As soon as I pulled out the extravagant sweet peas, the Blue Lake pole beans were happy to take over that planting box, sharing with basil. The other box is empty, and I don’t seem to have time even to think about what to do with it — so, I guess nothing until next month. But I picked enough basil to make a batch of pesto, and now am starting to enjoy the beans.
Flowers are everywhere, too. The white echinacea and the Delta Sunflowers in the front garden are my favorites. Those sunflowers are amazing – For years I’d been seeing them wave their bright blooms in the hot winds of California’s Central Valley, on zero summer water. Even last week I took some pictures as I was on my way home from the mountains, showing how they love to volunteer and reseed themselves in temperatures over 100°.
Landscape Lady suggested that I consider them for the way they bloom over the whole season, last fall when I was talking about sunflowers in the front, and she offered to share some of the plants that make babies year after year at her own place. She gave me five, and all five quickly revived from transplanting and started growing like the weeds that they are at heart.
They naturally look a lot nicer here where they get a little moisture to their roots.
I’ve been gadding about too much to be an attentive gardener — that’s where it pays off to have this relatively low-maintenance kind of space that produces so much beauty to welcome me home in a new way every time I return.
Gladsome Lights 
Yes, the sunflowers look great there, and the echinacea looks glad to see you!
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A low maintenance garden is definitely what you need if you are gone often! But what a blessing it is to have any garden at all! I love the photos of yours.
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I have a couple of that kind coming up in my front flowerbed. I have just let them grow, because like you said they are so drought resistant. They always remind me of when I was a girl I wanted to pick a bouquet of them for my Mom. I picked them and realized that the ants love them too. I threw them down and never have picked that variety again. 🙂 I still like them though. You have such a lovely garden.
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Gadding is good! I should do more of it and will as soon as the weather cools off. I love your sunflowers. We didn’t plant any but they grew up on their own lushly encircling our bird feeder. And then when the squirrels climbed them and broke them I got to cut a few to bring inside.
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This is such a lovely time of the year with all the gorgeous flowers blooming and all the delicious veggies and fresh fruit available!!
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All those look quite healthy and happy, even the lambs’ ears. That’s a lovely welcome when you come home 🙂
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Your garden is growing beautifully, GJ! I have lots of volunteer sunflowers, too.
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