Garden Update: May 11

This past week I spent the majority of my time in the garden pulling weeds! It is tedious work, but it has to be done. :) Another week has rolled by without my favorite little garden helpers and I sure do miss you! It is hard to keep up without your energy, helping hands, and silly jokes!

I did manage to harvest the garlic that the kindergartners planted back in the fall...so exciting!

I hope you all are getting a chance to spend some time in nature. It really does make you feel better! I can't wait until we get the chance to be out in the garden together again, but until then, here's the AVS garden update:

So much garlic!

Your favorite, lamb's ear, is flowering! So pretty!

Hard to tell from this picture, but this is a collection of owl pellets that I discovered directly under the owl box in the native garden. Hope our resident owl is attacking the gopher situation! BTW, as I was working around the box, I started hearing a hissing sound from inside! I think our friend was sending me a warning to keep my distance. No problem there! :)

Found under the owl box...does this belong to our owl friend?

California poppies have found their way to our native garden...and these incredible red ones make my heart sing!

More poppies next to the flowering buckwheat! A pretty combination sure to attract lots of pollinators.

The milkweed has colonized the front of the perennial garden! Lots of flowers are about to open.

Here is a pretty flower that has opened...

Lots of pollinators buzzing around! Next week I'll hunt around for monarchs! In the meantime, do you see the milkweed bug? I think it may harm the seeds of the plant but it is also a voracious aphid eater...so...friend or foe? Perhaps both.