Okay heres a twist.....

I find this fascinating! This Lobelia as well as a couple others seeded themselves in the yard and have had just as much water as the other plants in the gardens. Which I have only watered 4 times since the last time it rained (when was that?). How does an annual do it? If this plant was in an hanging basket or a pot would it still be alive?

Whats really sad is the Lobelia looks better than some of the drought tolerant plants.

Maybe I'll plant a garden full of Lobelia next year.

Theresa's Summer Flowers

New raised bed day, this one is by Theresa......

she has a great mix of colors, 

textures and a great variety of heights

These gals are all about that one variety of Coleus, 

I must have that next year, it just pops out!

Flamin' Red Dahlia

Fabulous Fountain Grass

Theresa has some Alliums planted

Cosmos, Petunias, a red Zinna, and Marigolds(?) hiding

Big pom pom Dahlias

Yellow Zinna and purple Osteospermums

White Dahlia and yellow Zinna

Purple Dahlias and red Impatiens

Coleus and those are not Marigolds

Are they Zinnas?

Coleus that reminds me of stained glass

Huge Purple Dahlia

Coleus....WOW what color is that!

Next Up Is Pat's Flower Bed

Another entry in the raised bed story-line. 

This bed belongs to Pat.

Cool and hot colors together.....works for me.

Salvia? and Geraniums

Coleus and Marigolds

I want that variety of Coleus for next year

Verbena and Petunias

The more I look at that I do not think they are Petunias

Awesome color mix.....does it make you smile?

Another outstanding Dahlia.....

these ladies know their Dahlias!

Gardening At Any Age

For the next week or so I thought I would show you a Senior Apt. complex raised bed gardens that a few of the residents have done that I like to go visit. And they are very proud of what they are growing. This first photograph shows the beds all laid out in the court yard. Louis look at the Banana trees at the end and Danger there is a garden bed that actually has Opuntia pads for us. Something for everyone!

This first bed belongs to Muriel, she has had a lot of things blooming but when I got there she had cleaned up most of it, but she has these huge Chrysanthemum plants or should they be called shrubs. I will come back in a few weeks and get a photo of them while they are in bloom. 

Lots of Gladilous, but I bet she took them inside to enjoy.

This next bed belongs to Renee, nice trellis of Nasturtiums climbing up.

Nasturtiums and Geraniums

Beautiful Hollyhock, maybe I'll ask for some seeds.

White Double Hollyhock

Love the color pattern on this Dahlia.

Marigolds

Cosmos

Geraniums

Thats it for now, I'll post a couple more beds in a couple of days. Like I have always said gardening is for everyone no matter what age you are.   

Frog the III and The Baby

Will says he heard a frog croaking this morning and I went out to fill all the birdbaths and fountains and there was frog the III.

It was lounging in the birdbath fountain that the Hummingbirds use.

Right across the walk is the waterbowl bowl where the baby lives.

And there it was peeking out from under the parrotfeather. I feel like a proud papa......

Newest Addtion at Beech Street Gardens

Look what I discovered in the water bowl today 
among the water lettuce.......

Its about a half inch long, absolutely adorable.

Hopefully there were more that made it.