I was over in Tony's garden yesterday marveling at his monster globe thistle. I have one of my own (a spawn of Tony's, in fact) but it's nowhere near as magnificent.

Though not yet officially in bloom, its bluish orbs are floating above the prickly foliage like a constellation of alien worlds...


...or like fireworks popping off in a tiny sky below you. (Although these suckers are about at eye level for Tony.)

While my garden is taking a little rest, and I am spending most of my time there weeding, watering, and waiting, I'm lucky to be able to get a few vicarious thrills from my neighbors' plots. Tony's is a given...


But my neighbor on the other side, Rob, also has a garden to die for:


I'm lucky to have so much inspiration all around me all the time, aren't I?