Scarlet Runners

These nice big runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus) are the ones we grew up knowing in England. Sliced diagonally exposing the nice pink beans inside they remind me of home.

The vines are prolific on the fence of the old veggie garden and get plenty of visits from bees and even hummingbirds but have been slow to set pods.

  Now they are coming along enough to provide veggies for dinner.

Colourful Foliage

By the back patio a collection of bright leaves in semi shade.

Fatsia; variegated Hosta; Japanese Painted Fern;Pelargonium 'Chrystal Palace Gem'; & Coleus.

At left some more coleus thanks to my friend Kathy and foliage of Rehmannia elata (Chinese Foxglove)

I grew these Chinese Foxgloves from seed at the beginning of the year & this one is blooming already. I am sure the exceptionally regular rain this summer has encouraged it to perform better than I imagined. The Coleus is 'Merlot'

Seven Pounds of Blueberries

Yesterday morning we harvested from the two 'Ira' bushes & some 'Powder Blue' berries.

Amazing how putting the plants  out of reach of the birds 

has made planting blueberry bushes really worthwhile.

The 'Powder Blue' bush still has plenty of berries to come. At Finch's Nursery in Bailey, NC

They recommended planting varieties to spread the season that has worked out so well.

Three months of fresh berries.

 I did not keep a running total of pounds we picked, much to my husband's disappointment. He's such a numbers man.

Kosteletzkya virginica

The Seashore Mallow is in full bloom at the edge of the rain garden.

The Virginia Native Plant Society's web site

 http://vnps.org/wildflowers-of-the-year/2004-seashore-mallow-kosteletzkya-virginica/ 

says it is easy to propagate but they don't say how.

I got mine from Messenbrinks, late of Tarboro, NC,  many years ago. They had to search for it in the nursery & told me it was difficult to propagate. 

In my garden it produces lots of seed but rarely seedlings. The pods seem to always be invaded by some type of insect that enjoys the feast.

This carpenter bee was certainly enjoying the shower of pollen it was collecting.