th stem is over 5 foot tall so I tied them up as it is supposed to get quite windy today.

[Beyond]

Haven't Bloomed yet Do they know what time of year this is Ya mean those dark things at the end of the stems are buds Orin, you got some 'splainin' to do

[Ann]

Orin, master gardener! Here in Sweden autumn has suddenly come with a vengeance. It doesn't feel as if there will be that many more splendid flowers here this year (although there will probably be some not-so-splendid flowers until mid-November or so).

Ann

[orin stepanek]

Haven't Bloomed yet Do they know what time of year this is Ya mean those dark things at the end of the stems are buds Orin, you got some 'splainin' to do

I don't even know what they are called! I got them in a box of mixed varieties from my friendly WM store. I'll try to get a photo of them as soon as they open!

Orin, master gardener! Here in Sweden autumn has suddenly come with a vengeance. It doesn't feel as if there will be that many more splendid flowers here this year (although there will probably be some not-so-splendid flowers until mid-November or so).

Ann

Thanks; but I just let Mother Nature do her thing. My Marigolds Hollyhocks and Impatiens are still blooming.

[Ann]

Orin, that's a lovely yellow "mum"(?). In British and Australian English, "mum" means "mom"! In Swedish we would call these flowers dahlias. (One dahlia, many dahlias - or, to be more specific, "många dahlior"!)

Ann

[orin stepanek]

Orin, that's a lovely yellow "mum"(?). In British and Australian English, "mum" means "mom"! In Swedish we would call these flowers dahlias. (One dahlia, many dahlias - or, to be more specific, "många dahlior"!)

Ann

Thanks Ann! I had 4 different colors but they got hit hard over the last winter.

I don't even know what they are called! I got them in a box of mixed varieties from my friendly WM store. I'll try to get a photo of them as soon as they open!

And here it is in bloom! That's the roof of my wishing well in the background.

[Ann]

That's a lovely flower, Orin!

Why not put some coins in your wishing well and hope you'll have more of them (the flowers, I mean, not the coins - but you don't have to say no to a few more coins!)













Coins are good! (And flowers, too, even if Uncle Scrooge hasn't discovered the charm of them!)








Ann

[Beyond]

Uncle Scrooge is toooo busy playing in the pressed goldie chunks. Their smell is intoxicating to him. And no bees, except for the ocasional Beagle boy.

[orin stepanek]

More are blooming now! Just in time to beat the first frost.

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[owlice]

Are they cosmos? That's what they look like to me.