Pale green assassin bug with prey on common milkweed. #nativeplants #garden #gardening #Wisconsin

Too wet to work outside yet have pruny fingers just the same cleaning up & sanitizing big stack of pots & trays from things planted out already this year. Means neat winter storage & healthy plants next year. Still more to do but thank goodness for giant commercial sinks! #gardening #KeepItClean 🌱

It’s like a sunset in flower form for #RoseWednesday. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Closeup of the beautiful double blooms which look almost like a bridal bouquet. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Native #bees on #NativePlants—you love to see it! #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #pollinators #NoSpray #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱

Layering pink on pink for #RoseWednesdsy. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Yet another rose bush giving us huge clusters at one time this year. This fragrant lovely is called ‘Over the Edge’. Hope you’re having a safe & happy #RoseWednesday. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Heavy rain day here—great for plants but I had a rough pain day yesterday & have more to plant now that I can move again so wish I could work. Here is a lovely preview bloom from new Rosa ‘La Di Da’ that I haven’t even gotten in ground yet. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #RoseWednesday 🌱

All the purple things blooming on the Parkway. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

On one hand, buns are out here treating me like guest in my own garden. On the other, #GardenDogs #WeAreAllZoey will tear up any cages, signage, & unprotected plants in hot pursuit & proven terminal for small fuzzies. I choose nonviolence so far. #gardening #wildlife #nature #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱

Yesterday’s beautiful weather #AlwaysBePlanting was so productive. Planted Fig ‘Little Ruby’; 3 super fragrant Roses ‘Blue Chip’, ‘Strike it Rich’ & ‘Fun In The Sun’; plus 10x Dahlia ‘Black Beauty’ & 18x Salvia nutans grown by me from #seeds. Sore but slowly clearing planting backlog! #gardening 🌱

If your day gets tough, try looking at things from a different perspective. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

New lilies keep coming. I love this time of year but I definitely have lily pollen stains on all of my garden clothes from leaning into the beds. 😆 #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Verbascum ‘Wedding Candles’ giving big main character energy at the front of the bed. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Look at this beauty I grew from seed—Sphaeralcea coccinea (Scarlet Globemallow)—another beauty that does so well in the drier sunnier areas around our stepping stone path. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Calendula ‘Strawberry Blonde’ & Browallia Americana ‘Blue Lady’ are two of my go-to companion plantings for veggies this year. I think you can see why! 😍 #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

All the angles of Rosa ‘Ay Carumba’ to brighten your Monday. #SmellTheRoses #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Well at least someone appreciates my chop and drop approach to deadheading roses and trimming extra grape foliage. If only bunnies awarded Michelin stars…my garden would definitely be on the list. 😆 #gardening #wildlife #nature #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱

Dwarf Lily #MagentaMonday! This petite variety puts out shockingly large blooms and multiples quickly. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Dichelostemma congestum is a nice change of pace from the usual bulbs with its tiny purple blooms. Native to parts of the Western US and Canada. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Breathtaking (but I got the name wrong the first time, it’s Raspberry Cream Twirl)! #MagentaMonday #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Looks like Robins are gearing up for attempt at 2nd brood. This time construction seems to be in our #NativePlants Lonicera sempervirens on an obelisk by the fence. We had two successful fledglings in our front garden earlier this spring. #gardening #ecosystem #birds #NoSpray #Wildlife #Nature 🌱

Yesterday’s #AlwaysBePlanting was race against rain in 89F heat (while today is mild & gorgeous): 1x Rosa ‘Bliss’; 15x Agastache aurantiaca ‘Sunset Yellow’ & 5x Salvia argentea ‘Artemis’ grown from seed; plus moved some divisions of Geranium ‘Derrick Cook’ to make room for the rose. #gardening 🌱

Neighbor snapped this juicy late instar Black Swallowtail caterpillar on her side of our chainlink fence lined with self-sown dill. This is *exactly* how I first experienced magic of #butterflies lifecycle in wild after finding same at our last house. #gardening #ecosystem #NoSpray #pollinators 🌱

Mr. CMG snapped this shot of one of our neighbor bunnies yesterday just living its best life stretched out in the sun in the neighbor’s grass. Completely unimpressed by the scent of all the resident dogs. #gardening #ecosystem #wildlife #nature #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱

Rosa ‘Hot Cocoa’ blooming in nursery pot on the deck before I can even get her planted—very thoughtful so I can get a sense of the color in person before I pick the planting spot. 🤓 #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Mouth-watering already…these ‘Pink Reliance Seedless’ grapes are the tastiest I’ve ever had in my life. They also attract new #butterflies every year because plenty of species like old fruit & other things besides just flower nectar. #gardening #KitchenGarden #GrowFood #NoSpray #SharingIsCaring 🌱

If anyone sees any #MonarchButterflies, please tell them that #MilkweedForMonarch buffet & nursery is open for them here in our #UrbsInHorto #Chicago garden. Just two of many varieties! #gardening #bloomscrolling #pollinatora #butterflies #SmallJoys 🌱

Queen of #SundayYellow. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

#SundayYellow (and peach and deep moody red) as the lilies continue to arrive. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Roses on roses on roses… #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Another Martagon Lily has kicked off, this one a creamsicle dream. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

The Nicotiana are literally rioting on the porch. I’m not keeping up with planting my seed-grown flats so they are blooming in their pots. Hopefully the moths still found them! #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

The Lilies have arrived. 🥁🎺🪇 #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Having a bright Dianthus groundcover moment as we wait for my equally bright ‘Strawberry Cream Twirl’ climbing rose to make its way up the edge of the archway. Not afraid of big color on #FlowersOnFriday or any other day—it just makes me smile! #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Now that I know what day it actually is, #FlowersOnFriday calls for a diva truly worth of the occasion, the fabulous Rosa ‘State of Grace’. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Oakleaf Hydrangea ‘Shannon’ is truly unique with huge displays of double blooms. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Bee parking spaces available for rent, includes free lunch for #pollinator friends. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys #UrbsInHorto #Chicago 🌱

So many beautiful #NativePlants lining the garden in the street side of the Parkway. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Happy #ClematisThursday from both sides of the fence. Luckily, the neighbor enjoys the color spilling onto her side. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

I love it when annuals reseed. These beautiful fiery orange Calendula came back all on their own and still look amazing with the purple roses. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

#NativePlants Astragalus canadensis has to be one of my favorite blooms—color, shape, totally unique and amazing! #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Just look at the colors on their backs, they say, follow the key to ID… except they always sit like this with their wings folded when they’re not moving. 🫠 #gardening #invertebrates #pollinators #bugsky #bees #InsectThursday 🌱

After the 70mph winds and heavy storms last night, she’s showing off now. Even stronger storms coming all day today. Luckily the plants make a million dollar difference preventing runoff and flooding on our plot. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Azure #butterflies are so skittish that it makes them hard to capture. Pre-storm winds didn’t help. But I love it when these guys do their cool little wing rubbing pheromone thing—especially in my #UrbsInHorto #Chicago front yard. 🦋 #gardening #invertebrates #pollinators #bugsky #InsectThursday 🌱

I have never seen such overstuffed pollen Hammer pants. It’s like when your knitting friend wants to go into the yarn store “for just one thing” and comes out arms overflowing with skeins. 🙃 #gardening #invertebrates #pollinators #bugsky #InsectThursday 🌱

Sorry for delay in #RoseWednesday content but I’ve been outside sweating buckets planting as many plants as possible even though it’s currently 92F (feels like 103F) because we have soaking rain coming later and tomorrow. Here’s more beauties. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

Two blooms from the very unique and virtually indestructible shrub (bad soil, no water, hot concrete) ‘Watercolors Home Run’ for #RoseWednesday —another #pollinators delight too. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

The always bloomtastic & #pollinators friendly ‘Scarborough Fair’ constantly sending new flowers out whether it’s #RoseWesnesday or not. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱

If you think #NativePlants looks “weedy” or “messy”, watch a few UK gardening shows & count how many of our natives they covet & plant. Everything is someone else’s exotic. Or just look at how beautiful this Spigelia marilandica is blooming now. #gardening #bloomscrolling #FlowerReport #SmallJoys 🌱