Start of Summer

The garden is burgeoning with the start of summer.

I spent a couple hours yesterday adding a bunch of stakes to the garden, so that things don’t all flop over in the next few weeks. For a little while it will look a little goofy, until the garden grows into it.

This year I’m going to try keeping the potatoes trimmed a bit shorter, to try to keep them more compatible with the flowers. We grow Makah Ozette potatoes, which are yummy and grow into a glorious jungle… but left to their own devices, that glorious jungle grows 4′ tall and tips over.

Potatoes with feverfew and signet marigolds

The late-spring flowers are still going. Some of the foxgloves are getting rather gawky, but this little cluster is still lovely.

Pink foxgloves above feverfew, with a backdrop of hardy fuchsias.
The other pink spikes are toadflax.

The valerian has been blooming for a couple weeks now. This one is taller than I am, and smells very sweet. The pollinators love it!

I was trying to catch this Tiger Swallowtail, and only noticed the solitary bee after the fact.

Tiger Swallowtail and solitary bee on Valerian

The first breadseed poppy opened yesterday. I’m looking forward to the flush of early-summer color!