Butterflies and banana spiders

My, I had fun this morning! The back garden was just a-flutterin’. Several Gulf Fritillaries were enjoying the Purple Coneflowers, making the almost roseless garden a happier place for the gardener.

I was so surprised by their constant wing-flapping.

They did not sit still and pose for these. Flap, flap, flap.

It was no bother at all to keep pressing the shutter. Click, click, click.

Seeking the perfect image.

Close but no cigar.

Perhaps closer.

This isn't the age old problem of "someone moved". Mr. Blur was frantically trying to get a spot on the other guy's flower, but he must have been sending out some territorial vibes, because Mr. Blur never landed.

We may have a winner.

You know, if these aren't enough to satisfy your butterfly appetite, I have a few dozen more.

Two for one.

I just can't stop.

Alright, I'm under control now.

I believe this is a Honey Bee. The Bumble Bee wouldn't sit still at all.

Though it was only 86 degrees at this point, it felt pretty much like a sauna, and I was decidedly damp. My pajamas were stuck to my legs, and my arms were dripping. Isn’t Florida in the summer wonderful? Humidity notwithstanding, the garden really was an idyllic place this morning. I didn’t even walk through a spider’s web. Around here you have to carry a stick and wave it in front of you as you walk along. DH gets a good laugh watching me through his den window.

You can barely see the web of this Banana Spider aka Golden Silk Spider aka Nephila clavipe, and if you look hard above the right roof edge, you'll see the inhabitant of this web herself. The interesting thing is the way a buds-bearing cane of 'Blush Noisette' has been pulled toward the spider with the silken threads of her web.

There she is seemingly support-less in thin air.

But the web really is there. I don't bother webs that are not in areas where I walk. These spiders are beneficial except for the willies they give me, so I leave them be.

The fading glory of 'Nur Mahal'.

The soon-to-be glorious 'Duchesse d'Auerstadt'.

This lady, along with several others, has strung her household from an azalea up to the eaves just like the fake stuff you see in the movies.

These caladiums were a stroke of brilliance last year to hide the bare ground and naked legs of 'Reve d'Or'. Unimpressive last year, they make a big impact this year, being about three feet tall with leaves well over a foot long.

'Gingerland' caladium is new this year and smaller than the one above. I think these won't be as big as the other. And I really love the coloring on Gingerland. He likes sun.

Before the tree trimming I moved 'Napoleon's clay pot out of the dead shade onto the patio. Poor guy had no leaves. He's leafed out in the meantime, and now this twiggy China has a flower. Happiness is...

You can see why they're called Golden Silk Spiders.

They're all over the place, and this one's about four inches long.

Just at dinnertime we had a nice downpour - again. Gee, it seems like old times in Florida since we're having these nearly daily rains. I thought I'd see if I could capture a wet web.

Here’s Mrs. Banana Spider. She’ll be doing some housework tonight since the rain knocked two big, round holes in her web. It’s always something, isn’t it?

Garden views

I may have just missed the fabled 'golden hour' of photography this evening, but it was very pleasant walking in the garden as the sun went down. There were a few near tragedies and irritations, some sweet surprises and even one or two at-a-girls! Not too bad for an in-between-bloom time.
 

Definitely irritating! These rototiller-armadillos are so obnoxious!

I got a kick out of this month's raffle question in the Marion County Rose Society newsletter, Rose Rambler. It came from an article called "CIDES: a few things to consider before using them". The list included algicide, avicide, bactericide, and on it went. The raffle question for this month's meeting is, "What “cide” is used to deal with Armadillos?" Boy, did I run to find that answer!! Eagerly, I read to the end of the list, seeking the antidote to my garden terrorist. It was the last one, and not exactly what I was hoping for. For armadillos use pistolcide.

 

Even in the face of this tragedy DH won't let me walk around with a loaded gun. I guess the world is a safer place, but...

'White Pet' - can't hold her back!

'Frilly Bliss' - that's two flowers in case you weren't quite sure.

Silly 'Mrs B R Cant'. Doesn't she know she's in the shade?

'Indy Indy' is my new fave! It's the sweetest rosy color. I just love it and will definitely be getting more..

'Maman Cochet' starting again.

Having bloomed spectacularly on her one and a half canes, 'Quietness' is adding new growth and getting ready to impress again. For a non-OGR her health is as impressive as her blooms. She's 12 inches away from the west side of the house. Not exactly ideal, but the poor thing loves it.

'Souvenir de la Malmaison' and a couple of clematis 'Princess Diana' flowers. The Princess has presumed her way onto SDLM. Those are her leaves in the lower right and elsewhere. Okay by me.

I haven't shared much of 'Le Vesuve' this year. She suffered a great deal from dieback that left gaping holes in her. I have never practiced "pruner hygiene", and it has never been a problem. However, when the dieback started, I noticed it occurred where I had made cuts and spread downward. So I cleaned the pruners with alcohol, but the dieback continued.

I more or less decided to never touch her with clippers again, but the dieback was going farther down the canes. I was afraid it was a live or die situation, so I carried a cup of Clorox with me, and after every cut I dipped and shook and sometimes blotted on my old shorts. What the heck - didn't know if the rose would be bothered by the bleach so the shorts were sacrificed.

Thankfully, the dieback seems to have stopped.

And 'Le Vesuve' is hopefully making a recovery. She's starting her next flush anyway.

'Duquesa' is blooming in earnest. She's a gorgeous bush, but sad I am to say that her flowers fade and go brown too quick for me. Yesterday she surprised me though which some very nice peachy flowers, and tonight there were even more.

Here she is from the other side. Quite lovely, don't you think? We'll see how big a flush this turns out to be.

Duquesa's flowers are on the small side - less than two inches but very pretty and sweetly fragrant.

Here's a sweet one.

Believe it not, I don't know the name of this daylily. I have no memory of it blooming last year and vaquely thought it was a yellow one. Well, I guess not. I'll have to look at my list...and take a wild guess.

Even blown, 'Madame Abel Chatenay' steals my heart.

The bush form of 'Clotilde Soupert' is making her presence known.

'Fred Ham' is the daylily along with 'Peach Drift', Clotilde and dahlia 'Lucca Johanna'.

'White Maman Cochet' in bud...

...and blown.

Purple coneflower. Name notwithstanding, I love her shade of pink.

A scene I've been dreaming of since I started this garden... leaves AND flowers.

This makes me think of a flower arrangement for the table. I think Mother Nature must have taken a class.

Maybe the anticipation was simply too much, but the daylilies seem to be less prolific this year. This is encouraging though.

Talk about anticipation...

I thought I'd knock your socks off at the end. These caladiums are not quite as bright as this in real life, but that's what the camera saw so who am I to argue.