If my research is correct, this is called "money plant". It gets its name from the "coins" that contain the seeds. You can see them starting to form (those aren't leaves at the top). It just started popping up all over my yard. It especially seems to like the moist areas on the south side of the house. The bright purple blooms really draw the eye. I wish all weeds were this pretty. I'm going to collect some seeds when they mature.
Here's another lovely weed: lily of the valley. I have so much of this stuff. It's basically taken over every place where I've pulled out the ivy. On the plus side, it smells pretty whilst in bloom, and I can pick as much as I want with no regrets.
And yet another weed: ajuga. The flowers are electric purple. Like velvet. This will get pulled when I do the "patio paver peninsula project". Not sure what I'll do with it. Don't worry, I won't toss all of it.
I pulled every shred of vegetation on the west side. It was all weeds. Oh, and garlic, too. I tried grass, but it failed. So, now I'm trying mulch. Looks pretty great right now.
Nope, that's not paint. It's Spectracide Weed and Grass Killer (pre-mixed). I am really impressed at how well it worked. It took less than half a gallon to obliterate this whole area, and it even rained the next day! It probably would have taken a lot less, but I sprayed it on really thick. I'll mulch around the tree so I can stop scalping the roots every time I mow.
My bleeding hearts are blooming like crazy. The neighbor (Jerry) warned me that the chipmunks would eat the roots, but mine have been spared.
These are buds on my iris (in the wildflower garden). I've been waiting two years for these plants to bloom. I think it will be worth the wait. If I had to guess, I would say...purple?
Vegetable garden update: I've got my broccoli and cauliflower transplanted. The peas aren't showing much promise. They should be about two feet tall by now, but instead they're just little stubs. The lettuce looks good. It won't be long now. I cut a bunch of rhubarb for my mother. I'll freeze it until I see her again. The next thing to go in will be the beans (direct seeded into the garden), but first I have to build a trellis. So much to do, so little spring left...
As you may remember, the neighbors across the street were adding on...
...which means a much bigger house (yes, that's the same house as above)...
...and apparently requires a new gas line. And guess where the gas line is? There were no markings from JULIE (our version of Digger's Hotline) which would have prepared me for what I saw after work today. There was a giant hole in my front yard, two Nicor trucks blocking the street, and three workers wandering around. I asked one of them what was going on, but clearly she spoke no English. So I asked a different guy, and he muttered something about the neighbor across the street. So, I went to the third guy, who said that they would clean up when they were done...tomorrow.
