The garden has been disappointing this year. That’s mostly because of me using life coaching class as an excuse for not getting out there and working. I planted a slew of seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds on Memorial Day weekend. Some of them failed to grow, while others were planted in a super-shady area (that I thought was more partial shade/partial sun) and have come up, though begrudgingly here towards the end of the summer.
Sigh. The end of summer means autumn’s almost here. I love autumn, but summer’s almost over: Central Michigan University Students are coming back to campus, and I even saw one tree starting to turn colors. I guess it’s a circular sigh.
Still, the perennials came up. I’m letting most of the (what used to be garden) grow over this year. If you remember, in the past years I’ve tried growing tomoatoes, but they failed miserably. I had the soil tested, threw down some amendments, planted clover, and am hoping for the best in the coming years.
Tomatoes are growing in a planter. And, they look promising; at least I have little yellow flowers and teeny tiny tomatoes Maybe by September there will be a handful of actual tomatoes and tomatillos to eat.
In my June garden update, I said that I was looking at the intersection of English country garden and permaculture. Once you remove the ‘fancy’ aspect of the English country garden, the two are remarkably similiar approaches. English country gardens have many perennials, and traditionally would have contained all manner of herbs and useful plants. That’s exactly what permaculture is, though it goes further and mimics the growing habits found in a forest.
Can’t say I’ll be growing a forest here on my tiny plot, but I’ll certainly be layering and planting things close together. Have you had any experience with companion planting? How’d that go?
Enough words, let’s look at plants, starting with this plum tree. It’s had a tough summer because Japanese beetles chomped on the leaves. I keep telling the tree that it’s doing fine, and that it’s only job this summer is to grow strong roots and hang in there. It seems to be doing that because there is new growth around the base of the trunk. This picture was taken before the beetles, and the leaves are healthy.
The sage comes back year after year, and always looks beautiful.
The purpley-blue baloon flower is tucked between the peony and hydrangea, and -if you weren’t looking closely – you’d miss it. You might miss the white spider, too.
The front of the house was a riot of orange in July.
They’re beautiful and have ruffly petals.
I’m sneaking in a picture from my sister’s garden. This is echinacea and one little bee.
The black-eyed susan is finally blooming, too. It will do so until the first frost hits.
These coreopsis are doing well, and have been blooming continuously all summer.
I don’t know the name of this daylily, but boy – is it a firehouse of color!
A very green picture of my backyard. This is in the far northeast corner, looking southwest. The flowers are mostly along the house and west fence. This corner is shady, cool, and (this year) full of mosquitos.
A climbing/rambling rose from June. These finish blooming in late July, but keep growing.
An unknown little yellow flower that grows along the east fence line. I didn’t mow along this fence and these showed up. I like them so much, I think I won’t mow along there again. They bloomed in June/early July.
Outside for the summer, the peace lily shot up three or four white sail-like flowers.
And the lacecap hydrangea. Multiple colors, blooms most of the summer, changes color in the fall. A favorite.
These little daisy’s smile every year. They only bloom in June and early July.
The peach tree is thriving. It’s sent out so many new leaves. And yes, it’s main job this year is to make good roots, too, just like the plum tree. In future years I hope it makes peaches, and a little bit of shade for my new patio…which I’ll post about at some point.
This daylily has maroon and gold petals, and blooms in June and July.
And now for the phlox show.
Phlox and hydrangea are two of my favorites. These phlox buds only hint at the color to come.
See? Look at that color!
This variety of phlox is about 5′ tall. After a rain, it always bows down, even with stakes or supports.
And, just like the phlox, I’ll bow out for now. What’s growing in your garden these days?
Julie Wallace loves heapin' spoonsful of words, eats, fashion, and more.