This year, I grew pumpkins for the first time. In the spring, my daughter gave me two Grizzly Bear seedlings that were leftovers from her work. They both thrived in my garden but only produced one pumpkin each – one good-sized orange pumpkin and one smaller, paler one. I was hoping for a “wartier” appearance, but I am quite happy with the gross details of this specimen. Kind of fun to grow your own Halloween decoration.
Here are a few pictures of some of my harvests from mid-July through the end of August. Notably absent are tomatoes, despite having 12 (!) tomato plants. Thanks, rats and birds 🙁
A couple of days ago, I finally cut the first dahlia of the season. I had planted them kind of late (May 28), but they have come up nicely. I have seven dahlia plants total in my garden plot. Looking forward to many more dahlia bouquets in the months to come.
I made the small bud vase myself at JP Clay where I have been a member since January.
I am really enjoying my back porch this summer. (And yes, it badly needs a paint job.) I love having my tea there first thing in the morning, and a glass of wine or cool water at the end of the day, enjoying the sights and scents of the flowers and herbs.
This year, I experimented with growing flowers that I had never grown in containers before.
I had started snapdragons and Iceland poppies from seed back in February (snapdragons) and April (poppies). There is also a Poodle Skirt dahlia in the container with the snapdragons that is about to bloom. And, as always, I planted nasturtiums throughout.
As usual, there are a lot of herbs: basil (three plants of Italian and two plants of Thai), parsley (three plants), thyme, oregano, lavender (two plants), mint and dill. One Thai pepper as well, but it seems to remain small. So, again, focusing on flowers and herbs for my summer porch seems to have been the right call. (In the spring, I grew lettuces and radishes in the large containers that now are home to the basil/thyme/Thai pepper and the poppies.)
First pickling cucumbers (they are big) plus rainbow chard, basil (from pruning the tips), and flowers.
