the summer garden

We've been spending nearly every spare moment in the garden lately. Our little plot receives a great deal more sun than last year, due to the willow tree situation, so I've been dreaming up ways to take advantage of it. We've had great success with our bitter greens, herbs and sunflowers (pictures to come!), as well as an assortment of native plants that I got from the NYC Butterfly Project this spring. Next year, I'd like to add even more native plants, Gaura lindheimeri is on my list, as well as the classic Echinacea purpurea. On our recent visits, the Echinacea in our garden's native plant area has been covered with pollinators of all sorts, which completely delights me! I'm also looking to put in a clump of Agastache foeniculum (Anise Hyssop) both for tea and for the bees. In the non-native plant category, I've been swooning over the tall and fragrant oriental lilies that some of my neighbors are growing. I'll definitely be planting a basketful of those this fall. What's growing in your garden this year?