Monday, July 5, 2010

More Garden...Volume 2

Dinner last night: venison roast, and corn, peppers, and onion. All cooked in the middle of the garden. : )


This was my view across the street last night:


Canteloupe vines, with a rogue tomato growing in the middle of the patch.


Baby canteloupe.


Feverfew.


The start of next year's woodpile.


Spinach, now bolting. We'll be planting Bloomsdale long-standing again.


Sunflowers, about 4 ft. tall ~ due to be 8 to 12 ft fully grown.


Remember this? This is the same vine, after a harsh winter pruning this year, and growth this year only.


Baby grapes.


Spearmint, in its infancy. I planted it along a rocky ridge that happens to hold soil in an attempt to curb its vigor a bit. I didn't dare plant it into one of the "regular" beds.


Raspberry brambles (the black ones) all the way down the line.


The other raspberry patch, complete with weeds and a maple tree in the middle.


Mutant raspberry: most produce on last year's canes. This one is producing on a first year cane. And they are huge.


One of my altheas, taken about 7 this morning. I also have a blush pink one, and a dark mauve-y one with a dark purple center.


Mulberry tree, they ripen a delicious dark purple and are actually SWEET. I'm used to them being a little more tart.


This one also likes to eat the mulberries, but isn't quite tall enough to reach without some assistance.


My nemesis: poison ivy. Not only does it spread with wicked abandon along my woodline (and in between my raspberries), but it also becomes a climbing vine when it meets a tree or fence. Evil stuff.


Tall phlox.


One child prefers to play rather than work in the garden. And that's ok.


Turnips.


Pumpkins, weeds, and a whole lot of volunteer tomatoes from last year's patch.


Peas, some of the last.


Peppers and tomatoes ~ early.


Tomatoes and peppers now.

Garden June/July 2010

Here are some shots from around the garden:

Lazy day!


Clematis. Last year they were solid orchid, this year they have developed the darker bars in the middle of the flowers.


Onions: red, and sweet (granex-type).


Peas ~ in the beginning.


Peas ~ now. They're about done, they prefer cooler weather.


Gypsy peppers.


Bell peppers.


Rainbow mix peppers ~ these are turning dark purple.


Digging for 'taters.


Happy okra ~ it loves the heat!


I have a helper that prefers more to play in the dirt than actually help in the garden...


Cherry tomatoes. We have an affliction at this house: no cherry tomatoes have yet to make it inside the house. My children tend to eat them immediately.


Chicory patch. Eat the young leaves in a salad. You can also dig the root, chop into small pieces, roast it in your oven, and grind it up to add to your coffee. Num, tastes like New Orleans.


Chicory typically has lovely blue flowers, like someone took a daisy and squared off the ends of the petals.


A few early potatoes and young turnips.