Walking the Garden

Goldfinch are flitting between this birdbath and feeder

(when I'm not standing so close)

The purslane look really good!  They have filled

in nicely under one of my live oaks

my small crop of Satsuma oranges is beginning to "turn"

this fossilized rock was discovered during a landscaping project

What is the curved-area?  Initially I thought it was a tusk!

Tim thinks it is some sort of plant.

I should have it evaluated by someone who can tell me...

close-up of the cool fossil rock

another view

I ordered some additional plants yesterday from one of my favorite purveyors:  High Country Gardens

http://www.highcountrygardens.com/.  They specialize is xeric landscape plants with a special focus on the southwest.  They are located in Santa Fe NM.  I have had good luck with their products:  they are shipped very carefully packaged and the plants are especially healthy, with vigorous root systems.

I cannot recommend them enough!  The drought, coupled with our summer heat, was brutal on my garden despite the fact that I have a very tough, mostly-xeric, environment.  I intend to replace a few things and augment a few areas that need more filling-in.  I am in love with all of the agastache varieties because they attract both hummingbirds and butterflies, and have a nice minty fragrance.

This is one of my favorite varieties:  

                                                         'Ava' hummingbird mint