Take the Good With the Bad

It always strikes me that the garden is full of dichotomy. The proverbial thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, the good the bad and the ugly all simultaneously happening right outside the door. And so it is here today.

Good...I love these Bleeding Hearts. A reliable plant that faithfully returns each year, without pruning, or feeding, or really much of anything at all. Dicentra spectabilis is also known as Venus's car, Dutchman's trousers, or lyre flower and it does best in a well drained shady spot. It may die back after flowering, but it will be back the next year.

Good? Kind of cute I thing...this Jumping Spider was sitting on the hummingbird feeder. It has EIGHT eyes!!!  "All the better to see you with my dear!"  The species name, Phidippus mystaceus,  is derived from the Ancient Greek mystax, meaning "moustache", which is especially visible on the females  The literal translation of Phidippus Mystaceus, however, is "Jumping Mustache." (Photo by GoddessSupport)

BAD BAD BAD BAD!!!!! Cabbage worms (YUCK!!!!)  are the larval form of the Cabbage White butterfly. Currently decimating my cabbage in a small velvety green army of chompers. Is this REALLY necessary.

Good!!! Broccoli is doing it's thing...hopefully the worms will steer clear although the cabbage worm will eat any of the brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, and kale.)

Good! The Iris are just gorgeous...

BAD BAD BAD...

Good!!! The robins have a nest near the driveway. They generally lay one egg a day until they have a clutch of four. We have two nests that I have found so far...they are a happy thing to me.

Other good things in the garden today... I saw my first male Ruby Throated Hummingbird at the feeder. I planted Jalapeno, Serrano and Yellow peppers,  burgundy okra,  tomatillo, bronze fennel, some of the Lupines that I started from seed....transplanted some day lilies....save a frog from the clutches of the Welsh Terrier and last but not least GoddessSupport built me a whole bunch of raised boxes for expanding the fenced garden...which means I will be hauling horse compost all week to fill them up. All in all a satisfying day in the garden!