One of my favorite pastimes is walking around the garden to admire our plants and flowers. Another reason I love having a blog: It’s allowing me to document our slowly expanding Albuquerque garden. ♥
Aster… planted this year. By the way, we’re gradually eliminating the gravel from our flower beds and can’t wait until it’s gone.
Basil… it smells so wonderful. Yum.
Sage. I’m not sure what variety… it was here when we moved to Albuquerque. The bees and butterflies love it.
Goldenrod… also planted this year.
A volunteer morning glory in last year’s pot. One of my very favorites.
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’… look at how much it has colored up. I don’t recall my sedum in Maryland being so colorful.
Morning Bray Farm 
September 16, 2010 at 5:55 am
Beautiful! I love that sage, and the blue asters are some of my faves too. In fact, I had the chance to buy another really nice aster yesterday for cheap.. and didn’t. Darn. I enjoyed the tour! So much of our gardens right now look drab. Yours are popping with color everywhere! Thanks for sharing!
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 7:00 am
Tammy,
Thanks and you’re welcome! Loved that auction you went to!
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 6:54 am
Hooray for volunteers! 😀 What are you replacing your gravel with?
We planted about 5 varieties of basil this year, but sweet basil is still my favorite. Most of our plants got all woody in the heat and drought. Have you been watering yours? It looks great!
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 7:00 am
Flartus,
We haven’t quite decided what to replace the gravel with, but we’d better hurry up or else it’ll be weeds. I just can’t stand the harshness of the gravel. Any suggestions? I’ve always used mulch…
I love how so many folks plant multiple varieties of this or that… I think we’ll definitely have to start doing more of that. I’m hoping to have at least one raised bed to play with next year.
Yes, our basil gets watered quite regularly. 🙂
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 10:49 am
No good suggestions here…though I’ve heard that as far as mulch is concerned, cedar is supposed to keep down insect pests.
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 7:37 am
I hope someone tells you what sort of sage that is, because I want some!
“Heavenly Blue” is my favorite morning glory. Mine all got eaten by the darned hawk moth caterpillars this year.
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 7:41 am
CeeCee,
I’ll try to figure it out… if I do, I’ll let you know.
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 7:10 pm
I found it! Well, I had to have some help on a Garden forum, 🙂
It’s a Blue Mist Spirea. Thanks for sharing. Now I have something to head to the nursery for.
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 7:34 pm
CeeCee,
You’re awesome… thank you! It’s so nice to finally know what it is. Woot-woot! 🙂
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 7:40 am
Beautiful flowers, thanks for sharing.
I wish that I could have your gravel. I use it to keep the Lennys from digging in my planters/pots/garden.
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 7:42 am
Cathy,
You’re welcome. I wish that I could give you our gravel. For whatever reason, gravel doesn’t seem to stop anyone from digging here… and it draws in the heat like nobody’s business.
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 8:02 am
Everything looks beautiful and healthy, especially that basil! Mmmm, I can smell it from here. Are you planning to make pesto?
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Lilla,
I was looking at pesto recipes today after you asked about whether I’m planning to make it… I don’t think I have enough basil this year.
What I am going to make is a recipe that Don’s dad shared with us… Pasta with sausage and herbs (using fresh basil). To die for… I’ll share the recipe next week.
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 8:20 am
The colors of all of your flowers are vibrant. Love the Sedum.
I agree with you about the gravel…our’s is slowly going as well!
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 7:39 pm
Cyndi,
Thanks. I still can’t get over how much more vibrant the sedum is here compared to the sedum I grew in Maryland – same variety. Go figure. 🙂
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 9:10 am
I LOVE fresh basil. I think I actually caught the scent of some of yours just now. *smile*
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 7:40 pm
Carolynn,
It’s the same basil plant that was in our kitchen when you visited. We’re happy you’re smiling. 🙂
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 12:01 pm
All are absolutely beautiful! Back in Atlanta a lot of people used cedar chips…at least I think that’s what it was!
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Nancy,
Thanks! So, Nancy in Iowa used to be Nancy in Atlanta. 😀 Cedar chips must smell absolutely wonderful.
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 6:04 pm
gorgeous……would love a “bird’s eye view” of that garden to see all those colors together…..
looks so peaceful!
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Jane,
Give it a couple of years and the bird’s eye view will be much improved. There are so many little, individual plants right now… I prefer a garden where you can’t tell where one plant ends and another begins. 🙂
LikeLike
September 16, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Your garden looks gorgeous! 🙂
LikeLike
September 17, 2010 at 12:42 pm
What a beautiful garden!!! I love every single thing you showed us. 🙂
In one city in France (can’t remember which!), I told my daughter we should buy basil at the market and put it in a vase (or a water glass….), just so we could smell it in our room………..
I think maybe we didn’t see it in a market after my brainstorm, because we never did it…..
LikeLike