My Garden Notebook - June 2012

Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly

stats


Gardening Zone: 7a
May High Temperature: 93 degrees F
May Low Temperature: 51 degrees F


Precipitation: 3.48 inches

wildlife


The bluebirds fledged and are now being taught how to feed by the parents. Just this morning I saw these same fledglings eating on their own from the feeders. Mom and dad must be so glad for the break.


Here are two of them begging from Dad. It was hard to get a clear photograph as they were moving around quite a lot.

Two Fledglings Begging from Male Bluebird

For several mornings in a row, I heard this loud call that sounded like a bird. When I would investigate, there was no sign of a bird. The sound was coming from the deck. I finally found a Cope's Gray Tree Frog under a planter of pelargoniums. For such a little fellow, he makes a very loud sound.

Cope's Gray Tree Frog

This is a four foot black rat snake that I rescued from my neighbor's shed. He was curled up in the riding lawnmower and has a few slightly damaged scales. I relocated it to my yard, hoping to have a natural vole control method. These are really harmless and are great friends of gardeners, controlling voles, mice, and rats. In addition, they will often prey on other snakes including venomous snakes.

Black Rat Snake

The goslings are growing.

Canada Goose and Goslings

Canada Goose and Gosling

A heron hunts in a nearby lake.

Great Blue Heron

I found this snail in the vegetable garden and relocated it to the deep woods.

Snail

This lizard stirs every time I enter the cottage garden, but I was able to get a photo of it.

Eastern Fence Lizard

I heard the call of the Red-bellied Woodpecker and looked up.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Male Northern Cardinal

This hummingbird perches on this tiny branch about 30 feet high but within eyeshot of one of the hummingbird feeders. He comes down for a feeding and returns to his perch high in the sky for most of the day to ward off any other hummingbirds that may attempt to feed from that feeder.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

The Stella D'oro lilies are blooming, and as I was photographing them I found this little garden helper.

Praying Mantis on Lily

And I was photographing daisies when I came across this mating pair.

Mating Hoverflies

what's blooming


With this gorgeous weather, there is so much blooming. 

Clematis 'jackmanii' and 'Dawn'

Common Orange Daylily

Knockout Roses

Yarrow, Achillea millefolium 'Moonshine'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue'

The oakleaf hydrangea has gotten so large and fills in the space very nicely.

Hydrangea aborescens 'Alice'

Pink Evening Primrose, Oenothera speciosa

The perennial garden is filling out.

Perennial Garden

The rabbits have been enjoying my young shoots of coneflower a little too much.

I purchased this amaranth variety a couple of months ago, and I am very happy with their drooping flower spikes.

Amaranthus 'Dreadlocks'

These redbud pods look very similar to snowpeas.

Seed Pods of Eastern Redbud, Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'

Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Knee High'

The herb garden is filling in.



In the herb garden:


basil, Thai basil, lemon grass, sage, parsley, chamomile, tarragon, oregano, dill, cilantro, thyme, savory, lavender, rosemary, apple mint, chocolate mint (mints are in pots)

Herb Garden

Because of our abnormally warm winter and spring, I had lettuce and other greens throughout the seasons. These took up two beds out of six in the vegetable garden. So, I am later than usual planting squash and beans, but it was nice to have the greens for so long.


In the garden:


raspberries, strawberries, peaches, Swiss chard, spinach, kale, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, snowpeas, squash, zucchini


I planted my snowpeas at the beginning of March, and I have been harvesting about a cup a day for about a month and a half.

Snowpea 'Avalanche'

In the last week or two, I have begun to harvest tomatoes.

Cherry Tomatoes 'Husky Cherry Red'

Soon, there will be peppers.

Bell Pepper 'California Wonder'

I have been picking enough raspberries for breakfast every morning.

Raspberry

completed chores


planted squash and zucchini
pruned branches of trees on edge of woods
trimmed Carolina jessamine vines
staked and caged tomato plants
moved Juniper skyrockets to another location
planted impatiens in front flower bed
set out plant supports for tall perennials
cleared some beds of excess English ivy
sowed bean and okra seeds
sowed cypress vine and moonflower seeds
spread Milky Spore powder for Japanese beetle control


chores for June


sow remaining bean seeds
edge planting beds with empire edging
plant remaining calibrachoa in planters
add more echinacea to perennial bed
clean out bird nests


inspirations


Having the bird feeders this year has allowed me to observe the birds more closely than usual. I watch the parents that nested in a nest box in the yard bring their young fledglings to the seed and feed them. It is a joy to watch.

What is in your garden notebook?


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I wrote Sadie's Story, a post about an American robin that nested in my side yard for Beautiful Wildlife Garden. It is a story of hope and loss. Carole Sevilla Brown's blog publishes posts from nature loving bloggers and writers on all sorts of subjects regarding gardening with wildlife.


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I will be linking this post to the following blogs:


Helen of The Patient Gardener hosts End of Month View. This monthly meme is where garden bloggers share their garden views for the end of the month.

Also, Town Mouse Country Mouse hosts First Views. This monthly meme offers an opportunity for garden bloggers to share their garden first views for the month.


The Gardening Blog hosts Garden Bloggers Harvest Day on the 5th of every month. See what others are harvesting all over the world.

© copyright 2012 Michelle A. Potter