Fluttering By

As always, it's a bit of a shock to find ourselves in this last week of July already.

Every year I'm a little surprised to realize it, even though I've watched the various species of spring and early summer come and go, alongside all those events and activities (or lack of) that characterize the busy-ness of July.

This morning, with the oregano in full bloom, we've begun to see more butterflies--as well as a host of other pollinators (but sad to say, no honeybees this year...) visiting the Orchard Garden.

Here's another of those picotee cosmos blooming.

This one is particularly tiny, only an inch or so across, which suggests to me that perhaps a little fertilizer is required.

Another sign of the passing of time is the blooming of the later, lavendar-toned beebalm, which also began this week.

Beautiful, huh?

Also, the yellow daylily I bought at the plant sale has begun blooming this week!



My beefsteak tomato plant has some wonderful fruit growing on it. Across the path, the first of a cluster of plum tomatoes has begun to flush with a little color. How I look forward to enjoying some of these!

Here's the first of the cosmos grown from seed, this one a lovely combination of pink and carmine, though also a little on the small side.

Another bloom from the Joan Senior daylily.


Down below, yet more proof that the last days of July have reached us, with the arrival of the garden's king, the Monarch Butterfly!