Very nice photo.

Gorgeous pic Flower Power!

Ditto!

That's beautiful! The monarchs and the salvia ugliosa look so clear! Here's a picture I took today of the hummer at the salvia ugliosa it's not nearly as nice or clear as yours

I'm glad that you guys enjoyed the picture. The Monarchs where so colorful, it looked liked they had just emerged from their cocoons.
Sarabn, I love the hummingbird picture. I have been stalking them for most of the summer. And by stalking, I mean hiding in the shrubs with my camera! They are so smart though, it's hard to get them to stay around once they spot you. I tried standing very still, and the hummingbird came up to about 1' away from my face. Eventually he went back to his salvias, but in between flowers he would chirp at me. He was letting me know that he saw me, and wasn't too happy about my picture taking!

What fabulous pictures! If only we had hummingbirds in the UK!

Robin.

Robin, I'm sorry to hear that you don't have Hummingbirds. I get the biggest kick out of them, they have such personalities. This year I planted with the hummingbirds in mind, so I have many salvias.
You learn something new everyday. I never new that you didn't have hummingbirds in the UK. I also learned from another UK native that you don't have lightning bugs either. I guess they are so common here, it never occured to me.

Heollo may I Ask what are lightning bugs, I have never heard of them.

What! no chasing lightning bugs on a summer night?! no catching them in a jar to light up your bedroom !? You poor child.

Lightning bugs have a phosphorescent back end that they can blink on and off as they wish. It's wonderful to see them when a huge swarm will do a light dance, blinking on and off in unison.

Westelle: Do you have lightning bugs in California? I've seen millions of them in the midwest and the east coast, but I never new that you had them there (and I've never seen any there myself)

Dariot JR

Annette, no lightning bugs in Australia? That's too bad, they are really interesting to watch. I couldn't imagine summer without them. They are carnivorous beetles that have a tail section that flashes on and off. I know it sounds strange, but they really are neat. I believe it's around June that we start seeing them, and they are just about finished for the summer now. Here is a link that might explain it a little better than I can. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Fireflies

I've lived in California for pretty much my whole life (except for a brief stint in Idaho), and I've never had the pleasure of seeing a firefly! What a sheltered life I've led! :)

I LOVE those Salvia pics!

Brenda

Gee, thanks. ANOTHER salvia I have to have. . . Until I saw your photo, I didn't know how beautiful they are.

They are great. But after you plant one, jump back quickly because this species grooowwwws. Because they are rather lax it is best to either stake and wire them or plant something big next to them that they can lean on. Otherwise they will fall all over everything. I'm not sure I would plant them in zone 8 or warmer. They could easily become the thug in the garden running over everything in their path.

Such awesome photos, wow thanks for posting them!

Joseph