For Flash
Flash asked for some pics of the garden. Having put in his time getting it ready in the spring, he misses out on the joy of it, returning in time for the craziness of constant-harvest days (not that he minds constant-food). In any case, it has taken me far longer than seems necessary to upload the pics, but for Flash's sake, I present, the 2011 Garden:
Perhaps hard to tell, but the fuzzy green on the left is asparagus in its first year. The vine up the fence is pumpkins, and at the rate it is growing and flowering, we will have, um...plenty! I planted miniature daliahs along the garden border this year and I have really enjoyed them. Still would love to have plants that are full of color to offset all the green of the garden, but these are quite nice.
Same pumpkin vine on the left of this pic, but you can see the two rhubarb plants in the center. I transplanted these two earlier, when they seemed to think it necessary to flower this year. We weren't getting any good rhubarb off them anyway, so I decided to move them and open up the space by the garage. Hopefully we'll get rhubarb next season.
This is a view down the line of tomato plants. Somehow we ended up with 14. Sigh. We have Early Girl's and Best Boy's and Roma's and a couple cherry tomato plants to boot. I have similar signs as last year that might be pointing to "tomato blight" but I am NOT pulling these plants out. I read/hear too many conflicting reports on what it is, or how to handle it. I'm not missing out on my tomato harvest again this year. I am, however, soliciting the help of a friend who is an expert canner of tomatoes. My canning didn't fare so well last year.
Ahh, for want of peppers. WG brought me some pepper plants, but they haven't fared well. I added a few around the corner in the garden, but they are way behind where they should be. We have banana and jalapenos, but no green bell peppers. Makes me sad as they are some of my favorite things to go out and pick fresh to go with dinner. Tomatoes are on the left (cherry) and another pumpkin variety growing up the fence (and into the neighbors lot).
Oh Brother, can you spare a zucchini? I have four in the fridge and I've given away just as many already. Went away for the weekend and returned home to a zucchini big enough to be a weapon. If you look closely, I have two celery plants on the bottom left of the zucchini. I have staked the zucchini branches, trying to give the celery sunlight. I always underestimate the size of the zucchini plant. The celery is for Flash, I don't much care for it myself.
The cucumber trelllis that Flash built. The cukes are doing great. They love climbing the trellis! I'm not loving this variety of cuke as much, however, as they are long and skinny and I for some reason, asthetically prefer the short fat ones. Ahem. Maybe it's just me... :)
Cukes. They just hang down out the back of the trellis. Flash, you did a great job building this trellis!! It's working great!
Beans!! We built a sort of May-Pole for the green beans this year. I'll use a different twine next year, but the beans seem to be doing well. Only trouble is, they have towered much taller than I can reach. Sigh.
A second crop of beans. This one was planted later than the first, in an effort to extend my bean season. We didn't have nearly enough beans in the freezer this past year, so I'm hoping for LOTS!! (Note: we finally had enough beans for dinner tonight. They would have been perfectly delish if I hadn't scorched them in the pan. Sigh.)
Potatoes! I actually saw my first field of potatoes this weekend in our travels. I made WG off-road it with the Jeep so I could stop and look closely (and take pictures). While I find potatoes to be labor-intensive, we just so enjoyed having home-grown potatoes last winter (mmmm potato soup!) that I couldn't help but plant another crop. We.Shall.See.
We tore out mertyl and relocated the herbs to help with the tilling process. I really love having my herbs all in one bed. I absolutely love fresh basil!! Now if only I could remember what the rest of them all are and what to use them for...
New to our garden this year is a strawberry patch! Again, I love that it is a self-contained area, which is perfect for my berries to grow! I planted two varieties, a June and an all-season bearing so we'll have strawberries for jam and throughout the summer! Can't wait for next year!
The berry plants are really taking off. I'm getting lots of runners and even a few berries!
The blueberry bush. Sigh. WG bought me the bush one day in spring and the poor thing has suffered so much including Flash accidentally digging it up and then trying to replant the poor thing. It's surviving, but not by a lot.
The raspberry bush, on the other hand, is doing quite well! This is one of Flash's addition to our garden this year (along with a blackberry bush, not photographed).
In case we don't get enough beans from the garden, I planted more along the garage where the rhubarb used to be. With room, trellises and sunshine to spare, I thought this was the perfect place for additional crop!
I've been nabbing cheap perennials at various places and for now, have just been sticking them along the sunny North side of the house. They may find themselves new homes next spring, but for now, they fit the space AND the budget!
More perennials. So much nicer than the hideous vines and bushes that used to be here.
So I went a little petunia crazy with the annual band flower sale. There are daylillies and hostas tucked in, gifts from my sister. Hopefully next year, I'll be able to make this another perennial bed (sorry Flash, I won't be as much help with the band fundraiser). I do so love my flower boxes (although, again, no more petunias!)
This is the other side of the front door. More cheap perennials just finding a spot for now. I'm not doing much with this bed until the dreaded pine tree is removed (donations, anyone?) and then I can landscape this whole side of the house withe more intention.
Some of the perennial blossoms....
I saw bunches of these all over the plaza in Mackinac City and was delighted with how they looked. So glad I had found some on sale earlier for my flower beds!
That's it. A grand tour for Flash's sake. If nothing else, he might appreciate being away from home knowing all the weeding that constantly has to be done...
Perhaps hard to tell, but the fuzzy green on the left is asparagus in its first year. The vine up the fence is pumpkins, and at the rate it is growing and flowering, we will have, um...plenty! I planted miniature daliahs along the garden border this year and I have really enjoyed them. Still would love to have plants that are full of color to offset all the green of the garden, but these are quite nice.
Same pumpkin vine on the left of this pic, but you can see the two rhubarb plants in the center. I transplanted these two earlier, when they seemed to think it necessary to flower this year. We weren't getting any good rhubarb off them anyway, so I decided to move them and open up the space by the garage. Hopefully we'll get rhubarb next season.
This is a view down the line of tomato plants. Somehow we ended up with 14. Sigh. We have Early Girl's and Best Boy's and Roma's and a couple cherry tomato plants to boot. I have similar signs as last year that might be pointing to "tomato blight" but I am NOT pulling these plants out. I read/hear too many conflicting reports on what it is, or how to handle it. I'm not missing out on my tomato harvest again this year. I am, however, soliciting the help of a friend who is an expert canner of tomatoes. My canning didn't fare so well last year.
Ahh, for want of peppers. WG brought me some pepper plants, but they haven't fared well. I added a few around the corner in the garden, but they are way behind where they should be. We have banana and jalapenos, but no green bell peppers. Makes me sad as they are some of my favorite things to go out and pick fresh to go with dinner. Tomatoes are on the left (cherry) and another pumpkin variety growing up the fence (and into the neighbors lot).
Oh Brother, can you spare a zucchini? I have four in the fridge and I've given away just as many already. Went away for the weekend and returned home to a zucchini big enough to be a weapon. If you look closely, I have two celery plants on the bottom left of the zucchini. I have staked the zucchini branches, trying to give the celery sunlight. I always underestimate the size of the zucchini plant. The celery is for Flash, I don't much care for it myself.
The cucumber trelllis that Flash built. The cukes are doing great. They love climbing the trellis! I'm not loving this variety of cuke as much, however, as they are long and skinny and I for some reason, asthetically prefer the short fat ones. Ahem. Maybe it's just me... :)
Cukes. They just hang down out the back of the trellis. Flash, you did a great job building this trellis!! It's working great!
Beans!! We built a sort of May-Pole for the green beans this year. I'll use a different twine next year, but the beans seem to be doing well. Only trouble is, they have towered much taller than I can reach. Sigh. 
A second crop of beans. This one was planted later than the first, in an effort to extend my bean season. We didn't have nearly enough beans in the freezer this past year, so I'm hoping for LOTS!! (Note: we finally had enough beans for dinner tonight. They would have been perfectly delish if I hadn't scorched them in the pan. Sigh.)
Potatoes! I actually saw my first field of potatoes this weekend in our travels. I made WG off-road it with the Jeep so I could stop and look closely (and take pictures). While I find potatoes to be labor-intensive, we just so enjoyed having home-grown potatoes last winter (mmmm potato soup!) that I couldn't help but plant another crop. We.Shall.See.
We tore out mertyl and relocated the herbs to help with the tilling process. I really love having my herbs all in one bed. I absolutely love fresh basil!! Now if only I could remember what the rest of them all are and what to use them for...
New to our garden this year is a strawberry patch! Again, I love that it is a self-contained area, which is perfect for my berries to grow! I planted two varieties, a June and an all-season bearing so we'll have strawberries for jam and throughout the summer! Can't wait for next year!
The berry plants are really taking off. I'm getting lots of runners and even a few berries!
The blueberry bush. Sigh. WG bought me the bush one day in spring and the poor thing has suffered so much including Flash accidentally digging it up and then trying to replant the poor thing. It's surviving, but not by a lot.
The raspberry bush, on the other hand, is doing quite well! This is one of Flash's addition to our garden this year (along with a blackberry bush, not photographed). 
In case we don't get enough beans from the garden, I planted more along the garage where the rhubarb used to be. With room, trellises and sunshine to spare, I thought this was the perfect place for additional crop! 
I've been nabbing cheap perennials at various places and for now, have just been sticking them along the sunny North side of the house. They may find themselves new homes next spring, but for now, they fit the space AND the budget!
More perennials. So much nicer than the hideous vines and bushes that used to be here.
So I went a little petunia crazy with the annual band flower sale. There are daylillies and hostas tucked in, gifts from my sister. Hopefully next year, I'll be able to make this another perennial bed (sorry Flash, I won't be as much help with the band fundraiser). I do so love my flower boxes (although, again, no more petunias!)
This is the other side of the front door. More cheap perennials just finding a spot for now. I'm not doing much with this bed until the dreaded pine tree is removed (donations, anyone?) and then I can landscape this whole side of the house withe more intention.
Some of the perennial blossoms....
I saw bunches of these all over the plaza in Mackinac City and was delighted with how they looked. So glad I had found some on sale earlier for my flower beds!
That's it. A grand tour for Flash's sake. If nothing else, he might appreciate being away from home knowing all the weeding that constantly has to be done... Hurry home, Flash! :)
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