Cottage Life - June Cottage Garden and a Breakfast Taco

Hi Cottage Friends,

Summer has arrived in the cottage garden. Before I show you what's blooming, I want to thank you all for the positive comments you left last week on my Backyard Project post. If you haven't seen me on your own blog this week, forgive me. I'm trying to catch up. I will get there. I promise.  

The beautiful salmon-colored Oriental poppies in the cottage garden have been replaced by seed pods, which I leave on the plant for the birds. Monday morning two Oregon Yellow Finch were balancing on the stems, pecking at the pods. Just what I was hoping for. (Unfortunately, there was no time to get my camera and take a photo.)




Here's what's blooming in the garden now.


Delphinium and Salvia in foreground. The yellow flower in back is Chilean Evening Primrose.

A closer look at the Chilean Evening Primrose. The flowers open fully in late afternoon.




The orangey-red Gallardia is starting to bloom.




I've been adding red flowers to the cottage garden to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. It seems to be working. This is the first time I've seen this particular butterfly species in my garden. It could be a Swallowtail, although the ones I usually see are yellow and black. I tried to get a better shot, but it just wouldn't stay still for very long.  If you know the name of this butterfly, please share it. The flower is a Maltese Cross.



Other red flowers in my cottage garden include Geum




and Painted Daisy




I also have a red Geranium on the porch.




The Cranesbill and Spirea are in bloom.




On the back side of the west berm the Lamium (aka Dead Nettle) is loving life. 


If you're looking for an amazing ground cover for a shady area, this is it.

I don't spend all my time in the cottage garden. Sometimes, like this morning, you'll find me in the kitchen. Dennis usually makes his own breakfast because he likes to eat earlier than I do, and also he likes to eat the same thing every morning. I prefer to mix things up a bit. This morning I made myself a breakfast taco. 



A scrambled egg with chopped red pepper, minced garlic and chopped onion on a heated corn tortilla. Garnished with a few mixed greens and avocado, and topped with salsa and a dollop of plain yogurt. Not bad. I might have to make another one for breakfast tomorrow.

Hope you're having a great week wherever you are. 












25 comments

  1. Nancy, Your gardens are so pretty. Love those pops of red throughout . Looks like a tasty breakfast. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  2. Nancy, I SO appreciate your telling us what the plants in your garden are. When I see something I am drawn to I check to see if it will work in my area of Pennsylvania. Your breakfast does look yummy.......especially for someone who tries to eat oatmeal everyday. Enjoy this beautiful day!

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    1. I'm glad you find it helpful that I give the names of the plants, Betty. I know I appreciate it when bloggers share that information. I like oatmeal, too, and sometimes I have that in the morning with blueberries and walnuts, and a little shredded organic coconut sprinkled on top. Quinoia with dried figs, walnuts and shredded coconut mixed with plain yogurt and a little honey is another favorite. xo

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  3. Your garden (and your breakfast) look just delicious, Nancy! Love all the robust color!Hugs!! :)

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  4. Love all your blooms. I doubt that hummingbird sage would grow in your climate but you could try. I dream of the day when I can again have a cottage garden, not just lots of pots around the patio.

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    1. I'm pretty sure hummingbird sage won't grow here. Our winters are way too cold. I hope you get your cottage garden one day. xo

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  5. Nancy your garden looks amazing. It hasn't been that long sense it was bare dirt and look at the payoff of all your hard work. Your plants and flowers look like they have been growing there for years. Truly a cottage garden to be proud of; I know that it brings you much pleasure. You certainly have a green thumb. Your breakfast taco looks mighty yummy, too :)
    Enjoy your summer.
    Connie :)

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  6. Gorgeous!! My evening primrose is out of control and just about to bloom!

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  7. Oh, your yard is just beautiful! And, the taco looks so yummy! God bless you, sweet friend. :)

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  8. Love seeing all the blooms. So pretty. That breakfast taco looks so yummy. Have a great evening.
    Kris

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  9. Good morning Nancy!

    Yes, summer has arrived and the flowers are the harbingers of this fabulous season. What a colorful garden you have! While we stick to our green perennials, we have ventured out over the years to add two rose climbers. WHAT A JOY. I also learned how to dead head the blooms so I could enjoy more of the pink beauty that I can see from inside my greatroom.

    That breakfast taco looks pretty fabulous! I love how summer is a time of small and great discoveries. Keep on enjoying my friend!

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  10. Your breakfast taco is making me hungrier than I already am, as I've not had breakfast yet.

    You have some gorgeous blooms in your gardens. I love your delphiniums. Google butterfly host and nectar plants for your part of the country. You need both to draw a lot of butterflies to your gardens. Love the butterfly you shared here.

    Happy gardening ~ FlowerLady

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  11. Your garden is wonderful! Ours needs tending since we've been away so much recently. My resident 'gardener' is ready to get out there and make a difference. I love the colors in your garden.
    ~Adrienne~

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  12. Beautiful garden. I like all the red flowers they are happy flowers. The butterflies and bees are an added bonus. I finally have my new blog up and running. I still haven't started the prayer and art journal follow along yet. I am very busy working out the little details but hope to have everything running and classes at churches by Fall. My new blog ishttp://artbytheseastudio.blogspot.com/2017/06/first-post-one-per-day.html

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  13. I absolutely loved the garden tour! I need to add red to my garden. I like what you are doing. Thank you for the inspiration!

    Your taco sounds wonderful!

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  14. Few things make me smile wider than red poppies! Always reminds me of The Wizard of Oz :).

    You have a gift for gardening Nancy, and it's a joy to see what you've accomplished in your little piece of paradise.

    xxx

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  15. I'm so glad I came back to see this tour of your garden! I made a note of the Dead Nettle groundcover, just what we need under a huge maple on the north side of the house. Thank you for showing how your garden is doing now, Nancy!

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  16. I'm so glad I came back to see this tour of your garden! I made a note of the Dead Nettle groundcover, just what we need under a huge maple on the north side of the house. Thank you for showing how your garden is doing now, Nancy!

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  17. Your flowers are all so pretty and colorful! I assume most are perennials? I need more flowering perennials in my yard. I started from scratch as you did but I'm not as far along as you are! And that taco looks delicious... I make something similar now and then too.. I like to change it up for breakfast, but then... my breakfast is usually around noon! Oh well.. such is the retired life. xoxo Marilyn

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    1. Thanks, Marilyn. Yes, most of my flowers are perennials. I do add a few annuals for long lasting color over the summer. I was very fortunate to have so many of the perennials given to me by friends. Good luck with your flower garden!

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  18. Such pretty and different flowers in your garden! I am so taken with the Dead Nettle. I have to look into that for our area by the creek. The taco looks yummy! I am too lazy to cook for myself in the morning.... I too am trying to catch up on my blog friends' posts....my computer crashed last week and I had to get a new one. Luckily I got free financing!

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  19. Your garden is nothing short of amazing Nancy! I like how you've arranged your flowers in groups. I think I need to do more of that too. Your flowers are blooming out amazingly! Isn't summer so fun with all the blooms! And glad that you had some finch stop by for lunch, delightful indeed! And that breakfast taco - yum!!!! :)

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  20. Wonderful to see all the flowering at the "joyful cottage" gardens . . .

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  21. Your flowers are beautiful....and the taco made me hungry!

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  22. Your garden is absolutely charming... I can't believe how quick it was to look like a real cottage garden.

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