Friends & Enemies

Sometimes things in the garden go well, plants are healthy & pests aren't too pesky… then there are other times…

Severe damage to one of my Russian Sage...

There's one of the pests that's to blame...

I've tried the gentle method: a dish-soap & water solution, which worked to lower the Box Elder Bug population, but did nothing to deter these pests.

My Veronica are also being attacked, but not as severely...

There they are, hard at work damaging my plants...

I've tried an aggressive method: insecticide.

The pests are also on my Liatris, and a variety of other plants...

But the damage to these other plants is somewhat contained...

And I'm still loosing the battle… and I'm heartbroken, especially about that one Russian Sage which may be a complete loss… its my Prize Russian Sage - it typically gets taller than me each year (I'm 5'6") and provides me with wonderful flowers for arrangements… :(…


I'm also irritated at the location of the plants that are damaged, right along the entry to my home… grrr!!!  I work very hard at tending my gardens, this is so discouraging… 


But all is not bad news… elsewhere in the garden flowers are blooming & friends are visiting...

Yarrow is blooming...

More California Poppies...

California Poppy closeup...

I picked my first two strawberries… yum!!

Another friend, this one sings to me in the evenings...

Here's hoping that the worst is over, and that things will recover… how does your garden grow?