Wordless Wednesday – Steel-Blue Cricket Hunter

Posted on July 29, 2025 by Eliza Waters
Steel-Blue Cricket Hunter (Chlorion aerarium)
Posted in Field Notes, My Photos | Tagged , , , | 60 Comments

IAVOM – Better Than Ice Cream

Posted on July 27, 2025 by Eliza Waters

My arrangement this week looks a bit like an ice cream cone, but since I can’t eat that wonderful confection, this will suffice!

In the vase: Pink spires of Chinese astilbe (A. chinensis var. taquetii ‘Superba’), spider flower (Cleome hassleriana), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), globe thistle (Echinops ritro), longleaf speedwell (Veronica longifolia), flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata), one pale zinnia (Z. elegans ‘Aurora’) and a few green sprigs of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis).

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts the weekly garden meme In A Vase On Monday, featuring flower arrangements from our gardens. Click the link to join the fun or see what others are sharing this week.

Posted in Country Gardening, My Photos | Tagged , , , , , , | 81 Comments

Silent Sunday – In the Garden

Posted on July 26, 2025 by Eliza Waters
Posted in Country Gardening, My Photos | Tagged , , , , , | 72 Comments

Wednesday Wonder – Strange Little Aliens

Posted on July 22, 2025 by Eliza Waters

I wrote a post a dozen years ago about a lacewing larva that I found in my yard, which disguises itself by sticking debris on its back as camouflage. It became one of my most visited posts! My curiosity led me down a path of learning that has stayed with me to this day.

When I noticed a strange caterpillar on one of my gloriosa daisies in an arrangement on the counter, I knew that it does a similar thing as the lacewing to improve its chances of survival. This inchworm is called a camouflaged looper (Synchlora aerata) and it sticks bits of flowers and leaves to itself using sticky saliva. Coincidentally, two years ago I posted a photo of the beautiful adult– a wavy-lined emerald moth. (Click the links to visit the posts.)

Camouflaged looper (Synchlora aerata)

Mother Nature is always amazing me, I shall never be bored in her company!

Posted in Country Gardening, My Photos | Tagged , , , , , | 79 Comments

IAVOM – First Dahlias

Posted on July 20, 2025 by Eliza Waters

My first dahlias opened this week, an annual that I always look forward to as I love their perfectly formed, long-lasting blooms. These were a passalong and are a short variety bred for containers and front of the border planting. My taller dahlias will take a bit longer to bloom, maybe another 7-10 days.

Accompanying them are Zinnia ‘Aurora’ and ‘Yellow Profusion’, white pearl yarrow (Achillea ptarmica ‘The Pearl’), red Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’, and purple Veronica longifolia.

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts the weekly garden meme In A Vase On Monday, featuring flower arrangements from our gardens. Click the link to join the fun or see what others are sharing this week.

Posted in Country Gardening, My Photos | Tagged , , , , , , | 87 Comments

Silent Sunday – White Stars

Posted on July 19, 2025 by Eliza Waters
Gooseneck Loosestrife (Lysimachia  clethroides)
Posted in Country Gardening, My Photos | Tagged , , , | 56 Comments

Wordless Wednesday – Summer Rain

Posted on July 15, 2025 by Eliza Waters
Posted in Country Gardening, My Photos | Tagged , , , , | 56 Comments

IAVOM – First Zinnias!

Posted on July 13, 2025 by Eliza Waters

My first zinnias opened this week (Z. elegans ‘Aurora’) and I am pleased with the color, they live up to their name– goddess of the dawn.

Accompanying them are gloriosa daisies (Rudbeckia hirta), red/orange yarrow (Achillea millefolium ‘Paprika’), anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), poppy seed heads (Papaver somniferum), dill (Anethum graveolens) flowers and bronze fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) foliage.

A second bouquet was a gift for a friend that I thought I’d share as well. I really packed it with lots of different flowers, a classic meadow posy! Speedwells: white and pink (Veronica spicata) and purple (V. longifolia), bugbane (Actaea simplex), bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides), yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia punctata), sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa) pink and white mallow (Malva moscheutos), oxeye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare), fleabane (Erigeron annuus) and white yarrow (Achillea millefolium).

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts the weekly garden meme In A Vase On Monday, featuring flowers from our gardens. Click the link to join the fun or see what others are sharing this week.

Posted in Country Gardening, My Photos | Tagged , , , , , , | 85 Comments

Silent Sunday – Morning Buzz

Posted on July 12, 2025 by Eliza Waters
Posted in Country Gardening, Field Notes, My Photos | Tagged , , , , | 42 Comments

Floral Friday – Mauve Poppy

Posted on July 11, 2025 by Eliza Waters
Posted in Country Gardening, My Photos | Tagged , , , | 74 Comments