My sweet peas in full bloom~050910

My sweet peas are now past their prime. I took these photos about 10 days ago. We've had days of 90 degrees plus heat, so they are quickly drying out and going to seed. This year's crop was really an experimental one, since we got the fence put up last fall to keep the dogs from running all over our yard. We have a 6' chain link fence down one side of our yard, about 100 feet long. Our son put it in for us. I have planted sunflowers on a couple of sections, African daisies and California poppies on the section nearest the gate, and my sweet peas in the middle sections. The sweet peas are very special to me as my late grandfather used to plant them in his garden and ours. He was an old Kansas farmer with a VERY green thumb. His sweet peas were gorgeous, healthy, and very thick. I think he mixed horse manure in the soil (I have PLENTY of that, with 5 horses!)...This is the first crop to EVER come close to his typical crops! I am going to have to pull them out shortly (this will break my heart!), but I have some cosmos seeds and some Tithonia seeds to plant in their place and since sweet peas put nitrogen into the soil, the latter seeds should do very well. Ahhh....they will have done their job! I am collecting the seeds and I plan on planting them next December, and once again delight in their beauty and their sweet fragrance! And, if you are wondering, yes, I DID soak them overnight and I did throw some horse manure on them! Brenda's Photo Challenge and Today's Flowers for May 8, 2010.