Back Flowerbed, Mid-August

 

This, friends, is the face of neglect.

This poor flowerbed needs some attention and has not gotten it for several weeks.

 

I've watered it...occasionally.

It has been hot and smoky and can I whine a little more?

 

This post can serve as my checklist for what needs to happen out there.

 

Still haven't cut off the dead rose branches.

Also some serious weeding needs doing.

More weeding.

Cutting back those dead poppies would also help.

Despite everything, look at this!

My Abraham Darby rose is in bloom again, as are the penstemon and yarrow.

 

In another week or two the sedums will be blooming, which will help spark this area more, as well.

 

Perhaps this week I'll make it out there for a fall tidying-up session.

Then I can post some "after" photos. :)

The Kids' Gardens, Late July

These have been fun for the kids.

When friends come over, they're so proud of their little gardens, and have to show the friends everything they're growing. Warms my heart!

 

My daughter's garden:

The flowers have pretty much taken over here.

Not that she minds.

She does have a few peppers growing in that cage, and a carrot or two in amongst the rest.

 

My oldest son's garden:

Lovely snapdragons, plus potatoes taking over the world, and a few peppers.

He also has a few beans here and there, along with a carrot or two.

 

Youngest son's garden:

Peas gone now, but still some carrots and beets to pull up and snack on.

 

Now that the main garden is producing things there's aren't (especially the beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers), their interest in their own little plots has waned a bit. But they still enjoy going out and seeing what they have growing--and picking things if they can.

Late July Vegetable Garden

Everything is filling in and getting bushy.

We're harvesting beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

...And the occasional beets, carrots, and onions.

Love it!

 

Bottom terrace:

(kids' gardens will be in a separate post)

 

Oregano, beans, beets, carrots, potatoes

 

Middle Terrace:

 

cucumbers & zucchini

 

cosmo jungle

You can just barely see the big, fat onions peeking out in front there.

They don't seem to mind the takeover.

 

Pumpkin flowering amidst the jungle.

 

Mini pumpkins and beans

The peas were still limping along, but I pulled them out.

The pumpkins needed some space to run into that wasn't covered up with cosmos, anyway.

 

 

 Beans in front, new beans coming up on the left, pumpkin vines behind.

And of course, those glorious marigolds up top.

They are so bright and cheerful!

 

Top Terrace:

Basil is going to seed, with marigolds right in front looking amazing.

The tomatoes aren't very tall, but are producing several small fruits consistently.

Another view of marigolds and basil.

The cosmo jungle, from the top.

So beautiful!

Trouble in Paradise

So this rose has been dying off branch by branch.

First they shrivel, then they get dry and crispy.

I would pull the whole thing out, but at the same time, it's putting on strong new growth that looks healthy. I guess I'll prune off the dead ones and see if it makes it.

Beautiful Lilies

From the back flowerbed:

 

'White Heaven' lilies

'Hall's Pink' daylily, with yarrow in front.

A little closer look.

This color combination wasn't planned, but I love it!

Now I'm thinking about how I can plan for some more just like it!

Early July Vegetable Garden

 

Pardon the blurry look to these photos.

My camera has been acting up.

 

Oregano starting to recover from the haircut I gave it.

Zinnias starting to peek up from behind.

Spinach and swiss chard gone.

They were only about 3 inches tall and already bolting.

I have planted beans in their places.

Sweet potato is going for broke. I'm so curious what we're going to find when we dig it up.

Potatoes are still full and bushy.

 

Up to the middle terrace: 

Peas are struggling. It got hot so quickly this year that they just haven't been growing.

I'll give them another week or two, then I'm yanking them out.

No harvest yet.

 

Mini pumpkins starting to fill out.

Beans growing.

 

Jack-o-lantern pumpkins starting to run!

Once I pull out the peas, I'm going to let them run over to that end of the bed.

And all that feathery goodness?

Volunteer cosmos from my little cutting garden patch last year.

I pulled out the ones most crowding my other stuff.

The rest I'm just going to let make a jungle, I guess.

A flowery jungle...hmmm...sounds perfect!

 

Get a load of these onions!

For once in my life I'm growing big onions!

I take back all the onion grumbling from the past.

The only thing different this year is that I spaced them out 4-6 inches.

That's it. And just look at them!

Now I'm ready to grow onions every year, forever and ever.

 

This is at the end of the terrace, looking back toward the onions and cosmo jungle.

Zucchini is actually growing and flowering.

Good sign.

And those are cucumbers climbing that trellis (with quite a bit of encouragement.)

Tons of flowers and even a few small cukes coming. Yeah!

 

Top terrace:

Marigold, basil, and tomatoes.

Starting to fill in.

 

 

Plus, the pole beans are starting to climb!



The Kids' Gardens

 

 

My daughter's garden.

She's pulled out spinach, beets, and most of her swiss chard.

The flowers are doing great!

I believe she planted some beans in the empty spaces.

My son's garden.

Still has a few swiss chard hanging on, plus his potato plant is twice as big as any of mine.

 

They've both eaten carrots out of their gardens, too.

Also, see that splash of purple in the very front?

Volunteer petunias. Love that!

 

Didn't get a shot of the youngest sons' garden this time.

We have picked some beets out of his so far.