These two pictures represent my "silly girl" plant purchase for 2006 (this is usually an annual occurrance). The bottom picture was in the Dutch Gardens catalog, listed as "Fantasy Monarda"...they also said it was "new". This statement, however, WAS the "fantasy"...turns out this plant is also known as "horsemint", and is a wildflower in many areas, as in the other illustration from a wildflower web page. (though not actually a mint). Now, to Dutch Garden's credit, they DID give the scientific name, "monarda punctata"...and had I done my homework, I could have made this discovery prior to purchase. But all I saw was "new", and I had a credit to use, so I thought "what the heck". I DO like the plant, although the pinky-purple portions aren't as colorful as either picture shows (may just be conditions at my house). But I feel a tad "duped"...and will do a lookup on ask.com from now on when I seek a shiny, new plant. This way, I can be sure of what I'm getting, and often find a better price...3 cheers for the internet!

This is kinda "old news", but I wanted to share the fun I had 2 years ago...one of the "3 bears" paid a visit to my birdfeeder! He liked it so much, he came back three times-I'm just happy he didn't try to get in the house! I suspect it was the oranges/grape jelly I had out for the orioles that drew him in, but as you can see from the toothmarks, he wanted at the sunflower seed, too. Good size mouth on that bear, judging from the distance between top and bottom toothmarks (he bit the feeder sideways). Later that fall, somebody shot a new state record bruin-660 lbs.! They got that one @ 10 miles away from my place...not real comforting to know that we grow them that big up here!

Okay...what's going on here? The picture on the top is the first flower from this daylily...looks like a starfish! Then the 2nd flower is normal...weird! Anybody know what causes this? One of my orange daylilies that bloomed double last year came out all single this year, also. Is it something in the flower bud? The roots? The stems? Gremlins? Fairies? Gnomes? I am stumped!

BOILING SKY-this was the scene at my house 2 nights ago...the news said there was "rotation", so I had to see for myself...yep, rotation all right! And although I know how dangerous it is to be outside during a storm like this, there I was...only the dangerous lightning made me go in. The clouds were coming downward toward me, and it just looked too cool....luckily no damage at my house. The biggest upshot was the much-needed rain-over 5" in the last 3 days...hooray! I was SOOO tired of watering!

This odd-looking flower was labled as an annual at the greenhouse where I bought it, but no other info...I think "Spoontunia" might be appropriate!

This triple/quadruple orange daylily is one of my favorites! Unsure about the official name-my sister thinks it has some sort of "ice cream" name, and that Wayside Gardens may have sold it many years ago. I have yet to see it in a catalog anywhere!

I NEED HELP!! Can anyone in cyberspace help me identify this plant? I got it from my sister, and she cannot remember what it is. No flowers, just these odd-looking dangly things. I like the foliage, but I really must know what it is...I have markers by all my plants, and get very frustrated if I cannot identify something! Thank you all in advance.... : )

The best part of the storm!

Cute little sedum ("Coral Carpet") I bought locally last year as a groundcover...spreading nicely and blooming as well. Forget the name, but I can look it up if anybody wants it....

One of my favorite Trilliums....I currently grow 5 different varieties...it's kind of a sickness...

Though not a "beverage", I find this pitcher of impatiens very "refreshing" :)

This cute pink aster is a volunteer that just appears in my yard...I've tried to transplant it to a spot I choose in the flower beds, but it is very resistent to such discipline!

This daddy longlegs seems very comfortable relaxing in the bloom of this "Neon Flash" spirea

"Dropmore Scarlet" Honeysucke vine...my hummingbirds love it!

I named this hosta "Big Mystery"-it was a seedling that just came up at my mom's as a result of some "midnight rendezvous" between two unknown parent plants. I figured the name was fitting, since it's big and the lineage is a mystery...

I was very pleased that this skinny little almond bush bloomed so well!

The asparagus patch did pretty well this year!

Here's new window box number 2-pretty also!

Finally took the plunge this year and traded my old plastic window boxes for these copper ones-kinda expensive, but very durable, and I really like them!

Ahh summer!

tulips were really nice this sping! my "Oscar the Grouch" topiary in the background...work in progress for sure!

never seen an albino squirrel...but this black one shows up fairly regularly. in Indiana, we had mostly red-colored squirrels like these, but here in northern Wisconsin they are mostly grey...i find these variations interesting.

Grape Hyacinth (Muscari) this past spring

My "Cobweb" hen and chicks sending out babies like little "satellites"...cool!

bellflower-cool!

Clematis "Miss Bateman"

Welcome to the "Beer Garden" :)

Widow's tears-this one is particularly pretty, "Bilberry Ice"

Another nice iris!

This is my bench by the fire pit-nobody wants to sit by the toilet lid...dunno why!

White bearded irises are one of my favorite iris colors-they look like clouds!

This allium is called "Hair" (for obvious reasons), blooms early summer for me (zone 4)-really entertaining plant!

pollinators hard at work!

Another cool friend! It makes me sad when they eat my frogs, but hey-that's life!

I got this cute little water garden at Menard's of all places! The barley bag is to help keep the water clear-does a great job!

Anything can be a planter if you want it to! (The bedpan is my favorite!)

This is one of my favorite garden friends!!

Still in the garden....be back soon.....