Gardens Update

72°f/22°C, very humid. High of 95° expected today, with a heat index of 104°. 

The heat continues, and it is brutal. We were outside just after 6am to get out in the gardens.  We picked a 10 quart bucket of green beans, more zucchini and cucumbers, and I pulled some beets. Then I got out the stringtrimmer and tidied up the garden while Larry tried to get his weedeater running. I swear that next year he is going to have a battery powered trimmer like mine! He has so much trouble with his gas-powered ones, and the one he has right now is only a year old. I don't know what he does to them. 

I went back out before it got too hot, to take a few photos. I have missed getting pictures of most of the lilies as it has been too miserable to take them, and flowers are fading quickly in this heat. 

It really doesn't look hot, does it?

I miss getting a photo of the hollyhocks in full bloom. They were so pretty. This is all that's left now.

The roses are trying, but soon drop their petals.

This garden by the porch used to ve so unsatisfactory, but when i moved the hosts here, that soon changed. I am so thrilled tfat the white phlix is thriving here too. I remember back when I was carrying mail on a rural route, there, was one house that had white phlox growing in the shade beside a small stream. I would often just stay at their mailbox for several minutes, just drinking in the cool vibes of that scene. Carrying mail in summer was a hot, dusty business, driving those back roads for hours with the windows down. Those flowers and the shade just seemed like a distant oasis. For years I tried to grow white phlox myself, but failed until I put them here.

 

The planters on the patio are underwhelming this year. We have not yet completed the project to replace the broken patio pavers---almost but not quite finished. So I waited to put anything in the pkanters because they were not in place. Finally i gave up and threw some plants in, and put the planters sort of in place.

Either I have a lot of pink flowers, or this is just the time of year for pink blooms! Seems like early spring most flowers are yellow, and this time of year, pink. At least that's how it is in my gardens.

I just planted this one last week...gomohrena, I think?

There are a few spots of other colors, and yellow will return once the coreopsis recuperates from being cut back. Here my carefully nurtured butterfly weed is making a tiny showing. There are two of these, actually, both doing pretty well.

I need to cut back the lambs ears and the iris blades, but that can wait for cooler weather.

The planters are handy for providing splashes of color in this big bed.

My "chaos" bed, where I took the last 6 picturss above. It's pretty big, about 20x30 feet, and many of the flowers seed themselves. A friend asked if I had paths through it. Never thought of that! I just pick my way carefully, but maybe paths would be a good idea.

The herb garden is getting a little unruly too, but everything is thriving.

A look at the vegetable garden. This is my garden; I didn't get photos of Larry's this time.  As you can see, the rattlesnake beans have completely covered their arch. The limas, however are finally terminating, or at least a few are, on one side of their arch. I hold out little hope for a harvest from them, and planted cucumbers today on the other side of the arch. Might as well get something growing there. Those are the earlier cucumbers in the bottom center, and bush beans in the middle. I pulled most of the beets in this section today.

From the right, dill, basil, squash and zucchini,  and the cucumber arch. Also a couple tomato plants because I like to have some close to hand to munch on. The bulk of oyr tomato plants are in Larry's garden. You can't see it, but there is Romaine lettuce under the cucumber arch. And you can aee a little of Larry's garden in upper left. 

What I missed getting a picture of is my upper garden, where the peppers, rainbow corn, sweet corn, more beets, carrots and leeks are. Oh, and butternut squash. I have pulled the lettuce, spinach, and radishes, and the kale is doing terribly this year. I also missed getting pics of the cabbage and broccoli, but since the deer munched on them they aren't that great either. Seems like every year, one thing or another takes a back seat.

Overall, it's been a good garden year. I am so grateful for my mulch, which makes garden maintenance much, much easier.

I guess we will be out early again tomorrow to avoid the heat. No big 4th of July plans here, just too hot to go out!