Sunnies looking great Vera, my mammoths have a way to go before flowering but their already over 5 feet tall, last years got to 12 feet.

Curious about your broccoli was it bitter at all, my center buds are just coming up now and with so much warm weather I was considering just pulling them to make space for whatever else.

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Thanks...your's are looking pretty good too :D

Most of my Mammoth are still under to just about 5'...only one so far has reached about 7' now and like you not even ready to bloom! Ooowwee!!
The broccoli isn't bitter at all...I just tasted it now that you mentioned it; it's what's for dinner tonight :D
It's been very hot here too for 2 weeks running but the heads are doing very nice out there in it. These are 'Green Goliath' and apparently they are right about the better heat tolerence. I think I've read too that as long as the little florets that make up the head don't open they shouldn't be bitter.

Vera

Vera, I love the photos you post. The boards around your petunias look so good. I wish I could stroll through your gardens on foot instead of on screen!

I think I'll cut back my blue flax and hope for a second crop. It's still blooming but has slowed considerably. I have it planted with Queen Anne's lace and really like the combo of blue and white. Had your blue flax stopped blooming when you cut it back?

OOPS- I meant to put my response under your SUNNIES post not this one. You have so many beautiful pics I get lost sometimes:).

Wow! I love your blue flax. Mines getting a hair cut tonight!
Maggie

Thanks :)

plays_in_dirt_dirt,

Well you know that flax blooms last only a day and I like cutting them back when the amount of new blooms gets skimpy and before too many seed capsules mature. They are notorious re-seeders for me. I'll be letting these set seed now for harvesting:D
The boards around my Petunia happens to be a large wooden box crate. I also have a new Curly Willow in the center and Moss Roses and Climbing Snapdragon in there! With that willow in there it's needs watered everyday.

Vera

Vera those bright blue petunias are wonderful! Were they a named variety or just a chance seed?

I wish I had known about cutting flax back -- I just ripped mine out because it was so ugly. (Annual flax, is that what yours is?)

My other comment is on the coneflower. Is it really PINK? I love it!

Lime

Hi Lime :D

No, I have perennial Linum perenne lewisii (Blue Flax). The first flush of growth grows to some 3' by almost as wide in it's bloom peak. Next year I think I may let them grow to about 2' and cut them back to about 12" BEFORE they ever bloom.
The Echinacea is pretty pink...it's just the common species of E. purpurea. I've never really seen a true purple Coneflower now that I think about it! Always pink to rosy pink almost white. My Echinacea angustifolia(common species) is even paler! But the same species of E. angustifolia back home is a little darker. Common species can have subtle variances depending on geographic location :D

I'll try to save seeds for you if you'd like, but cant guarantee no crossing, because I also have 'White Swan' and of course the E. angustifolia. I did move the later last fall further away...about 50 feet, but ya never know LOL!

Vera

Vera,
I love those Blue Petunias! I'm always looking for blue flowers that I can put around the light post in front of our house, but I never find any that can take all day sun. I'll be those Petunias could take it (but they'd probably turn pink or purple at my house...like most things do! :-)

Linda