Alexa
LightNews LightNews
banner
irlalexa.com
Alexa
@irlalexa.com
170 followers 98 following 200 posts
I make things.
Curious by nature, designer by profession, and seriously silly.
She/her
Posts Replies Media Videos
irlalexa.com
sPoOkY scabiosas

🌱
More spooky looking scabiosa flowers and buds - they are reaching upwards toward a gloomy overcast sky.
October 26, 2025 at 5:52 PM
irlalexa.com
Spooky Scabiosas

Still blooming through this awful weather
A picture showing mostly an overcast sky, light is barely filtering through the gloomy clouds. The very bottom of the frame you can see plants and flowers reaching up - very tendril like. The main focus is showing a scabiosa flower, one open in bloom, the other is a closed blossom. The scabiosas are a new variety called dark vino, and are so dark and rich in color they look black! In this image, it looks like a silhouette. A crow is flying overhead, a bit blurry as it’s in motion - but overall, super spooky flower garden! Grown in Portland Oregon, in an urban yard zone 8/9
October 26, 2025 at 5:50 PM
irlalexa.com
Another game changer in the garden: improved egress.

No more dead ends and wider paths (~2’ wide)

I accepted nothing will grow along the shadow zone parallel to the fence and turned it into a path.

I’m generally working with a 12’x15’ zone, last year I packed things too tight
Another garden path along a fence, this space is constantly shaded.
September 23, 2025 at 1:07 AM
irlalexa.com
Fortunately we anticipated the backlash to the sticks.

Strategically placed grain and grass cover crops provided daily enrichment. This guy loves to graze.
The golden retriever is chilling in the garden, sitting on a nice path between two young garden beds full of cover crops and sunflowers.
September 23, 2025 at 12:53 AM
irlalexa.com
This year the paths along the garden bed were just layered cardboard and paper grocery bags.

Very pleasant to walk on. Kept paws tidy!

2024 we had straw paths and a straw covered dog.

#gardeningreport
The golden retriever patrols his garden in the peak hours of the day.
September 23, 2025 at 12:34 AM
irlalexa.com
2025 GARDEN REVIEW:

A garden path is the single most important part of a garden!

It’s a defining characteristic of ANY space AND it is one that ALL creatures innately understand if it works or not.

This year, the paths were deemed impeccable by our judge…

#gardeningreport 🌱
A sweet golden retriever steps tenderly down the garden path. This garden path is made of layers of paper grocery bags.
September 22, 2025 at 11:46 PM
irlalexa.com
Who wants to CYBERBULLY this FREAK of a tomato

a SUCKER on the LEAF STEM?!
🍅 🌱
A mutant cherry tomato with suckers growing off the leaf stem (rachis).
September 17, 2025 at 12:47 AM
irlalexa.com
THE 2025 GARDEN REVIEW IS IN!!! 🌱 📈

Although the season is still going strong, our esteemed reviewer has provided us with an in-depth and nuanced report. This report helps us uphold the quality and functionality of the garden.

Stay tuned as we release these assessments this week!
#gardeningreport
A chipper golden retriever walking down a garden path made of paper grocery bags. This gentleman has finally released his 2025 gardening report, which we will be sharing with you throughout the week. Urban garden in zone 8b, Pacific Northwest.
September 15, 2025 at 6:09 PM
irlalexa.com
Comparing 2025 (left) and 2024 (right) sunflowers
Photos taken beginning of June

I went overboard with the crimson clover in 2025 because 2024 I felt like my soil was too dry. Did it help? Maybe. More rain and regrading the garden this year could contribute as well
2025 beginning of June: sunflowers are barely peaking out of the crimson clover that covers the bed. Currently blooming in this photo (cause I think it’s pretty), a nice green mulch - some might think it’s too much. 2024 beginning of June: comparing the sunflower growth, you can make out more seedlings because the crimson clover is in a neat row in the bed (as opposed to covering completely).
September 14, 2025 at 9:03 PM
irlalexa.com
2025 sunflowers so far

Not the perfect comparison to 2024 sunflowers (different angle and layout, different types, different bloom times), but same 2 months documented

#gardening #bloomscrolling
September 14, 2025 at 8:52 PM
irlalexa.com
The native ladybugs were everywhere this year.

Lots of bug diversity this year, lots of predators.

3 years ago this urban yard had none.
#gardening #nativeplants
A polished lady beetle (Cycloneda polita I think) hanging out in the lacy looking, bolted cilantro. It’s a smaller ladybug, spotless, a solid red body, and it’s white markings look like eyes. A very cute and native bug in the Pacific Northwest, found in my urban garden. Photo taken in late July.
September 14, 2025 at 7:31 PM
irlalexa.com
‘Sparky Vino’ Scabiosa

In the direct sunshine it’s a nice red wine color - at any other moment it is a dark black flower that makes all other flowers POP. Perfect for the gothic gardeners.

Here you can see how to flower opens up.

#bloomscrolling #gardening
Scabiosa, or pincushion flower. ‘Sparky vino’ is a new cultivar and claims to be the darkest color yet. Nearly black, but when held in the direct sunlight, as shown in this photo, it’s a deep red wine color. Grown from seed from the Frank Morton at Wild Garden Seed. I started these plants indoors in March, before transplanting in my urban garden in Portland Oregon. Zone 8/9. Scabiosa, or pincushion flower. ‘Sparky vino’ is a new cultivar and claims to be the darkest color yet. Nearly black, but when held in the direct sunlight, as shown in this photo, it’s a deep red wine color. Grown from seed from the Frank Morton at Wild Garden Seed. I started these plants indoors in March, before transplanting in my urban garden in Portland Oregon. Zone 8/9. Scabiosa, or pincushion flower. ‘Sparky vino’ is a new cultivar and claims to be the darkest color yet. Nearly black, but when held in the direct sunlight, as shown in this photo, it’s a deep red wine color. Grown from seed from the Frank Morton at Wild Garden Seed. I started these plants indoors in March, before transplanting in my urban garden in Portland Oregon. Zone 8/9. Scabiosa, or pincushion flower. ‘Sparky vino’ is a new cultivar and claims to be the darkest color yet. Nearly black, but when held in the direct sunlight, as shown in this photo, it’s a deep red wine color. Grown from seed from the Frank Morton at Wild Garden Seed. I started these plants indoors in March, before transplanting in my urban garden in Portland Oregon. Zone 8/9.
August 31, 2025 at 10:21 PM
irlalexa.com
Scabiosa, or pincushion flowers, are new for me this year - and will become a regular.

Highly productive with strong stems and a long vase life.

#bloomscrolling
#gardening
Scabiosa, or pincushion flower. ‘Sparky vino’ is a new cultivar and claims to be the darkest color yet. Nearly black, but when held in the direct sunlight, as shown in this photo, it’s a deep red wine color. Grown from seed from the Frank Morton at Wild Garden Seed. I started these plants indoors in March, before transplanting in my urban garden in Portland Oregon. Zone 8/9.
August 31, 2025 at 10:15 PM
irlalexa.com
Today and yesterdays harvest

This year I’m plucking my tomatoes off earlier due to an influx of #squirrelcrimes

🌱 🌼 🍅 🫑 🥒
A metal basket in the garden full of tomatoes, peppers and one cucumber. Grown in my urban garden, zone 8a, in Portland Oregon. PNW gardening is like cheating! A metal basket in the garden full of tomatoes and peppers, and a cup full of zinnias, scabiosas and dill flowers. Grown in my urban garden, zone 8a, in Portland Oregon. PNW gardening is like cheating!
August 31, 2025 at 10:06 PM
irlalexa.com
‘whirligig’ zinnia
‘sparky vino’ scabiosa
‘whirligig’ zinnia ‘sparky vino’ scabiosa
August 23, 2025 at 12:09 AM
irlalexa.com
‘whirligig’ zinnia
🌱
The striking ‘whirligig’ zinnia flower, petals are hot pink with white tips. Behind it is a flower that is so dark it is almost black, ‘sparky vino’ scabiosa. Grown in an urban garden in zone 8b, easy summer cut flowers!
August 23, 2025 at 12:05 AM
irlalexa.com
#cats
A photo of a calico cat holding her paw to her mouth, water droplets hang off the tips of her toes. She’s enjoying the flower infused water from the floral arrangements open vessel. The flowers are native wild type clarkia and cultivated mountain garland (or Diamond) clarkias. Early summer blooming flowers that are native plants to the west coast. Great cut flower and loved by pollinators. Zone 8b Portland Urban Gardening.
August 21, 2025 at 11:56 PM
irlalexa.com
My daughter appreciates flowers
🐈‍⬛
A photo of a calico cat holding her paw to her mouth, water droplets hang off the tips of her toes. She’s enjoying the flower infused water from the floral arrangements open vessel. The flowers are native wild type clarkia and cultivated mountain garland (or Diamond) clarkias. Early summer blooming flowers that are native plants to the west coast. Great cut flower and loved by pollinators. Zone 8b Portland Urban Gardening.
August 21, 2025 at 11:54 PM
irlalexa.com
ZINNIAS
🌱 🐝
Another one of my zinnias hosting a yellow faced bumble bee
August 17, 2025 at 4:23 AM
irlalexa.com
ZINNIAS
🌱 🐝
A bright orange zinnia with a bumbling bumble bee
August 17, 2025 at 4:21 AM
irlalexa.com
ZINNIAS
🌱 🐝
One of my zinnias with a bumble bee and a very small native bumble (unknown)
August 17, 2025 at 4:20 AM
irlalexa.com
Quick flower harvest before the rain!
🌱
A bunch of zinnias (pink, white, and yellow), scabiosas (dark almost black in color, a new strain called “vino”) and a few green tomatoes in a basket. Harvested from my urban garden in Portland Oregon.
August 15, 2025 at 5:08 PM
irlalexa.com
Bee Naps (2025)
Two bumble bees napping on a pink zinnia.
August 11, 2025 at 1:29 AM
irlalexa.com
THE BIGGEST BUMBLE BEE I EVER DID SEE!

The Nevada Bumble Bee I believe… was visiting my sweet peas the other morning 🐝

#bees #pdxgardens #gardening
A Nevada bumble bee (Bombus nevadensis) feeding on an heirloom sweet pea flower. Found in an urban garden in Portland, Oregon. This native bee is extremely adorable, large, fuzzy, stylish with a black dot on its yellow thorax. A Nevada bumble bee (Bombus nevadensis) feeding on an heirloom sweet pea flower. Found in an urban garden in Portland, Oregon. This native bee is extremely cute, large, fuzzy, stylish with a black dot on its yellow thorax.
July 25, 2025 at 12:39 AM
irlalexa.com
#pdxgardens
A photo taken from inside a cherry tomato plant, looking up towards the clear blue sky. The view shows green unripe tomato, tangles of leaves and tomato vines, making the viewer feel like a small bug in a nightshade forest. Grown in an urban garden in Portland Oregon.
July 14, 2025 at 7:21 PM