Last of the cutting garden

The cutting garden was definitely a mixed success this year.

The sunflowers were great, but rather too big for my arrangements, the bachelor's buttons were pretty but very floppy, and most of the rest either didn't come up at all or smelled like poop (daisies, I'm looking at you!)

 

But let's remember some successes.

The volunteer cosmo patch up in the vegetable garden was gorgeous, and brightened up a few bouquets.

 

Bunny tail grass, or Lagarus ovatus, planted in my daughter's garden, was a favorite of us all.

Those little seedheads were every bit as soft and fuzzy as they look.

With their long arching stems, they added a bit of whimsy and touchability to several bouquets this summer.

Since I generally rototill the garden every year, this clump got dug up, divided, and replanted in 3 different spots out in the front flowerbeds. I hope it thrives up there!

 

Bless the zinnias.

They came through splendidly, wherever I planted them.

These were in the cutting garden proper, but the ones in the garden did great, as well.

Hardy, long-lasting in the vase, and bright cheerful colors.

That's a combination that's hard to beat!

Beautifully floppy bachelor's buttons.

If I replant these next year, they'll have to go in a spot that get a little more sun.

Maybe the vegetable garden.

[What? I do have actual vegetables in there, too, you know...mostly.]

Looking down toward the cutting garden.

The daisies have since been divided and planted between the lilacs and ninebark, all the way down the terrace.

 

As for next year's cutting garden, I may try starting some seeds inside in the spring, so that I have more young plants to put in. Also, not sure I'll do sunflowers again, though they were fun to look at. That is, unless I can find a variety with smaller blooms that I actually know what to do with in a vase.

 

It was a good experiment that I feel like I learned from.

(Like everything I do in gardening.)

New Flowerbed (the last?)

 

Just when we thought all wall building was done forever, there remained one more wall to build. Fortunately, this one was short, and (comparatively) easy to finish.

And now I have a little flowerbed along the side of the shed.

Hooray for more flowers!

 

Overview

It was quite late in the season, but due to a delayed onset of frosty nights, I was able to get these plants in with time to spare. Also, there were some great sales going on at the nurseries. Dangerous territory, that. 

 

So, starting on the left side, this floppy wonder is half of my beautiful orange geum 'Totally Tangerine' from the other flowerbed. It was crowding its neighbors over there, anyway, and was due for a chopping. (I also moved it down some while I had it out of the ground.)

 

Remember this loveliness?

(picture from May of this year.)

Oh yes, this is the treat I will be in for on both sides of my yard, now.

 

Moving down:

We've got Gaillardia 'Commotion Moxie' on the left, Rudbeckia 'Chocolate Orange' in the middle, and a couple of purple irises transplanted from the back flowerbed.

This bed will mostly have hot colors, chosen by my daughter. I'm hoping the purple iris doesn't clash.

(Though if it does, it will be easy to move elsewhere.)

 

The star of the show: Little Lime Hydrangea

The dwarf form of 'Limelight,' this one should get to be 3-5' tall and wide.

Perfect for this narrow bed.

 

I have discovered that I really crave symmetrical plantings. This time I just went with it, so that's why I only took pictures of the first half of the flowerbed. The next half is exactly the same.

I also put some bulbs in here and there that were dug up in my renovations of the back flowerbed.

So I really have no idea what they are. I mean, they are likely either tulips or daffodils, I know that much, but as to form and color? I guess I'll be surprised come spring.

Could be interesting.

Once we turned the corner, the plan was to extend the raspberry patch, so that's what I did.

Awkward angle here, sorry about that.

 

The one and only 'Fall Gold' raspberry plant that I could find.

The rest I put in are black raspberries.

A little variety should be good, I hope.

 

 

The trellis' were all on sale, so we got 3 and actually use wire to make some sturdy raspberry supports, that should be a lot longer-lasting and more effective than the string variety we had up before.  Yay raspberries!

 

Now I think we are really done creating flowerbeds.

At least for this year!

Fall Colors out Front

My front flowerbeds are filled with delightful colors, even once the flowers have gone.

 

The front porch bed.

Oakleaf hydrangea, I knew I could count on you for some gorgeous fall leaves!

Snowball bush, with peony and Echinacea seedheads in the background.

Love it!

Boxwood, rose, and other foliage

Barberry

The guillardia are hanging on, and those lovely red tones blend in just fine.

Catmint seedheads, with purple ninebark in the background.

 

 

Plus a bonus: strawberry foliage up in the garden

 

If our winter is as mild as the weatherman claims it will be, we will be enjoying these colors for a few more months!

October vegetable garden

 

We're about done out there.

Pulled out all the rest of the beans and tomatoes, got the tomato cages put away.

 

A few flowers lingering on in my daughter's garden.

2 small pumpkins turning orange.

(Now that the beans and cosmos are gone, they'll get a lot more sunlight.)

Marigolds still hanging in, but they'll probably be done soon.

  

bare bean poles

 

I can't believe how long we've waited until first frost this year.

Canning & Processing Tally

I'm feeling pretty good about my harvesting, processing, and canning this year. We entered summer almost completely out of home-canned fruit and now our shelves are overflowing!

 

I didn't do so hot taking pictures of garden harvest or what I canned this year. I want to do better on that next year.

The oregano and vegetables were all from our garden.

We had 3 different friends offer free cherry picking in July, and I took them all up on the offers!

2 had sweet cherries, and 1 had a pie cherry tree.

Peaches, pears, and apples were purchased.

 

We ended up with:

 

1 1/2 quarts dried oregano

 

23 quarts sweet cherries

2 quart bags chopped frozen sweet cherries

15 cups pie filling (frozen)

12 pints? a bunch of cherry-berry syrup (jam that didn't set--oops!)

 

5 cups raspberry freezer jam--home-picked fruit

 

8 quarts sliced carrots, frozen

 

39 quarts peaches

 

5 quarts green beans, frozen

 

9 pints plum jam

Free plums from behind the elementary school!

 

33 quarts pears

 

41 quarts applesauce

 

6 pints pickled beets

 

I think that will do it for this year, unless I decide to make some more jam--which is tempting.

I want to make some more lemon-ginger marmalade.

 

My care for the vegetable garden and flowers really dropped off in September...along with my blogging. This list is helping me realize why--I was canning everything in sight! Everything from the carrots on down has been done since the last week of August.

(Not to mention school starting, soccer practice, etc., etc.)

 

Let me just say it again.

It's a good feeling to have all that done for the year.