Summer...

Such long time between the posts! The summer has been very hot and my garden is not doing as well as I wish it would. I missed the peak of green bean harvest because I was on a trip for two weeks. Squirrels are picking my tomatoes. Beets did not grow much. Seedlings from the tomatoes that I started from seed grew very lush, but did not bear a single fruit. Even hot peppers are not producing as much as last year. I've done a lot of weeding, though. And a few other things have been doing well. Like my parsley... it's abundant.

There have been small harvests...

 and some native flowers are doing great even in this heat...

 as well as this surprise appearance... not sure what this flower is and when had I purchased it.

 I get a few cucumbers every week...

and three beans from a single pod that survived rabbit plague last year (and that were seeded in a special pot and kept in front of the house) produced 85 beans that I will plant next spring.

Bad Egg

I found this intact egg in my garden yesterday; it's probably a bad one cleared from a nest.

It's smaller than robin's egg, and its turquoise color is deeper, darker. I could not find on the web who it belongs to; will update this post if I do.

Tomato Sprouts

Something is sprouting in on of the terra cotta pots... I believe these are tomato seedlings (based on the tiny little "fuzz" on the stems) that I saved last year from a store-bought fruit. I did not follow any special fermenting process that I later learned is necessary for tomato seeds, so this is a happy surprise. That is IF these are indeed tomatoes. Nothing has sprouted in the other pot... but I still thing it's sweet pepper that is not coming up.

Sam's Farm

With nothing planned for this afternoon, I decided to go visit Sam's Farm nursery on Route 7 near Falls Church. For one reason or another I had not been there yet this year.They have wide variety of plants, shrubs and garden decorations.
I feel like a kid in a candy store every time I go there. I want this and this, and this... Meadow rue is so beautiful. Just a picture this time will have to suffice.
Love this green horse. Everything seems to be growing so well at Sam's Farm.
This dude looks just like my dad :)
Elephant. Or is it a mammoth?
Mammoth detail...
My purchase: black salvia, perennial verbena, toad lily and one more flower I do not know the name of. Did I keep the tag??? And exactly where I should plant them?
I really did not need any more plants, but cannot help but get something when I'm in nurseries. I guess some people have the same feeling in shoe or department stores. Then in comparison my obsession is not as costly. This black salvia was the most expensive purchase and only $10.
At first I did not have a clear idea where everything would go. After some plant musical chairs in my front yard, everything is in ground and well watered. Grow well now!

Nameless Beauty

I do not know what this plant is. In my mind I call it "pretty nettle". I has been in my garden ever since we moved in. The plant is annual, it releases strange aroma and has small, insignificant flowers. It self-seeds and I have it in many places in my garden.

The most striking feature is the purple leaves that also have an iridescent glow to them. Right now the plants are in their prime.