Another picture-heavy post here, so sit back, take your time and I hope you enjoy!
First of all, Mr. Squash wanted to say hello to you, dear readers! He's relaxing on the patio with a Crystal Light after washing both cars in near 90 degree heat! Don't you agree he deserves to rest?
Here is Barbara, the clematis we planted last year. Last year she only had one bloom. Now there are several open and many more to come! Below it is a bareroot tea rose called Calibra that I ordered from Territorial Seed this year. It should open in a day or two and have beautiful, yellow and orange striped petals.
Moving clockwise around the backyard here are the first two raised vegetable beds. All the seeds were planted on May 11th! They are a sorry bunch due to our cold and wet spring! Left is all lettuce and spinach and right is carrots, green onions and radishes.
Next we have celery, orange and green peppers and garlic which was planted last fall on the left and more celery and brussels sprouts on the right. I never in a million years thought I could grow celery, but it's coming along quite nicely!
The last two raised beds are yellow bush-type summer squash and broccoli on the left and two different types of zuccini on the right. In front are several lavender plants we just put in the ground, but they will most certainly fill up that entire area by next year.
Still going clockwise is rhubarb I planted last year - it's been moved 3 times, yet doesn't seem to mind! I'm told you have to wait until year three to eat the stalks. Apparently it makes a stronger plant by doing so. Our old potato tower is on the right - filled to the top now! The rose in the left front is a miniature red rose - one of the largest miniatures I've ever seen! See that neat, rusty sunflower to the right of the campanula (purple flowers)? That's what we brought home from the garden area at Elephant Antiques!
The perennials are coming along well, but because of the nasty spring not as far along as I would like.
On front here is Aegopodium. Since we bought the house it has never gotten over 2-3" tall. This year it's nearly 24" tall and growing under the bricks and into the grass. It will need a very severe dividing this fall. The trellis you see in the background on the fence is supporting a Trumpet Vine that we hope will spread left and right across the fence. To the left, if you click on the photo you can also see our new bird house! Oh - and check out the herbs in the wine barrel in the backround! I am totally amazed with their progress!
Here we have the blueberries which I wrapped in bird netting last night as they will begin to ripen soon. We're worried more about the squirrels getting them than the birds. They walk right up to the plants and just stare at the berries hoping to get them to ripen faster! Behind them are Dahlias that are just beginning to come on. There is also lots of room left up against the fence to plant. Also the green grape on the left side of the trellis is doing well - the red one the right not so well, but now with warmer weather it should come on strong.
We've sort of haphazardly thrown things in this area. So far so good. All the violas on the right self-seeded from last year!
Last fall we cut the spireas here nearly down to the ground. They are making a good comeback. Lilacs that have already bloomed are the taller plants and the smaller ones with little white stickers are more dahlias.
Except for the two tomatoes in front and my Honeycrisp apple tree, this is a sorry area. Again, seeds were planted on May 11th. Of the at least dozen Blue Lake bean seeds on the left trellis I planted, only 4 have come up. Cucumber is next to that and a few peppers sprinkled along the drip line. Another Trumpet Vine is along the fence.
See that little plant in the cage in front (raccoon and cat protection)? It's my poor little pumpkin. If it survives, I left all that empty space for it to roam about.
Here is the front gate. H. Bernard clematis on the left is all the way up to and over the trellis top, but yet to bloom. On the right is my new Scent From Heaven climbing rose.
I finally nailed the garden next to the front door this year! The window box is thriving with fuschia, creeping jenny, bacopa and coleus.
Moving to the left is lavender I planted last year, my new Oakleaf Hydrangea and next to the box plant the European Cranberry which has finished blooming and forming it's beautiful red berries for winter.
Here is the view from Mr. Squash's lounge chair!
Finally today, I thought I would show you a before and after. The photo above was taken after our 100+ MPH windstorm in January of 2008. The Blue Spruce on the left was broken about 12 feet up and the one on the right is broken off about 20 feet up.
Here is that view today! The maples trees are finally filling out...first year they sleep, then they creep and this is the year they leap!
I hope you enjoyed today's garden update!
