More weird flowers

This came up where we planted red flowers. It's not red. So I'm pretty sure it's a weed. But it's kind of pretty.

And this is the only non-zinnia that came up in our "wildflower mix." Doesn't it look a little like a Muppet?

Zinnia-rama!

I can't stop taking pictures of these bouquets!

There were even enough to make a bouquet for a friend I'm visiting tonight.

The butterflies like them too!

(Full disclosure: these are the zinnias on the next plot over).

Oh, and an okra flower!

Miscellania

The okra plants are only about 18" high, but look how big the leaves are! (That's my hand, for scale).

I noticed that the vines growing up through the tomato plant were covered with bright yellow aphids. I pulled the vines out and we tried to make sure there were none left on the tomato plants. The aphids are kind of gross, but at least these are a nice color! (click on the photo for a closeup):

Fortunately, ladybugs eat aphids.

And it looks like they're making more ladybugs!

In closing, quadruplets!

A nice evening in the garden...

You know those flowers called "Cockscomb" that look sort of like brain coral? (Click here for a picture - from the internet, not from our garden). Well, we tried to grow some from seed, though we couldn't really imagine those flowers resulting, just because they're so strange. But lo and behold, today you can see the tiny edges of one of them emerging! (Click the photo for a closeup - it's right in the center).

We've also got a thriving bunch of zinnias now, very cheerful.

We had some extra room since some other flowers we planted didn't grow. So since we had such great luck with the sunflowers last year (thanks, Oma!!!), we decided to try another kind. I started the seeds indoors so the birds wouldn't get them, and then transported these little guys outside in peat pots (you can see the outlines around each one; the pots should dissolve in the soil). So far so good!

The beans have grown into a massive wall. Unfortunately I can't seem to rotate this photo directly, so please tilt your head 90 degrees to the right:

Here's a baby eggplant emerging! (again, click for a closeup if you can't see it).

Close-up of the bean vines... Twirling, always twirling!

And the lavender, which diligently grows all summer without us calling much attention to it. It attracts a lot of bumblebees, which is good for everything else.

Here's an okra flower. It's mostly white, but you can see the nice dark purple section on the bottom. Supposedly they're edible, but they seem to be covered in ants, so we'll pass.

Finally, some baby beans! I was getting worried.

And an inedible, but very happy, harvest.