Great pictures - thank you for sharing! That mahogany monarda is really eyecatching. And what a great picture of 'Ville de Leon.'

Laurel

Beautiful , I too really like the monarda. Kareen

Great! How do you control the bugs?

Well, right now I'm walking around with a coffee can that has some water and a little dishliquid in it. You walk up to a plant that has Japanese Beeltes on it, hold the coffee can under it and knock the beetles off the plant into the soapy water. Now I'm playing taps for the bugs!
This works really well in the early morning before the bugs warm up and in the evening when they have settled in for the night.
Other than that its up to the toads, birds and snakes(of which I have at least 3)...The fourth got moved cause I saw him with my cats hair on his little fangs!!! Long story.
Von

Beautiful!

Nice pics-Doesn't look like you have deer.

Here is a link that might be useful: my garden pics

funny about the bugs comment. I was looking at these pics and especially the clematis, and thinking, "what the heck--why are there no big teeth marks and bug-gnawing marks on these plants?" congrats! it's picture perfect. mine isn't, but still full of beauty and surprises and life...and I guess when you come down to it, that is the whole point, right?
I would LOVE to hear the long story about the snakes and cats.

Beautiful pictures! And I love your painted rocks! Did you do them yourself? Being a good photographer, I imagine the artistic side of you must have painted them. They are so cute!!

Nope, bought the rock at the farmers market. Thought it would be a nice addition to the garden.
Just dumb luck on the pics. Just point and shoot the digital kodak! These were taken with the flower setting, which focuses on just one thing within the brackets and makes the rest blurry. I like it.
Von