Rainstorms and Suddenly, More Flowers

Today was the first sunny day after a few rainy ones. We didn't get any tornadoes or such here, though. Of course, there are always a few surprises in the garden after a few days spent indoors.

Delphiniums (various colors of the Pacific Giants) are now blooming and leaning dangerously on their sides:

Project-wise, I am attempting to reduce the "catmint load" on the raised beds, as that stuff self-seeds over-abundantly and I am trying to keep it under control. I replaced it with Salvia nemorosa "Marcus". I also dug up some 3 year old tulips so that they can be replaced by new ones planted in the fall.

I tried this Phacelia "Tropical surf" for the first time and found it to be extremely easy. I think I threw the seed here around June 1 and now six weeks later -- flowers! I saw these on Arizona garden blogs, but after seeing that Kate in Regina had them last year, I had to try them for myself.

Beautiful, though distorted: Here's my first Scabiosa caucasica "House's Mix" of the season.

The Opium somniferum flowers showed up for the first time today. I love their crepe-thin petals and while the individual flowers don't last long, these self-seeded breadseed poppies have come back as a multitude and will flower for a few weeks. Aside from flowers, I'll have enough seed to make poppyseed bread all winter.

My first successful peas grown in the north. I direct seeded these outdoors in May. Yes, they didn't even get a headstart indoors and I will actually get food from these plants before frost!

Our salads should be colorful this summer. That is "Cavalry" red lettuce in the center.