Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower. (Updated with pics)

[Snowwark]

Pretty fanciful title, eh?

How's your grass? How are your flowers? How abundant is your harvest?

Okay, I picked 5 beans, that's right...5...from my bush beans the other day, and I should be able to get another 5 today. An abundant harvest? Well, not exactly....lol. I'm not as happy with the bush beans as I was with our pole beans last year. The pole beans work much better for the small raised bed that we have.

My cherry tomatoes have yet to turn red, and with my luck, it will happen when I leave for my trip! We put 2 plants in each container, sort of an experiment, and so far they're coming along nicely, although they do seem rather large for cherry tomatoes.

My standout plant for this season would be my Pink Elf Hydrangea ~ Pia~. She's in a container, and has (and still is) put on a beautiful display of her showy blooms. Very nice!!

Oh....and our grass does indeed look splendid, thanks to the inordinate amount of rainfall we've had.

What's spendid and glorious in your garden? Or, okay and so-so?

 

[amid chaos]

My weeds look great.

 

[Snowwark]

You know Vanessa, you really have to quit talking so much!!!

I know it's been a bummer of a garden season for you, BUT, next year, with your new kitchen, and everything organized, will be spectacular....I just know it!!!!

 

[chessie]

I planted 3 tomato plants, one zucchini and a pepper plant in a raised border out back. I have been enjoying zucchini for some time. He just gives me a couple every few days, which is perfect. The peppers are slow but I have never had much luck with peppers anyway. I planed 2 indeterminate better boys. I decided I would try to prune one to a single vine and let the other do it's thing. I have heard that when you prune to a single vine they produce better. I can't see any difference. As yet I don't have a single tomato even thinking about turning red. I also planed a determinate grape tomato. I was going to plan sweet 100s but I saw this one and switched. She is very prolific but still very green. The only thing I have done to her is water with miracle grow every two weeks. I thought that grape tomatoes were to get the size of your first thumb joint. These are the size of a good sized roma. Looks like I might be doing a bit of freezing.

I have truly enjoyed my butterfly garden. I have been meaning to post about it. It has been great therapy for me. Yesterday morning I sat with my coffee watching a monarch on my lantana, goldfinches picking the coneflower seeds and a pair of humming birds drinking nectar from the feeder.

I must say, I have enjoyed this summer.

chessie

 

[mommytotwo]

I grew my first cucumber in my whole entire life and it taste very yummy . My second set of gladdiolas should be blooming at the ending of the month or starting of next month, and as for the other plants, they are doing ok. The rain hasn't helped to keep alot of my plants in their nice straight position, but what can I do. Hopefully my seedlings will start to sprout more soon.
I wish I had hydrangeas, maybe that should get some next year.

 

[mommytotwo]

I grew my first cucumber in my whole entire life and it taste very yummy . My second set of gladdiolas should be blooming at the ending of the month or starting of next month, and as for the other plants, they are doing ok. The rain hasn't helped to keep alot of my plants in their nice straight position, but what can I do. Hopefully my seedlings will start to sprout more soon.
I wish I had hydrangeas, maybe that should get some next year.

 

[Snowwark]

You were wise to plant just one zucchini plant, Chessie, they can be profilic to the extreme!! I tried peppers one year, and didn't have much success with them either. Maybe I'll try again next year.

I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying your butterfly garden. It sounds like the butterflies and birds are too! I may of asked you before, Chessie, but do you have a digital camera?

Congratulations Patsy! Nothing beats home-grown produce!

Here's Pia, the hydrangea I mentioned. She's looking good, except for a couple of mutant size branches, that I'm reluctant to deal with right now.

I tried out a new Morning Glory this year, 'Tye Dye'. I think I'll go back to 'Heavenly Blue' next year. Tye Dye is nice, but I prefer the more spectacular colouring of HB.

 

[chessie]

Yes Snowwark, I do have a digital camera but I don't have photo quality flowers as yet. I have been taking photos of the progress of my garden as I have been building it. I had intended to start a post of my progress, but never did. I got a late start because as I was clearing the area I got the absolute worse case of poison ivy. The leaves weren't out yet so I didn't know that the vines I was pulling out were poison ivy. Next year at this time the garden should be just beautiful.

I love your morning glories. I am planning a trellis with a seat to face the butterfly garden. I thought about trying morning glories to climb over it. My second thought was a clematis.

 

[TimNDansMom]

Your hydrangea is beautiful, Kim. I have a blue one planted in my front garden which has not done that well the last couple of years. Maybe I should dig it up and put it in a planter of it's own like you. How will you winter it?

I planted another 4 tomato plants, like I did last year, in a sunny spot along the side of my house. I think I must have got a late producing variety this year as the fruit is still quite small and green.

Like you Vanessa, my weeds are doing the best!

 

[Snowwark]

Poison Ivy, Chessie!! Oh yikes...that must of been miserable!!! I hope you're completely recovered? Did you get someone to remove all the poison ivy for you?

The trellis with a seat sounds like a great idea!! I'd probably try a Morning Glory the first year, and if I didn't like it, put in a perennial vine next time around. A Clematis would be a good choice.

Whenever you're ready with some pics Chessie, we'd love to see them.

Julie, we bought 'Pia' because she's miniature in size (approx. 18" tall, 24" wide), so well suited for container growth.

Last fall we heeled her into the garden. Dug out the root ball, wrapped it in filter fabric, planted her in a spot where I usually have annuals, and covered her with 4-5" of leaf mulch. In the spring she goes back into the container. We do this with our container hostas as well.

 

[nativetxn]

I didn't plant a garden this year because I knew I would be gone for July due to Travis's wedding.

You've gotten a much more abundant harvest than I have, this year.

 

[marydmjj]

I've been out of the loop for a bit. My grass is turning brown. The kids have dug a hole at least 5 ft deep in the back garden. Said something about catching frogs . My front perennial garden needs some serious help. I'm itching to divide and move things around but am patiently waiting for fall. I've picked 1 tomato so far. There are green ones on the vine but it will be a while before they are ready. All in all I'm ready for the kids to go back to school. Oops, did I say that out loud?

 

[Snowwark]

"Oops, did I say that out loud?" Well, I can't speak for anyone else Mary, but yes you did, and I heard you!!

A 5' hole for catching frogs? Sounds more like they're burying something!!

Why is your grass turning brown? We've had so much rain this year, our grass has never looked better!! I'm trying to convice myself that this is the upside to the lousy (coolish), wet weather we've had this summer.

 

[marydmjj]

Kim: all pets and neighborhood children are accounted for so I'm not sure what they are doing with the hole. I told them they have another week and then have to start filling it in. As far as the grass, we have had beautiful dry hot weather this summer. Almost every day has been in the 80's. We didn't fertilize the grass and started running the sprinklers late. Oh well, it will all come back this fall.

 

[Tulirose]

Originally posted by chessie
Yes Snowwark, I do have a digital camera but I don't have photo quality flowers as yet.

ROFLOL!!!!!

Snowwark - Beautiful flowers!!

Nothing much to report here garden-wise. I was just thinking the other day, I need to reseed certain areas of the lawn. I should have done that when we were having all that rain. Watch, as soon as I do it, we are going to have hot and dry weather, even if I do it at the end of September!!