July blooms
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOUpkBtXQguhEnME8ylbvwKqosvzFnNrTCUVGOmBjbLXSZhNo-L13NnpjUzHwS966Z2Hj15yaCytUvd57pMthucfm5vc0Maeswg37zCwDzBjr7mu9vhSTxukpThgKXuYFVX3eokALhv9b/s200/hummer.jpg)
When I first started gardening here, It seemed like the humming birds would look for humming bird feeders next to the structures, while ignoring the flowers that I was planting for them... They eventually figured it out...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8L8uvTYT550LLihHZB5CMlOZydS1pK9riD0TDyl9HalSkhROHjlhLAcxiMbfzvVjSDTOTF4SE_F9HUdRtzR1mgaXiVJ7HahXL72tH_U4IIEQFtFMduFM6lHS7Wmbgpy4Gxtu-SKuqXh54/s200/goldfinch2.jpg)
The goldfinches had no problem finding the sunflowers...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3RQyd4mYMEEq0vVAOYn_JLG3bIuvgj1CwN8XSl-UM3-MbRDZBuUUE_USIm2s1wmSLQ1Y8FiaVeBeqnTXScMLnV7mlPZBCEA8Y1gm69kx3dvvWyPYHN1Ext-VnY8M4V6bS-lvqOQ6Ohq4O/s200/bull-nettle1.jpg)
I hate these 7 minute itch plants (Cnidoscolus stimulosus)
With all the butterflies pollinating them, I don't think I'll be rid of them any time soon.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVVa26NlTAQ6QtnSUROI1Kz32sXsG8hFm_tQvZR42oCz3Hs4Zipv_n_Tu6OsndxkbPuJr_b0EdaS0Hc7um_tWwFgawKI0CCIllltyazBxkAZ4psGr6PFYaPSduU_RzG9DH5Q1o6OVQUAi/s200/black-grasshopper-milkweed.jpg)
These black grasshoppers are bigger than the plants they eat...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2uhr9fy9aAu3Ny8_Ysv3Rq2HiCCXcrpMFsjzZ43Qr2zEjCCuq02ekIbSt2UVCxyQKANw6KaIe_pQ4jcCx8xJOLHGvbArjJWpD890E7YRajgxwrwYAoVIM_KGc7S74FSUT2bblTjDeuPf/s200/hunter.jpg)
Wonder what the cat is hunting...
![verbesina](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNXW54MIztEACeN9lCHpZTY2fPQJDjJztFHaQGIjK2ThBh5oZBKrG17ltVSrG4kEY9oaQsu8IWZask_J72ISiUMUw7O6LRKtcmI46Veqan-O4mGpuB6mZWCvnRaf4289P8C8-znFAOUGI/s200/verbesina1.jpg)
The verbesina is blooming.
I found this cool wildflower growing along the side of the road, being mowed. I pulled a coupla pieces, it came up like mint, and was as easy to transplant. The yellow variety hasn't started to bloom yet.
![white unknown wildflower](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyYaN3WcARSWdmRM4pttQ-BgTvNViaZBvOXUVxkQEW548_9JrP5URd76E6HrKjykKDIzdelZD1HYCwVcCcwxJ5qXPNYQdKQzoThM7EXL-xialYGxtsGZUlbGlSdiKJUoyihQMwZvniCsK/s200/white-wildflowr.jpg)
This is an interesting plant... The flowers resemble lavender. This guy is a natural sand-hill resident. I need to post it for identification at a plant forum.
I posted the flower, and got an immediate response... Field snakecotton
You really can't call something a weed when it only grows in sand where little else can grow.
![red wildflower](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKpfbyipNIQ1KBbKQJekGle6PsnrrQMHnGY9N4hdfZg_B_U4TkHQ0Ord-5pNWLQW9xuG7HgI3wlCxVAaHP9yp0_46-Wv0D7Ds9mJJIdeIh5UDGZBs2M1TMikPB7nB1VaUhjWzNX6qNPjB/s200/red.jpg)
Florida tasselflower (Emilia fosbergii) This plant showed up this year, I only have this one... Ima let it grow, in spite of it's close resemblance to a couple of rogue customers...
![river oats](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-TeklEH-qvABM6s6kNrTFPife6RYqXK64_9bxfVCG7SJ-I9uhimt_SdA2EZaLRMjFOnzP4IotfsR7g7p3rnge81pzMDyy4L-pbLtw7oMlRsGETnbK2nNScHeTIu8VheeDp_6DuEpqzYY/s200/river-oats.jpg)
River oats are very pretty, but difficult to photograph.
![mint](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvuarWzqOoM9OlVTwXDA2d5ZtYtb1_gtYe_wGYsGJUWqQ-iJ63HT1K9eHYNbVZW7i5P-u8ISIjRdFC7MbqTZrxo0-Iomtb1MKThMtWQ1hST6DIUKGEqYrBM2ROvpXq8XyDfw06uKJGIm7A/s200/mint.jpg)
Mint attracts some cool pollinators...
Meet the Double-banded Scoliid (Scolia bicinta).
When not pollinating mint, the double-banded scoliid catches beetle grubs for the next generation.