How does your garden grow? Aug. 3rd ed.

Carla

Missed a couple weeks (sorry) and have mostly been enjoying the efforts of others as fresh local produce is becoming available at the small roadside markets. Fresh raspberries, green beans, summer squashes, new potatoes and corn. I have a basket of the first peaches from the Niagara region to enjoy...

Pots planted shortly after I moved into the new home (only a month ago!) are filling in, though I have been working over the rosemary and thyme for cooking.

No pics, but after consulting with the landscape guy who installed the water feature at the house we bought, we decided to unplug the waterfall as it was loosing too much water and using too much power to run. The pond is staying full with rainwater and no top up from us. This week we noticed frogs! DH reports they don't like running water, and would like the stillness and slight scudginess of the pond. They will keep the insects down as well.

Today I visited a lavender farm and learned quite a bit that I didn't know. Since English and French lavender can be grown in my zone 5, I'm going to give it a try.

How is your garden doing? At high summer is it past it's prime, or are you getting season long colour? Is the weather where you live helping you, or are drought or rainy conditions throwing you for a curve? Have you started planning fall plantings of bulbs for next year's spring colour?

Some pots, and a pretty combination in my garden, as well as pics of the lavender fields - a little past their prime, but still beautiful

This post has 5 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

11 years ago

Off Topic

11 replies

Latest reply was from NancyT

Rambling Ann

(website)

Veteran

it's the best of times and the worst of times. We planted a ridiculous amount of fruit trees this year (+300) and ALL my time and energy is going into keeping them alive. In the meantime, the weeds in the garden are appalling. The only thing that is growing well are volunteer sunflowers. The geese adore them when we uproot entire plants and toss them over the fence. But that's not food for me-these aren't Christmas geese, they are founder stock and pets. We are going to have to do the walk of shame at the farmers market and BUY tomatoes to put up for winter. Our apricot tree didn't bear because of late frost. But the new trees are thriving and I keep reminding myself that I only have to get through this summer once, the worst of the heat is over, and next year is a fresh garden start.

11 years ago

gardenchick

Veteran

Carla--glad to hear that you're settling in a bit. Good to see that this thread is back.

Our zucchini plants have spit out four huge zucchini (plus more on the vine) so I made zucchini bread, zucchini muffins and zucchini fritters this weekend! We also harvested some potatoes. Hydrangea look good.

You've probably heard that there's a drought in CA. Our house (which we bought a year ago) has a lawn in the front and back. I think I'm turning off the front sprinklers --just don't feel good about running them with such serious concerns about water. So now need to plan another kind of landscaping in our front...I'm thinking California natives, low water. Let me know if you have ideas!

This post has 8 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

11 years ago

Louise

Veteran

I'm not a gardener, that's Mum's domain but just wanted to share where my cat Marley can very often be found when the weather is warm x

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

11 years ago

Claudia

Veteran

Daisy says "hello" to Marley from beneath her favorite azalea.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

11 years ago

Louise

Veteran

"Hello" Daisy x

11 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

Carla, the lavender is beautiful! I live in zone 5 and lavender does very well here, even though we're in the high desert (and have to water them, as well as everything else). Last winter we had very little snow. I watered our trees periodically, but not any of the perennials. Several of our lavender died as a result. That probably wouldn't be a problem in your area!

Gardenchick, we have a lot of low water perennials. Note: low water, not no water! Anyway we have Russian sage, lavender, gaura, yarrow, and catmint. It's about a third of our backyard.

For me, summer means produce from the garden. Right now we are being deluged by peaches and grapes. Last year we only had six peaches, due to a late frost, as Rambling Ann experienced. This year they're coming out our ears. This is the most we've ever had, even though I thinned as many as I could. I've given them away and have made peach cobbler and peach ice cream. (I have David Lebovitz' book, Perfect Scoop. I recommend it for ice cream lovers).

The vegetable garden is finally started to produce. We've had several cucumbers, and just yesterday I picked the first tomatoes and batch of green beans. Nothing was doing too well when it was so hot. We've had several cooler days allowing the tomato plants to set fruit. I have two dozen plants so I can freeze the excess for winter.

This post has 4 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

11 years ago

Carla

Veteran

OMG! Marley and Daisy are a hoot!

Ouch! Rambling Ann, sorry about the drought in your part of the world.

JAileen, I planted many of the same plants as you in my last garden (we lived on a sand esker and drainage was phenomenal. Good for the house/basement, but bad for the garden. Russian sage and catmint, day lilies, iris, were my standbys. I'm a little confused by this clay based soil and all the rain!!! I am mostly weeding and trying to figure out what I have in the garden now!

Gardenchick, DH used to joke that a group of zucchini (like 'a flock of...' Or 'a herd of..') was an 'embarrassment of zucchini'! I would only plant 3 plants, but I had enough to share with my office mates as well as DH's! And if neighbors forgot to lock their cars at night, they might find themselves 'gifted'!

11 years ago

deb

Veteran

Ok, ok, I know I am late this week but I have been busy. I am finally tackling the front yard and after five years it is about time. I am digging out the old grass and tiering (made up word) the slope. I have had health issues this spring and summer and when I cannot do, I dream. So I dig for five minutes then rest for an hour. It is a slow process and caused all sorts of chaos (see pic #3, too much thinking).

1 & 2 - the tiers
3 - Tree pruning when I should be resting
4 & 5 - the mess
6 & 7 - the front bed
8 - what I see as I walk out the door and look to the right. I will be glad when it all looks like this!

This post has 8 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

11 years ago

Carla

Veteran

Deb, it is all good! Gardens are an investment in the future and a show of faith. They are a huge exercise in delayed gratification.

I know I have inherited a decent garden, but I find it so forced and formal, and long to shake it up and make it wild and romantic. For now I am mostly weeding and learning the soil, and dealing with critters getting into my compost!

11 years ago

gardenchick

Veteran

JAilleen--thanks for the ideas. I believe we will be putting in a lot of lavender, among others.
I'm so envious of those peaches! I canned white peach jam about a month ago and peach salsa (see photos). Peaches are one of my favorite foods.

Carla--thanks for the zucchini empathy. It's true, a large number of huge zucchini came from a few small seeds! They're good, but (unlike peaches!) take some work to get to an edible form. Anyway I'm definitely expanding my zucchini cooking repertoire this year

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

11 years ago

NancyT

Active Member

Hope you don't mind if I throw a picture of my garden into your post.

I am really enjoying your garden series!

Weeds and all, I am loving my front garden this year

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

11 years ago

Category