Cosmo Circle

We have a strange yard, if you can call it that, around our house here in Jinqiao. The front inside the gate is completely cobbled, so that the car can pull right up to the front door. There is a small amount of grass, but not enough to really mention. The focal point of the "yard" is this round, elevated garden of sorts. I think it was meant to be a fountain in the landlord's original plans, because it has a water source in it, but the circle was filled in with soil at some point, and has brambly little bushes planted around the perimeter. Some seasons maintenance has planted flowers in the middle, but this year there was nothing growing but weeds. While we were in the US this summer, enjoying working in the yards at our parents' homes, I decided I was tired of leaving this circle flower bed to the whims of the management, and bought flower seeds to plant when we returned to Shanghai.
I planted two varieties of cosmo seeds the day after our plane landed in Shanghai nearly three weeks ago, after spending a good hour clipping back the brambly bushes around the edge of the circle and pulling all the weeds growing in the middle. Cosmos grow so easily, and with the hot and steamy weather here, they were literally poking their little heads up out of the ground within days. They've needed water every day, but the last couple days we've had some good rain to help them along.

I'm loving having something in the yard to nurture besides the couple of pots of flowers on the front steps. There is something so satisfying about watching plants emerge from the ground and flourish. I'm hoping these grow and bloom above the level of the bramble bushes. I'm planning to chronicle their development here. Thanks for indulging me!