I am the "Yarrow Queen" because my yarrow plants are huge and gorgeous. This is their second summer in my 1.5 year-old garden. Their bright yellow flowers are appearing just in time to celebrate the start of the Tour de France. (Despite the current drug scandal, my husband and I remain ardent cycling fans.) 
The orange globe mallow I ordered from High Country Gardens should be right at home in this bare spot. Last year, my garden's first, a mirabilis multiflora (desert four-o'clock) occupied the space and did beautifully. Unfortunately, it did not reappear this spring. 
I plan to collect seeds from these lupine pods. In the spring, this plant bore multi-colored blooms.
What I see when I open the front door. 
My garden wears summer colors.
Yellow buds and blossoms cover this healthy gray santolina.
The red hot poker plant still stands tall among the other perennials.
I took this photo late morning. By then, the flax plant was quickly losing today's crop of vibrant blue flowers. 
After a week of glory, the red hot poker blooms are beginning to fade.
This yarrow plant bears deep coral colored flowers, a nice change from the bright yellow.
The campanula continue to bloom.
The first feverfew blossom of the year awakens this summer morning (white flower in middle of photo). I expect hundreds more to bloom in the next few weeks.
Tickseed - the only true red flowers in my garden.
The red hot poker plant continues to show off its blooms.
The following three photos show the prickly pear blooms as they opened up this morning.
The prickly pear now has two developing blossoms. Plant to left - catmint.
The red hot poker continues to mature, surrounded by campanula (deep purple flowers). 
The red hot poker has two blooms this year.
The prickly pear is beginning to bloom.
