The Long and the Short of It

They may be short, but they are mighty.

And very unlike their companions in the backyard.

But I love them all.

Jill and the Giant Sunflower Stalk

It's a volunteer from dropped seeds from last year. Its parents were not like this, but that's that's genetics for you... nine feet and counting.

 

The Return of My Salad Days

 Over the years I have grown many varieties of lettuces, with greater and lesser success, depending on the weather, the watering plan, the seeds, the voracious caterpillars and just dumb luck. In the past while though, I really haven't saved room for lettuces  - the outcomes were so questionable that it didn't seem worth the effort. And, after 40+ years of daily salads, my tastebuds were simply bored.

Nonetheless, this winter I gave it one more try with Gustav's Salad from Baker Creek Seeds. The little seedlings which were started inside in late January survived dramatic downpours, a month of no rain, two separate heatwaves and stupid digging squirrels. I can't say that lettuce will always be in the garden, but if there is lettuce out back, it will be Gustav's.

My Lovely Neighbors

Two houses up from us live these wonderful people who help raise and protect monarch butterflies. This means that on our block and in the surrounding neighborhood, there are monarchs. Nearly year-round. Like I just said, wonderful people.

Monarch on Heliotrope, April 10th, 2026

I am not so wonderful. (True confessions here: I don't really like to grow milkweed plants in my garden. Those non-native orange aphids just creep me out.) 

I prefer to grow plants that feed the adult butterflies, who then go on to make new baby butterflies. A different "circle of life". After a few years of observation, I have found that there are two plants that 1) I love; 2) the butterflies and other insect-types love; 3) are easy to grow and bloom year-round (especially the heliotrope); and 4) don't need gallons of water to thrive.

They are Heliotrope, especially the white version (Heliotropium arborescens 'Alba') and Verbena Bonariensis. Now one entirely valid criticism of both these plants is that they are non-natives. True. So am I a non-native. But they do the job, probably better than I could ever do. 

Early Spring

I planted these crocuses in 1988. Or by now, maybe it was their ancestors that I planted way back then. It doesn't matter. They still are wonderful.

Homework

First it was the new heat pump. Now it's the hardwood floors. What to do when there are strange people working in your home, making a racket and causing the furniture to be rearranged?

You hide. No more, no less, you hide and hope it all ends soon.