How is my Gardening/Yard growing

The yard is less tragic than last year. We still are on the hunt for goat heads. Doesn't everyone send a picture of a goat head bouquet to their husband? We literally pull goat heads every day.  They have terrible thorns and spread literally overnight

My favorite Dahlia seedling. (top picture) I will probably be keeping this one to grow out again next year. All my seedlings have bloomed. My gifted tubers are just starting to bud.

I have two varieties of black-eyed susan's. I love the burgundy one and the yellow centered one looks almost fake. The yellow center one is prairie sun black eyed susan.

I have two types of sunflowers this year. My best friend sent me seeds for Cherry Rose Sunflowers and I have two mammoth sunflowers. 

Zinnias are Floret's Victorian Wedding. Mine are really small. I don't know if I would grow again. I do love the soft pastel colors. The stem length is great too.

This is my cone flower. This thing is hardy.  I would like to grow more cone flowers next year in different colors.

This is a tradescantia which can also be an indoor houseplant. I got it off of the discount rack. It is doing great.  Please see plantswithkrystal and her repot on this.  

I do use a rain barrel. The water from my ac goes in my gutters to this rain barrel. We do get some rain occasionally. I use this to water some of my garden.

I have had failures as well. My patio tomato has yet to produce any tomatoes. I killed a rose bush and since replaced. It isn't looking that hot either. I also killed two sets of zucchini starts. I thought that was impossible.

 I also added Russian sage and some Lavendar to my rock borders. The Mexican heather isn't doing great. I have never had any luck with heather other than it is my name. 

My butterfly bush is alive but burnt on the top. We have had some hot days and that is the challenge of gardening in southeastern New Mexico. I don't think this summer is as hot as last summer.