Le Quatorze Juillet

Happy Quatorze Juillet to mes amis francais. The photo below is one of those happy coincidences. Both plants, yes there are two plants there, are volunteers and they complement each other perfectly, imo. I especially like the light from a sunrise turning the gray siding almost the same shade of, is that pinkish? I never photoshop my photos. I like to see them au naturel. Clicking on photos will enlarge them.

I was shooting for the stachys in the foreground and failed to notice the physostegia in the background.

I love my rugosa roses. So do the rose chafers. Regardless their old fashioned rose aroma is intoxicating. Some rugosas are volunteers; some are "named" and were purchased. I love them all regardless.

I have had better looking dahlias but these simple magenta/maroon/burgundy flowers are a favorite of my hummingbirds. The hummers ignore the fancier looking ones. Maybe the nectar has been bred out of them?

Still - I do enjoy this one dahlia (below) even though the hummers ignore it.

As well as the omnipresent honeybees, there are many native bee species pollinating my flowers every summer. They are less conspicuous but as industrious as their more recognizable relatives.

Yarrow

Inula

Poppy "Pods" sans Petals are Iconic

The Daphne seeds are ready to scatter.

Totty on the qui vive. She looks so sweet. BUT!

Alpha Girl!