The lost post

I see I set up images for a post last August and didn't get it finished. So, out of place, here it is without a lot of explanation.

Aztec zinnias

late tomato harvest ripening under cover - 'German Johnson' variety

too-late-planted cabbages (didn't get large enough to harvest)

perennial garden in full glory

I wish I could remember what this is:

It has pretty red stems, whatever it is.  It looks like zinnia leaves, but it might be a weed!

Monarch butterfly larva

ground cherries

I planted ground cherries thinking I'd make some jam from them, but it turns out they're like tomatoes, and once you boil them down, all you're left with is gajillions of seeds.

I don't know the name of this little black bee.  We'll call her Shirley.

Top: 'Yellow Butterflies' mullein;

Bottom: 'Cardinal' basil

The perennial garden was lovely...

It was the first time I planted tall verbena (Verbena bonariensis), and I absolutely love it.  Especially interplanted with the Russian sage (Perovskia).  It's not truly a perennial in this zone, but I hope it reseeds itself.  It may not, so I'm starting more seed indoors in March in case it doesn't.

dark purple = verbena; light purple = Russian sage

The old mimosa tree at the west end of the garden lost a couple of limbs in the winter storms, and  I think you can see why...

The August garden before a rain: