August in the Kids' Gardens

As they had mostly spring vegetables in their gardens, it's not too surprising that they haven't had as much to harvest these days.

 

My daughter's garden:

 

She's still got a few peppers coming, and a few carrots, but mostly it is flowers.

She loves the flowers, so that's okay too.

(A girl after my own heart.)

 

My oldest son's garden:

His potatoes have about died off completely in the far back.

He also has a couple of peppers starting to turn red.

He been picking beans off his bean plant (not pictured), and has a few carrots here and there, along with those beautiful snapdragons right in front.

 

 

Littlest guy's garden is still going, but about to be all harvested.

Carrots and beets are hanging on, but will be picked within the week.

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.

Containers Filled

As work on the garden expansion continues, I decided today would be a good day to get all my containers planted.

 

True to form, I did purples and pinks across the board.

Like last year, I put in a few perennials, which I plan to plant in my flowerbeds come fall. 

Here's what we've got:

 

#1: Tall & Skinny Blue Pot

This is all herbs this year.

I've got a pineapple sage (just for fun), plus one sweet basil and one purple basil 'Amethyst Improved.' I wanted rosemary, too, but have yet to find it for sale.

 

#2: Dark Blue Pot

Carpathian Bellflower (Campanula carpatica) in the middle, with 3 wave petunias spaced around it. Yes, it looks a little strange right now, but soon those petunias will start billowing, and I wanted something tall enough to still be seen over the petunias.

The bellflower will go in my front flowerbed this fall.

I already have the perfect spot picked out!

#3: Round blue pot

Loaded with pinks this time--literally!

Every year a dianthus practically leaps into my cart. This was the one!

Also in this one, 1 wave petunia in purple, light pink calibrachoa, and a few deep pink stems of stock.  I'm hoping once the dianthus is done with its main blooming, the rest will keep it going through the summer.

 

#4: Gray-Green Pot

These are "Regal" geraniums. They were each going to go in a separate container, but as the name might suggest, they did not play well with others. At least not the others I already had purchased. The pink has some deep red undertones that clashed with my other pink stuff, once I brought it home.

So they got their very own container, with only a few white lobelia on either side to share it with.

I hope Their Majesties are satisfied, and keep giving me those gorgeous blossoms all summer.

 

#5: Green Pot

 The tall plants sticking up are Snapdragons, 'Rocket Mix'. I have never tried snapdragons in a container before--or at all, actually. So I have no idea how this will go.

Also in there: white stock, deep pink & yellow calibrachoa, pink petunia.

I don't love it, but we'll see how it looks when things start to fill in a little more.

 

#6: Blue Boat

Last, but certainly not least, is the succulent boat.

No petunias this time to steal the show!

Clockwise from top left:

Blue Chalk Fingers 'Serpents' (Senecio vitalis). The tag says it produces white flower clusters and it's actually supposed to grow 12-18" high.

Jade 'Hobbit' (crassula ovate)

Zebra plant (Haworthia fasciata)  This one is my favorite!

Hens & chicks, which survived the winter in my back flowerbed.

Senecio 'Blazin' Glory' (Senecio cephalophorus) Supposed to have bright orange blooms

Aeonium 'Tip Top' (Aeonium arborescens)

 

I may move them a little closer together and put a couple others in there, as well.

And yes, I am planning to bring most of them inside this fall.

 

Do I really have SIX containers?

It's more than I thought, but still doesn't seem like enough!