I took the camera with me to the garden yesterday. I have milkweeds planted on the garden edge. I found a seed escaping. I still have petunias blooming and I left the leaf lettuce for color and character.
Those milkweed seeds always fascinate me. They sure figured out a way to sow themselves everywhere! :-D
The milkweed is a host plant for butterflies--great that you have it and are letting it multiply! The leaf lettuce will self-seed also. We plant Black Seeded Simpson's and an arugula that self-seed. The little ones that come up where you don't want them can be easily transplanted. Those are lovely petunias, and I'm not a big fan of petunias!
I'm impressed you still have petunias growing, the last of my flowers died 2 weeks ago. Also, what kind of lettuce do you grow? I'm interested in trying to possibly grow it next year.
The lettuce you see in the photo is black-seeded simpson. I also have buttercrunch and oakleaf growing.
I hope to get more my flower beds ready for winter. Only thing still blooming Zebrina Melva, And after next week it will be gone also.
My late fall-early winter clean-up in underway here. I have to work inbetween the rain showers. I enjoyed looking at your pics again.
I think milk weed is a host for praying mantis. If you find what looks like a football shaped swelling on one of the stems, cut it off about an inch above and below the football and put it in the fridge until spring. Take the football/s out and place in the garden as needed.