Time ran out for this hollyhock, which appears to be deep pink:
Late-season resurgence
Even as most of our flowers were winding down for the year, some took advantage of the early October rain and unseasonably warm weather to come back to life.
Like the geranium, which bloomed in spring and again in late summer…
The white coneflower, which was eaten by rabbits in the spring before it could bloom and finally decided to try again…
The tomatoes, which did produce lots of fruit during the normal growing season and tried again anyway…
A sunflower that sprouted extra blooms after the main flower head had gone to seed…
The broccoli, which didn’t make any progress until October…
The dahlia that didn’t even send up leaves until late August…
And the feverfew that has been blooming all season long.
Where do bumblebees sleep?
Judging by our front yard, bumblebees sleep in hollyhocks.
They rest in or cling to the blooms, sometimes upside-down.
This sleeping bumblebee must have been too tired to leave after gathering so much pollen.
I gently petted this bee, and he kicked his legs out but didn’t fly away. It made me think of a protesting teenager: “Five more minutes, Mom!”
Looking bedraggled after spending a night in the rain.
Do not disturb.
Springtime in September
Perhaps excited by the warm temperatures and rain (finally), one brave iris decided it couldn’t wait until spring.
Unexpected Flowers
We are converting much of our lawn into gardens, both perennials and vegetables. Most of the flowers returned this year, although some, like the bunchberry, didn’t. And some others showed up as a surprise:
Daisies: they may be invasive weeds, but they’re still pretty.
Zinnias: I planted these in hanging baskets and they didn’t come up. Perhaps they were relocated to the front yard by the wind or birds.
I believe these are calendula. Another flower that I planted elsewhere (in two other locations), but rabbits got one spot and the other didn’t come up.
Sometimes, my penchant for letting shoots grow until they’re proven to be weeds pays off.
crystallofolia 