The Parking Strip: 5/19/15

Did you know there's only 15 days left of school?  WHAT?!  How is that possible?  Every year it goes faster and faster.

I'm down on the sidewalk for this post.  I think the parking strip has been my favorite section of the yard so far this season.  I'll hate it once we're in the middle of summer, and I'm having to go down and water on a more regular basis, but for now, I'm diggin' it.

So this is the first time ever I've had a Foxglove come back and bloom for me.

Yes, old-fashioned, weedy Foxglove.  My mom has given me starts at least a dozen times.  They never do anything for me.

Until now.

This is exciting stuff, kids.

Look how happy he is!

Here's a pulled back view of him with all his friends.

And from the other side.

My sister's Iris is bloomin' its little heart out.

I'm not a picker, in general, unless there's a ton of flowers, and I was able to pick three stems off of it today, without remorse.

I pick to my heart's content off the Phygelius.

Last year's Delphinium came back, but the flowers aren't as showy as the first year.

I'm not complaining, I love the blue.

I was excited about these bulbs I planted this fall.

Another one of my $2 Winco boxes.

I had two stems of buds, until Baby ran her scooter into one and snapped it off.  :(

The real name is a mouthful.

Nectaroscordum siculum, or Mediterranean Bells for short.  :)

On the other end, the Linaria that a birdie brought last year overwintered and is just starting to bloom.

The Amsonia is showing more color.

I had never even heard of this plant until scooping it up off the clearance rack last August.

And last, on the other side of the sidewalk, I couldn't walk by without taking pictures of the Campion.

Off to finish dinner.

I'm making this pasta with canned beets instead of fresh.

It smells delicious.