Eye-candy Friday: More flora and fauna

My garden is a mess. Despite the weather being absolutely perfect for going outside and encouraging my thumb to turn a little greener, I haven't had enough time or energy to do everything that needs to be done. Weeds abound, I need to mulch, and I have a parsley seedling that's been lingering for two weeks unplanted. There are also about eight tomato plants for which I have dug trenches but have yet to actually transplant. Part of the problem is that I can't decide what I want, exactly. When we moved here, there were some really nice things in the front yard garden, but also a lot of "old lady" perennials that I didn't like at all. I dug some things up, left other things, planted some herbs...it's as disorganized as it sounds. Another thing is that the garden space in the front is just part of the yard, and it would really be better if the garden part was raised with a boundary (like rocks or bricks or short wooden walls) around it. I'm not sure how to do that without completely ripping
everything out.

And the back? I won't even start with the back yard. I like our yard, but the half that isn't lawn looks like it could be the movie set for "Where the Wild Things Are." Plus, I have a weedy onion patch next to a section I put chicken-wire fence all around to keep rabbits away from things like lettuce, carrots and chard. I'm sure whenever we try to sell this house, we'll have to re-landscape that part.

Okay, enough. This post wasn't meant to bore you with details of my lame garden plans, but to entice you with pictures of what's growing (besides the weeds.) So here we go.

First up, a purple flower that came up this year. I've never seen it before and don't remember planting anything like it, though come to think of it, I sprinkled some random wildflower seeds in that area last year just to see what would come up. Maybe this is one of those. I think this may be columbine, but I'm not sure. If you know what it is, leave a comment, eh?



Next, blooming sage. I put in this plant two years ago. I guess this is what happens when you don't trim it; new leaves replace the old ones on the tough, dried-out stalk, and then you get flowers!



Last, but not least, a patch of...any guesses?

Comments

Unknown said…
The last pic is onions, right?
Anonymous said…
I can't believe that you pass off indifferent plants as eye-candy and don't post any of that cute little boy who lives with you!!
Oma
Suze said…
nope, not onions!
Pam said…
Scallions???
Suze said…
nope, not scallions!
Animal said…
The top one is definitely a columbine flower, although your leaves are a little different than the ones we have. I think this comes in about a zillion varieties, and watch it: if you let the flowers fall naturally (instead of deadheading) it's an aggressive spreader.

Your last oniony pic looks a little like drumstick alium (comes up as a big, purple, Dr. Seussian ball), but you should definitely have the flower stalks by now.

I've really gotten into bulbs & stuff (since Tess kind of roped me into planting them when we first moved in), and I share your grief about overall organization. That first year we kind of dropped stuff in willy-nilly, and since that time I've really learned how important planning can be! And, yeah, it's hard to face the drudge task of moving stuff around, and creating borders...feh!
Suze said…
nope, not drumstick alium! In fact, I've never heard of it :)
Tooz said…
Could it be, perhaps, wild garlic? Looks like the grass I tried to get my pony to eat when I was a little girl, but he had better sense.
Anonymous said…
What's an example of an "old lady" periennial? As an old lady myself, I fear I might have some.
Aunt B
Animal said…
Oooh, Tooz may be on to something with the garlic! This stuff DOES look like what Tess' mom grows on purpose; pull one up and see what's on the other end! Could be tasty.
Pam said…
What is it? What is it?? :-)

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