Bee-autiful activity in the curbside garden
Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) in full bloom are like a flashing neon sign saying EATS to the local honeybees. Man, do they love it.
So do I. They brighten up the summer-tired border with their frothy white blooms.
Here’s a wider view of the curbside bed. The chives always end up lying down after a rain, but it’s a worthy trade from my perspective.
The softleaf yucca (Yucca recurvifolia) has decided to put up another bloom spike of creamy, bell-shaped flowers. This is its second bloom of the summer.
Between the yucca and the salvias, our resident garden spider continues to nosh on bees, grasshoppers, and any other bug she can catch. See her on the left? And at right, tucked amid the yucca’s leaves, notice there are now two egg sacs! I posted about one egg sac a week ago, but she’s been busy since then.
The top one was the first. Now her nursery contains two.
To the right of the garlic chives, I like the lavender echo between purple sage (Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurascens’) and Mexican oregano (Poliomintha longiflora). Both are supremely deer resistant thanks to fragrant foliage.
Datura (Datura wrightii) is going to seed in its dramatically spiky fashion. However, I hope to see more flowers this fall before it shuts down for the season.
All material © 2006-2014 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Wow, you’ll be living in spiderville next season! Your fresh looking garlic chives are a nice addition to the late summer garden. (Mine is looking weary and ready for fall.)
Don’t frighten me, Peter. I’m sure most of them get eaten along the way to adulthood themselves. Ahem. —Pam
It does appear to be spider season. I wish one of mine would take out a grasshopper (or 2).
I like the Salvia and Mexican oregano mix. I don’t think I’ve seen Poliomintha longiflora before. I was surprised to find it in my Sunset garden book and to discover that it should survive in my area. I’ll keep my eye out for it – anything that blooms in late summer is valuable in the garden.
It’s a stalwart in my garden, Kris. I also like clipping it topiary-style, which it responds to very well. That’s how I used to grow it in my former garden. —Pam
I love this bed and want to do something similar along my driveway. I have some garlic chives also and they are putting on a show as summer winds down.
Enjoy your chives, Charlene, and have fun planting this fall! —Pam
I need to make a note to plant some chives and garlic next year….and just now realize that our yuccas did NOT bloom this year. Hmmmmmmm?
I wonder if they still might? I have another just putting up a bloom spike. —Pam
Your garden is looking lovely in its late summer calm shades of green, white and purple, that yuccas bloom is specatcular! The spider nursery is fascinating!
Thanks, Laurin. Argiope is a busy mom, isn’t she? —Pam
I’m tickled garlic chives are getting so much love online this year. They certainly deserve their moment in the sun.
I’ve been really happy with purple sage as a color accent this year. I hadn’t thought to partner it with Mexican oregano (mine is hanging out with some purple heart) but love the results you are getting. I’m looking around my front beds now with an eye to trying that out here. Anything that gorgeous AND deer resistant deserves duplication. Imitation being the highest form of flattery and all…
You bet, Deb. I like the idea of purple heart in that mix as well. —Pam