Gardening, anyone?

Darn - the flower looks like some of my sage plants, but not with that heart shaped leaf. Y'all have inspired me, again. I picked up some sice fence pieces in neighbors trash pile to paint and use for star jasmine in my back yard and I'm going to visit Ladybird Johnsons wildflower center with a a friend next week. I. It's plummeting to 98 today

Are the pink flowers 4 o'clocks? They open in the late afternoon/evening. Ours are yellow, but they come in all colors.

Wren- those flowers were actually purple, but seem to be pink in the picture. I looked at a photo of a 4 o'clock and the flower looks similar when closed, but not sure the leaf is right. I may keep looking, my friend who I was with is looking too, she did a Master Gardeners class this year but did not know......

Those are pretty Wren!

Love the "heavenly blue" morning glories

So tonight I was out watering and saw something move, which startled me and made me think snake, but I seem to have a HUGE toad in my backyard. The yard is completely fenced in and wonder where that little guy came from? Not so little really, he is chubby and it made me think there are good insects to eat in my yard!

I have to look up the turtleheads!

I saw the most beautiful morning glories today in a garden and climbing up a telephone pole. I wanted to get a picture but it was on someone's property and felt too invasive, even from the road. It was spectacular!

I don't know what the mystery plant is but it's pretty. It reminded me of lipstick vine but I looked it up and the leaves are wrong. It doesn't look like four of clocks or turtleheads to me. Gosh I need to know! I agree the bottom red flowers are cannas.

Flaviarose I am loving my zinnias and humble marigolds this year. They looked lovely this year.

Jazzy last time I saw my hedge move it was black and white fur. I yelled at my dog to get inside. SKUNK!

TwoHobbies, I love seeing the purple asters right before fall! They are all along my walking trail now, mixed in with wild sunflowers.

Asters at the nature center last weekend.

flaviarose - your morning glory and zinnia pictures are just beautiful!

Jazzy and TwoHobbies, sounds like it has been an active week for critters in the garden. I'm sorry to hear they got your sunflowers, TwoHobbies. The toad sighting sounds pretty cool, Jazzy.

Every night this week I have had a mysterious critter digging holes in the mulched and gravel areas of my front yard. The holes look very much like when we had a nocturnal invasion of skunks in my neighborhood last year, but not getting any skunk smell. Maybe raccoons? Every morning I come out and fill the holes, and every night they are dug out again. Hoping whatever it is loses interest soon!

Here is my new backyard friend, a fat toad I discovered in the back yard this week. He must have found some good eats back there, he looks rather well fed? He is out in the evenings after dark when I go water. I have affectionately named him Kokopelli, the legendary figure in the Native American culture who brings fertility where ever he goes!

The hibiscus are long-lived perennials. They die down to the ground each year, but come back big and strong.

Good morning ladies- I woke up to temps in the 40s today. Fall continues to move in!

I noticed some of my plants are starting to fade, especially the primrose. I also see some of the grasshopper that show up this time of the year have eaten up the leaves on my front yard salvia. The gardens are changing now.

Booklady- when I lived in TX, the only time I saw armadillos was as a victim of the highway. I think they are cool.

Autumn harvest sedum now in full color. I must confess this is one of my favorite flowers in the garden. I love the color.

Wren, the hot pepper worked!! Thanks for the great tip. I sprinkled hot paprika all over the holes I had filled in, and dusted it over the mulch in general. It did the trick - no digging there last night!

I did notice though, that this persistent creature (or another one) started digging at the other end of my property, around my grapevine. So I bought a giant container of cheap cayenne powder this morning at the grocery store, and will be treating the area before nightfall. It's war if they mess with my grapevine.

Scottie, if the diggers manage to get past my cayenne pepper, I will go to Home Depot and look for the stuff you mentioned. Thanks for the tip.

I would love to see a real live armadillo (but not digging in my garden!). That toad does look very chubby and content. I wish one would show up here and start eating some bugs...I wonder if they like aphids and grasshoppers?

Jazzy, your sedum is gorgeous and so autumny (if that's a word). I had some unexpected fall color this morning - my one and only morning glory this year. I usually have a large trellis of heavenly blues, but they just didn't take hold this year after late frosts, hail, etc. I went out this morning and at the bottom of the trellis, I had this nice surprise: