Wordless Wednesday: Bees on Fruity Teucrium

How many can you find? Bees on Fruity Teucrium, © B. Radisavljevic

Small Visitors to my Garden in Early May

Visiting Insects in May

Although we schedule our visits on a calendar, it's not so neat in the insect world. They appear by season rather than by date. So although I can say that these insects were all garden visitors during the first two weeks of May, some had been hanging around since April, and some, like the bees,  visit me during the entire year. Let's look at them. My most welcome guests this month have been the ladybugs, who flew in to clean up my aphid problem.

Ladybugs Busy Mating and Eating Aphids, © B. Radisavljevic

They have been a great help to me. In the photo above you can see the one on top eating one of the aphids. The two on the bottom of the flower are mating. You can see how the unwelcome aphids are sucking the life out of the calendula plants. In the middle of April I had four heavily infested calendula flowers and one infested wormwood plant. It took the ladybug air force a month to finish the job, but as of yesterday there are no more aphids and most of the ladybugs have moved on. Below is another calendula plant they cleaned up. Do you see all the ladybugs visible on just this one plant? I counted nine.  How many can you count?

Ladybird Aphid Eating Crew on Calendula Plant, © B. Radisavljevic

There are still a few ladybugs lurking in the rosemary and on other plants. I found the one below in the crotch of this clary sage plant. I'm hoping it's not about to be a meal for the spider that lives there. We will see it later.

Ladybird Hiding on Clary Sage Plant, © B. Radisavljevic

 

Another insect currently in my garden is the spittlebug. Spittlebugs are small insects who cover their motionless nymphs, who hang out on the foliage of perennials, shrubs, annuals, and herbs, with this unsightly foam as they suck juices from the stems. According to Sunset, they do little damage and leave after about three weeks. If they really bother you, you can wash the foam off with a hose. They do make the plant look a bit ugly. Here they are "decorating" my rosemary.

Spittlebugs on Rosemary, © B. Radisavljevic

The last insect, the one who visits almost every day, is the hard-working bee. Below you see it on fruity teucrium, a ground cover, which is blooming now. The bees love it. I couldn't fit them all into this one photo, and they kept flitting off to new blossoms while I was focusing.

Bees on Fruity Teucrium, © B. Radisavljevic

Before we leave the insects, here's one more photo of a bee. This one is working on a lamb's ears flower. The lamb's ears started to bloom just a few days ago. This photo is just the right size to pin if you'd like to share it.

Busy Bee on Lamb's Ears, © B. Radisavljevic

The Inconspicuous Crab Spider in Early May

This spider has visited many of my plants. I have seen her (and what I assume is her mate) on the calendula plants with the ladybugs and aphids, on the juniper bushes, and on the rosemary.  It is very hard to see on this rosemary plant, even when I blow it up. It's not a large spider to start with, and it can take on the coloring of the plant it's on to blend in. Can you see it in the lower right corner below? I had to get into a very awkward position to get this photo at all.

Inconspicuous Crab Spider in Rosemary, © B. Radisavljevic

One of these spiders seems to be living on my clary sage. It's much easier to see and photograph there. It usually scrunches up like this while waiting for prey to appear. I do have a video of two of these spiders interacting on a calendula plant, and once they start moving, they are fast. I think one may have been chasing the other. The one below is a female. The male is smaller. I saw a male on this plant a couple of days earlier. I don't see it now. I wonder if the female had him for dinner. To see how this spider mates, check the last photo on this blog post.

Inconspicuous Crab Spider on Clary Sage Leaf, © B. Radisavljevic

 Spiders & Other Arachnids
I love being able to understand which insects and spiders are visiting me. Here are some books which have been a great help in identifying and understanding them. The two books on the bottom right will appeal to children and are small enough to carry into the backyard for field use. The books on the bottom left have a format designed for teens and adults. All are illustrated and will help you identify garden visitors with six or eight legs. The short video at left above shows you some common spiders in action up close. Prime members can watch it for free. Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial

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 A Field Guide to Insects: America North of Mexico National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders (National Audubon Society Field Guides (Paperback)) Fandex Family Field Guides: Bugs Peterson First Guide to Insects of North America

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• Insects in My Neighborhood in April
• Plant Pests and their Predators: Aphids and Ladybugs
• Nature notes: bees born with good vibrations
• Ladybugs Macro Photography by Tomasz Skoczen
• Top 10 Bizarre Insect Predators
• Sages Add Color and Attract Beneficial Insects to Your Garden
• Happy Bees Enjoying March Flowers
• I Saw My First Butterfly This Year Today
• In photos: Busy summertime bees - part 1

Nigella - A Wonderful Garden Surprise

Nature's Little Garden Surprises

Sometimes exploring my garden with a camera in my hand helps me see things I might not take note of otherwise. This morning when I was out spider and ladybug hunting, I saw a strange flower next to my mums and hyssop. It was unique. After half an hour of research, I identified it as nigella (Love in a Mist.) 

Rose Color Nigella Flower, © B. Radisavljevic

Although finding this nigella was a surprise, it is not an accident. I first saw nigella at Fat Cat Farm in May, 2013. It looked like this.

Blue Nigella Flowers, © B. Radisavljevic

I came back about a month later for my final purchase before Fat Cat Farm closed its doors. By June the seed pods on top were beginning to mature. I liked the unique form of this flower and wanted some, but Rhoda said it doesn't transfer well and was about to die back anyway. I seem to remember her digging one up for me anyway and potting it without charging me.  I seem to remember planting it, with hopes it would reseed, since Rhoda had said it reseeds freely.  I don't see evidence in my photo  record of that  year that I did plant it, but I know if I did, it did not survive or reseed.

The nigella plants look just right in a rock garden. Some of them were in a rock garden at Fat Cat Farm. I snapped this shot on my last visit that June. You can see how the seed capsules have grown. Nigella does need  to be watered while it's growing and blooming. 

Blue Nigella Flowers in Rock Garden, © B. Radisavljevic

Later that year I bought some nigella seeds and planted some the next spring, but I forgot about it -- until today, when I started wondering what those strange-looking pink  flowers were. I found an old flower book I had  around the house and started looking at all the pink flower photos. Bingo! When I saw the name nigella, it clicked. I had been thinking of them as blue, like the ones I'd seen at Fat Cat Farm. I've since learned they also come in white and rose. I must have planted rose. Amazon has a varied selection of nigella seeds if you can't find them locally.

Nigella flowers are attractive in bouquets, dried, or in the garden. It's best to plant them from seed on open ground in early spring. You may think they are weeds when they first come up. I admit, I almost pulled them, but I've learned by now to recognize certain leaf patterns as more likely to be flowers. I thought it only fair to let these plants show me what they were before I took drastic measures. I'm glad I waited. "Love in a Mist" has rewarded me for my patience. Tomorrow I'll take another look around to see if there are anymore I haven't discovered yet.

Meanwhile, I remember Fat Cat Farm fondly, and I do miss it. This photo taken in their herb garden is an appropriate tribute.  It is also the right size for Pinterest if you'd like to share it there, as is the photo after it. The sculpture is made of recycled materials. I did not see the name of the creator.

Other share buttons are just above the comment box below.

Have you ever had Nigella in your garden or seen it growing?

Ladybugs Mating - Caught in the Act

Record Number of Ladybugs on One Plant Today

This morning I went to do my almost daily ladybug count on my aphid infested calendula plants and I counted sixteen on this one plant. So far they seem to have devoured the aphids on the other calendula plants so they are partying on this one today. As I took a closer look, I saw these two mating. It was windy and I didn't think the macro shot would come out clear, but it did. So here they are.

Ladybugs Mating, © B. Radisavljevic

As far as I can tell from such a limited view, this mating ladybug couple appear to be convergent ladybugs. It appears that although I can't count the spots because of its position upside down, the ladybug hanging over them is a seven-spotted ladybug. I'm using the head for identifying it. They have "headlights."

I did get a video of this, but I haven't had time to edit it yet. I have so many ladybug videos from this past month I just may do a documentary. Stay tuned. I'm just glad they have all gathered on my calendula plant for an aphid feast.

 Original Ladybug Land with Voucher
Whether you are a child or adult, you will learn a lot about ladybugs (ladybird beetles) from these books and educational toys.


 I love any book by Gail Gibbons. She makes everything so clear in her bold illustrations.  Not only preschoolers, but anyone, including me, may learn something new. Good Garden Bugs is for adult gardeners. Kids will learn a lot from the other two items, which are just a sample of all that's available when you click through.

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 Ladybugs Ladybug Life Cycle Felt Board Figures By Playtime Felts Good Garden Bugs: Everything You Need to Know about Beneficial Predatory Insects

See my other post on ladybugs and aphids in the related links below.

If you want to share this post, there are sharing buttons below just above the comment box. This last photo is designed to meet Pinterest specifications. How many ladybugs can you find and identify in this photo?

I see six. Most are seven-spotted.

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• Plant Pests and their Predators: Aphids and Ladybugs
• Insects in My Neighborhood in April
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Zinfandel Photos in Templeton

I live in Highway 46 West Wine Country in the Heart of the Templeton Gap. It seems conditions here are perfect for growing Zinfandel grapes. That's why so many wineries in this area make outstanding  Zinfandel wines. Many of them are my neighbors. One of those neighbors is Castoro Cellars. Below are some of their Zinfandel grapes awaiting harvest.

Photo of  Zinfandel Grapes in Vineyard at Castoro Cellars, © B. Radisavljevic

Another neighbor, Peachy Canyon Winery, is also known for its Zinfandel wines. It had at once time a small demonstration vineyard across from the tasting room that grew some Zinfandel grapes. See it below.

Photo of  Zinfandel Grapes in Small Vineyard at Peachy Canyon Winery, © B. Radisavljevic

The last photos I will feature of Zinfandel grapes are from another close neighbor, Rotta Winery. I can climb their hill and look down and see my house. Unlike the other vines I showed you from Castoro and Peachy Canyon, the Rotta vines are head-trained. They can look a bit wild when they are at their leafiest, but I like them. Here is a vine I photographed as grapes were fairly ripe.

Photo of Head-Trained Zinfandel Grapes from Rotta Vineyard, © B. Radisavljevic

Below is a close-up of the leaves and fruit.

Photos of Almost Ripe Zinfandel Grapes from Rotta Vineyard, © B. Radisavljevic

If you found this post interesting, please share it. The sharing buttons are just above the comment box at the end of the post. The photo below is especially designed for pinning. All photos in the collage were taken at Peachy Canyon Winery.

This is my last post for the 2016 AtoZchallenge, a Blogging Challenge for the month of April, 2016. My theme is plants, since this is a gardening blog. Here are links to the other posts if you missed them.

A is for Apple Blossoms
B is for Bottlebrush
C is for Carnations
D is for Daisy
E is for Elderberry
F is for Flowers
G is for Gazania
Hollyhocks are Edible
Irises Are Garden Survivors
Jupiter's Beard: A Mystery Finally Solved
Kale for Lunch
Lion's Tail - A Perennial Summer Burst of Orange
Miner's Lettuce is Tasty and Free"Naked Ladies" Bloom in August
Oleander through the Year
Plant Pests and their Predators: Aphids and Ladybugs
Quince Fruit from Blossom to Table
Roses Are Not Just Red
Sages Add Color and Attract Beneficial Insects to Your Garden
Tansy and Fruity Teucrium Can be Garden Friends
Urushiol Will Make You Itch
Vetch Runs Wild
Weeds I Love to Hate
Xeriscaping is Essential in Dry Areas

Yarrow is Ideal for Xeriscaping

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Related articles

• Quiet Places Near Paso Robles
• The Giant Chair at Peachy Canyon Winery has Been Moved
• Spring Has Sprung in Wine Country
• Colorful Flowers Brighten Castoro Cellars in Autumn
• Two Unique Tasting Room Sights at Peachy Canyon

Yarrow is Ideal for Xeriscaping

Yarrow is an Ideal Xeriscaping Plant

Yesterday I wrote about xeriscaping  and showed you some examples. Although I didn't recognize yarrow in any of them, I wasn't able to go onto private property for a closer look. Still, yarrow is ideal for xeriscaping because it is drought tolerant, spreads to fill available space, and adds color to the garden in season.  What you see below is along the Charolais Corridor Trail in Paso Robles

Insects on Yellow Yarrow, © B. Radisavljevic

Yarrow in Paso Robles Xeriscapes

If you are on the lookout for it, you will see a lot of yarrow in Paso Robles and the rest of the North County. Both the shot above and the one directly below were taken on the Charolais Corridor Trail between South River Road and Riverbank Lane, ending just across from an entrance to Larry Moore Park. The photo below was taken at the entrance to the trail on Riverbank Lane. On most of the trail, yarrow is mixed with cistus (the pink, purple flowers), rosemary, and cotoneaster. Between them, there is color in almost every season.

Xeriscaping with  Yarrow, © B. Radisavljevic

In autumn, the yarrow flowers dry well and can be used in dry flower arrangements. They are still adding interest even when dry along this trail and at Larry Moore Park, where, as I recall, they have also planted yarrow. I didn't have time to check today to see if it's still there.

Dried Yarrow on Trail, © B. Radisavljevic

Another place I've noticed seeing yarrow in the city is on South Vine Street east to of the Marriott Hotel, in the landscaping of the recently built dental building with the solar panels on the roof. This photo was taken there.

Xeriscaping with  Yarrow on South Vine, © B. Radisavljevic

Insects Are Attracted to Yarrow

In the top photo taken along the trail, you saw at least one fly and another insect which may also be a type of fly. Below is another shot from the xeriscape at the dental  building on South Vine. There you see a very content bee on the yellow yarrow.

Bee on Yellow Yarrow, © B. Radisavljevic

Yarrow Comes in Many Colors

The most common color I see is the yellow, as in the photos above. Common yarrow (Achillea Millefolium) often grows wild with a white flower. The Sunset Western Garden Problem Solver lists it as a weed because it grows wild and is often invasive. I haven't seen it growing wild and white yet. My own yarrow plant, which I currently have confined to a container, is red. It's called a grapefruit yarrow. It is just starting to bloom this week.

Grapefruit Yarrow, © B. Radisavljevic

I've also seen beautiful yarrow plantings at some wineries. I honestly don't remember at which one I took the picture below. The yarrow appears to be next to some sage and lavender, judging just from their leaves.

Yarrow in Mixed Colors, © B. Radisavljevic

Cultivation and Uses of Yarrow

Yarrow likes to grow in the sun. It needs some irrigation until it is established, but then it can usually get along with rain water. It likes a moderately rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.1. It is hardy to Zone 2. Yarrow can adapt to a variety of soils, as long as you don't let its feet get too wet.

Yarrow grows easily from seed, but I started with a nursery plant from a local organic grower. You can divide yarrow plants in spring and fall. I will probably divide mine and put some into a flower bed next fall.

According to Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs, people have used yarrow for over 60,000 years. Archaeologists discovered it in fossils in Neanderthal burial caves. Since then people have found many uses for it medicinally, and cosmetically. It has been used for crafts and to make dye. It is said that when planted near other herbs, it will increase the essential oils they produce. This has not been proved.

If you'd like to try growing yarrow, why not look through Amazon's amazing variety of seed choices. I may even get some seed myself, just to try some new colors. Maybe I'll redo my lawn with yarrow, sage, lavender, euphorbia, and rosemary. I'll leave that decision for another day.

If you found this post useful, please share it. The sharing buttons are just above the comment box at the end of the post. The photo below is especially designed for pinning. The yarrow photos in the collage were all taken along the Charolais Corridor Trail. 

This is my twenty-fifth post for the 2016 AtoZchallenge, a Blogging Challenge for the month of April, 2016. My theme is plants, since this is a gardening blog. Here are links to the other posts if you missed them.

A is for Apple Blossoms
B is for Bottlebrush
C is for Carnations
D is for Daisy
E is for Elderberry
F is for Flowers
G is for Gazania
Hollyhocks are Edible
Irises Are Garden Survivors
Jupiter's Beard: A Mystery Finally Solved
Kale for Lunch
Lion's Tail - A Perennial Summer Burst of Orange
Miner's Lettuce is Tasty and Free"Naked Ladies" Bloom in August
Oleander through the Year
Plant Pests and their Predators: Aphids and Ladybugs
Quince Fruit from Blossom to Table
Roses Are Not Just Red
Sages Add Color and Attract Beneficial Insects to Your Garden
Tansy and Fruity Teucrium Can be Garden Friends
Urushiol Will Make You Itch
Vetch Runs Wild

Weeds I Love to Hate

Xeriscaping is Essential in Dry Areas
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