This morning in the back garden...

Baptisia Blue False Indigo





Bee working its magic on Baptisia False Indigo Solar Flare





Eastern Beebalm





1st (& 2nd) Missouri Evening Primrose flowers of the year





You might not like them, but a lot of Wasps are beneficial





1st Coneflower flower of the year, Yellow Coneflower

Mike, great pictures. You are correct, I HATE WASP!

Mike, your photographs are right up there with your garden. Both are stunningly beautiful.

Mike great pictures.

Great photos, what is the temperature over there? We had a short warm spell, but now it's down in the 50's. My garden is seeded, but nothing is popping up yet.

We have a 12'x12' raised bed herb garden, a small 15'x15' garden, a larger 20'x30' garden and several berry vines around the border of the yard. Some things are popping up, but the weather has been bad.

I found a Mantis cocoon a few weeks ago and was going to get a photo, but a bird must have eaten it. I love manids, but Assassin bugs (forget their real name) are my favorites. They're crazy looking insects.

(04-27-2012, 09:16 AM)Johnny9 Wrote: Great photos, what is the temperature over there? We had a short warm spell, but now it's down in the 50's. My garden is seeded, but nothing is popping up yet.

We have a 12'x12' raised bed herb garden, a small 15'x15' garden, a larger 20'x30' garden and several berry vines around the border of the yard. Some things are popping up, but the weather has been bad.

I found a Mantis cocoon a few weeks ago and was going to get a photo, but a bird must have eaten it. I love manids, but Assassin bugs (forget their real name) are my favorites. They're crazy looking insects.

Hi John

Thank you

I think like a lot! of North America our winter was very! mild with only a handful of really cold days thrown in (unlike the previous winter that was brutally cold...).

Spring most definitely arrived very! early this year, along with exceptionally warm weather and less rainfall than normal (so far). March Madness – a historic month via Missouri Integrated Pest Management Program. I would say we're a about 4 weeks ahead of where we would normally be in the garden...

That's a very good size herb garden, I'm guessing you must gets lots of tasty stuff out of that garden...

If all goes to plan next year I intend to put in a couple of 8ft x 4ft raised vegetable beds.

Last year in the back garden I put together and planted a Missouri native garden (49ft x 30ft), also installed a Hosta garden along the West side of house, photo album of that project here.

Here's a couple of photos taken last year in the back garden...

Chinese Mantis in Panicum Virgatum Northwind Switchgrass

Take care, Mike

Gorgeous pictures, Mike! You guys have some interesting neighbours!

12'x12' isn't large, but I do wish I would have gone long and narrow. Maybe several 2'x 8' beds--much easier to maintain.

I have herbs growing everywhere, not within the bed.
Lemon balm, a variety of mints, hyssop, chives, dill, tarragon, thyme, lemon verbena and a few others.

I like making hot sauce and salsa's, so I have a number of hot peppers growing, along with tomatoes, onions and garlic. I can pickles, dill, sweet and hot pickles. I dry, pickle or freeze most of the peppers--I love Mexican foods.

The other gardens are for veggies. Most get frozen and last me until the next harvest. I save all of my seed, so I don't need to keep buying seeds. You have many nice Hosta's, I only have a couple to act as a bordering plant.

Your photos are great, what camera are you using? I have a cheap digital, but I also have a Minolta dynax/maxxum 7. Since digital buried film, I don't take many photos any more. I mainly shot with Fuji Velvia and Provia E36 films, but now it's too much of a hassle to even enjoy.

Again, great photos, I love the mantid. They look like aliens. lol

Wonderful photos, Mike. Just the inspiration I need for my current return to photography!

(04-28-2012, 07:23 AM)Johnny9 Wrote: 12'x12' isn't large, but I do wish I would have gone long and narrow. Maybe several 2'x 8' beds--much easier to maintain.

I'd say that's a pretty good size herb garden... I agree having narrower beds does make things that much easier overall, 4ft wide if you can access from both side, otherwise 2ft would be perfect.

(04-28-2012, 07:23 AM)Johnny9 Wrote: I have herbs growing everywhere, not within the bed.
Lemon balm, a variety of mints, hyssop, chives, dill, tarragon, thyme, lemon verbena and a few others.

I like making hot sauce and salsa's, so I have a number of hot peppers growing, along with tomatoes, onions and garlic. I can pickles, dill, sweet and hot pickles. I dry, pickle or freeze most of the peppers--I love Mexican foods.

The other gardens are for veggies. Most get frozen and last me until the next harvest. I save all of my seed, so I don't need to keep buying seeds.

Makes me wish I had the time this year to start our vegetable garden... Also reminds me how much mum and dad use to grow in the back garden and on their allotment...

(04-28-2012, 07:23 AM)Johnny9 Wrote: You have many nice Hosta's, I only have a couple to act as a bordering plant.

Thanks! The Hosta garden takes up a space along the west side of the house where previously nothing grew (not enough sun, too much shade, therefore perfect for Hostas).

(04-28-2012, 07:23 AM)Johnny9 Wrote: Your photos are great, what camera are you using? I have a cheap digital, but I also have a Minolta dynax/maxxum 7. Since digital buried film, I don't take many photos any more. I mainly shot with Fuji Velvia and Provia E36 films, but now it's too much of a hassle to even enjoy.

Nothing special, a Canon PowerShot SD780 IS.

I would like to buy the wife a DSLR but she won't left me spend the money on one at this time...

(04-28-2012, 07:23 AM)Johnny9 Wrote: Again, great photos, I love the mantid. They look like aliens. lol

They are cool looking aren't they...

I was looking at that photo of the wasp and it reminded me of the time I chased a Hummingbird Moth to get a shot. It toyed with me for a long time and I had about a dozen blurred or out of frame shots before I finally got one. I can't even show you because it's a slide. lol

(04-30-2012, 07:22 PM)Johnny9 Wrote: I was looking at that photo of the wasp and it reminded me of the time I chased a Hummingbird Moth to get a shot. It toyed with me for a long time and I had about a dozen blurred or out of frame shots before I finally got one. I can't even show you because it's a slide. lol

Been in that exact same predicament too many times myself... but the advantage of a digital camera, it really doesn't matter if you end up with 1 good shot out of 20 or 30 (apart from the frustration of wishing you had a better camera).

Here's a couple of reasonable ones I ended up with last year...

Common Buckeye feeding on Purple Coneflower





Monarch Butterfly resting on Purple Coneflower

Wonderful photos. Just wonderful!

Mike, your photography is a joy to look at. Thanks again for a great look at your garden and its denizens.

Great pictures and captions, Mike. This is part of the reason I enjoy commuting to work via bike although we do not have such natural circumstances here in Houston.

Thanks for the pics., Mike!

Yesterday in the front garden...

Hosta garden along West side of house





Miniature Rose Bush in bud (photo taken 2nd May)





Miniature Rose Bush, first bloom of the year

---

Yesterday in the back garden...

Heliopsis Ballerina Ox Eye, first flower of the year





Eastern Purple Coneflower





Purple Coneflower





Missouri Evening Primrose with Eastern Beebalm in the background





Missouri Evening Primrose





Missouri Evening Primrose

Great photos Mike. Keep them coming. Always a joy to look at. I especially like the close-ups of the bee's and butterflies.

A good friend sent me this picture of this happy little fellow.

   

(05-07-2012, 09:47 AM)Johnny Wrote: Great photos Mike. Keep them coming. Always a joy to look at. I especially like the close-ups of the bee's and butterflies.

A good friend sent me this picture of this happy little fellow.

Hi Johnny

Thank you

I think my ugly mug must have scared them off yesterday as I didn't see any bees or butterflies while I was out there...

That's a fantastic photo, (s)he is a tiny little thing.

Take care, Mike

Mike,

Those photos are both gorgeous and priceless! This has become one of my favorite threads. Thank you.

Johnny,

Your photo just made me smile. Isn't it great that simple things like that can make us just feel good for the moment?