Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Bean Identity Quandry

I know I planted limas. However, I did not label them. I've also planted bush green beans. I noticed today that I finally had some beans in the garden - but do not know if they are immature limas - or small green beans... The obvious solution is to just let them keep growing - but I so want to have beans of my own..

I don't think any of the parsnips I planted between the beans have germinated. I know they are supposed to have a long germ time - but I think they might not happen. As the carrots also didn't happen this year - it has me wondering about the middle of my garden.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Friday, July 17, 2009

Too many choices...

This is the NE side of the house - and I'm uncertain what I want to do here. It's fairly dry - as it is a foundation bed. There is snow-on-the-mountain aka bishop's weed, a lupine, a volunteer garden phlox, a volunteer __, a pink daylilly, and a green hosta.

I have a white bleeding heart, some columbine I grew from seed, and some liatris bulbs... but was struck with the idea of putting different hosta there...

On one hand this is close to the front door - more flowers would be nice - and my other columbine aren't thriving so it would be nice if they would here. I started tearing out the b.w. because the phlox has powdery mildew - and grabbed one of my remaining bags of mulch.

This is the side of the house that the gas and water line comes in on - so the beds can't really be extended from where they are. So moisture is always going to be an issue.

Hmm... Any opinions?

Thursday, July 16, 2009

First Hummingbird Sighting.

The other couple of photos I took only showed a blur. :)

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Bloom Day



I think I have a hybrid here. :) I think I may have planted the large yellow daylilly - but I have a feeling that the large orangey-red one may be a result of a tryst with with the orange ones by the mail box.


The white trumpet lillies are now blooming - as the orange orientals have faded. Lillies staggered across the summer really help keep something always in bloom... Plus it's nice to have fragrance.
It also helps to have long bloomers like coneflower... Only my purple ones are in bloom - the white are close - with the yellow and red still haven't shot up bloom stalks.


Musacdet? is blooming on taller stalks than in years past - wonder if it is the wet spring or just the age of the plant.

My oakleaf and Endless Summer Hydrangas are still blooming - as are the stella d'oro daylillies and the hollyhocks and crosmosia.And this purple species geranium is going a bit nuts... I think he likes the extra sunlight that the others I planted in the shade aren't getting. And the buds on the butterfly bush are developing.
The hosta are blooming, as are the balloon flowers (though they just started), the Russian sage, and lavender are still gorgeous.
And I'm quite happy to have plenty of tomato, pepper, and squash flowers - the beans are still a bit slow. :)

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Seedling Guilt.

I have too many tomato seedlings. I planted a row each for 4 different varieties in the Jiffy peat pellets. 6 * 4 = 24 Hey, usually about 1/2 die. This year not a one. Plus I bought a few, and planted those (Early Girls).

So tonight I was in the garden planting the veggies that ran out of room for. And I still have more plants than room. But I was pushing on - trying to get as much in. I had citronella candles out - and was breaking sod. However, the candles did no good whatsoever. Except to make me think they might be doing some good. My arms look almost like I have chickenpox.

And I only got a couple plants planted. I did some weeding - but sod clearing is a bit more work. I'm not even doing it properly - which may bite me next year. I did find a near completely intact brick while digging, and broken glass. I dug out what might have been a coneflower plant from the grass - and moved it by the fence. There are a bunch of coneflower possibles next to the garage - that I think I might dig and move somewhere that I can wait to see what happens.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Unknown Creeper.

This plant has been forming a mat in one of my perennial beds. It's fairly close to the ground, and I've no clue what it is? Any ideas?

Sunday, July 5, 2009

The Danger of Sales..

It's July. And while most of the summer bulbs have been half off since late May - now many nurseries are having their season end sales. And they are too tempting. I purchased some more annuals and I still have lots of plants to plant - and I'm still tempted...