In the Garden July 2008

Don't wear perfume in the garden - unless you want to be pollinated by bees. ~Anne Raver

This time of year it is such a joy to sit back and watch and smell the garden. I walk outside and can smell something everytime. Sometimes it's the milkweed, roses, chocolate flower, lavender, lilies, or even the cornfields near by after it rains, but mostly a combination of them all. Too bad we can't post the smells in our blogs.

Rose of Sharon

Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm'

Black Eyed Susan

Echinacea purpurea

Purple Coneflower

Salvia sylvestris 'Blue Hill'

Blue Hill Sage

Berlandiera lyrata
Chocolate Flower

Black Bird - Part 2

Here are some pictures of the little black birds and the plants they attacked!

The picture to the left is part of the new 40 foot long flower bed I created this year and of course it has all new plants in it.


Also shown here is 'baby blanket' rose next to the rock our black bird is sitting on.




Planted here are:


2 varigated weigela
2 butterfly bush
2 'ebb tide' rose
2 'mountain music' rose
3 'blueberry sundae' daylily
1 'baby blanket rose' (pictured here by the bird and rock)
1 'chocolate flower' Berlandiera lyrata
1 Callirhoe involucrata 'poppy mallow'
1 Ratibida columnifera 'Mexican Hat'
1 Penstemon pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow'


And to fill in I planted various annuals such as purple fountain grass, ornamental sweet potato vine.




The good news is Warren cleaned out the mini barn and finished it. He didn't find any nests with eggs in them, luckily. But there were nests and the birds were trying awfully hard to get in there , poor little things.

Below is a picture of the barn in process of cleaning out, we still have to paint and finish up some trim on it.

As you can see there is also room around the barn for some new flower beds! That will be my fall project.

The Veggie Garden

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. - Marcel Proust

<------ Veggie Garden area 2008

Warren tilled the garden last Tuesday. I wish I took a picture of the tiller contraption he put together. He had the stand up tiller attached to the back of the riding lawn mower, of course this made it easier to till since it's hard for him to walk or stand due to his leg (He was in a motorcycle accident in 2004 and lost his left leg and has back problems to name a few).

He was so excited telling me all the details of how he welded and put it all together. I half listened to the mechanics of it all, I know I'm bad, but I don't know anything about that stuff, nor am I interested in learning. Of course you know I had to look interested, I am very, very grateful, bless is heart.

This is what we planted on May 3rd and 4th, 2008. (Some of the pictures are my own some were found on flicker photo sharing.)

Watermelon (sugar baby)

Kentucky Wonder (bush bean)

Tomato (early girl, big boy)

Summer Squash (Zucchini)

Sweet Corn (Bi-color: Butter & Sugar)
My little helper and I planted some marigold seed as a companion plant along the front of the shrubs and perennials , as you can see in the first picture above of the garden area. It is before the last frost date for my area, but it is only a few days early and the local farmers have been out planting so I will follow their lead, after all they are the experts right?

Oh, Those Pesky Wabbits!

I mentioned to a fellow garden blogger that I didn't have any problems with rabbits. Well no such luck now!

I think I've been cursed from reading blogs from those of you that have rabbit problems! Ok just kidding, I will cast no blame.

Yesterday evening I was taking a walk around my garden and I noticed that one of my containers on the barn porch looked bare. Sure enough the sweet potato vine leaves are gone! I have, or should I say, had the vine planted with an elephant ear bulb in a container. This container is 24" tall. The pesky rabbit had to stand on his hind legs to get to it! What's the deal! Is there a shortage of plants to munch on around the house NO! I have a field behind my house full of munchies!

Is there a reproductive explosion going on? There are twice as many dandelions, moles and now rabbits! I hope this isn't a sign of more pests to come this gardening season.

The Rose Bed - Part 2

<-------- Aquilegia Colorado Violet & White I had a case of a Waltz in the Garden as Carol from May Dreams describes in her post. This picture doesn't do it justice, it's such a beautiful deep violet/purple color. This is planted in my "Rose Bed project".



"Before"
The pictures with the rock in it were taken about three weeks ago.




"After"
The picture below of the corner trellis is newly planted 'Abraham Darby'. Picture on the right is another view from the deck, oops the brick is a bit crooked.

Below the picture on the left is Altissimo in front of the trellis. I'm not sure about the shrub rose beside it, when in bloom it has tiny white flowers. Also planted by Altissimo is newly planted Aster 'Woods Blue' (another impulse buy). To the far left of Altissimo is 'Rose of Sharon' with pink blooms. The picture below that shows some more roses, I'm not sure what species the rose on the left side of the picture is, but when in bloom it looks like 'Rise-n-Shine' . The little guy next to it is newly planted 'Pat Austin'.

Another view of 'Abraham Darby' with lavender and a white blooming hydrangea in the corner , oops I see another out of place brick.

Everything is coming along and growing fast.

I can't wait to post pictures when all is in bloom!