5/29/15

What's growing at my house

 For Mary (and any other garden lovers), since it's her birthday, and I know she loves a garden tour as much as I do.   Looking through this post I realize these pictures make my yard seem lush and beautiful.  Trust me, it's far from the truth.  Our front yard is barely alive and disgusting, the back grass is terrible (we are on water rations, so it's not going to get any better this year either), the side yard hasn't even been touched, etc.  But, to keep with true blogging fashion, we'll edit out the bad and focus on the truly wonderful. :)  That's what we should do anyway, right?  Focus on our blessings!
Planted by garden boxes middle of April.  I was too lazy this winter to plant a garden, but I really should have.  Winter gardens here are amazing.  Everything is planted from seed, minus tomotoes and peppers (I was already late about 6 weeks getting this in, so maybe next year, if I'm on the ball a little more, I can try tomatoes and peppers from seed too).

 This is now.  Front to back: Spinach, Endive, Romaine / Mesclun, Pole beans
The lettuces have made for some amazing salads.  The last couple days have been pretty warm, so I imagine most of these will bolt and become bitter.
 Same box, right side: Italian and curly leaf Parsley, cilantro, 5 pepper varieties (mainly bell and miniatures), lemon and muncher cucumbers growing up the trellis in the back.
Since I don't have a huge garden space, I'm experimenting with vertical gardening a bit.  I did some last year with great success, so we're trying a few more things vertical this year (squash and tomatoes)
 Banana peppers starting to emerge.
 Green Bells
 Parsley's - I planted way too much parsley
 Mint, Purple basil, basil and dill
 Other garden box: L-R sugar snap peas (planted way too late, probably won't get too many), beets, green onions, purple carrots
Far side of garden: L-R zucchini, yellow squash, butternut squash, tomatoes, radishes planted between. 
 Butternut squash already starting.  I can't believe how early everything is growing this year.  It's been a perfect Spring for plants.
 Lot's of pomegranates this year.
 Last year we got 1, yes 1 lolly pomegranate, because Ava and her little friend thought the flowers on that bush looked so pretty and thought they needed to pick ALL of them off.  Needless to say, we walked around the yard and had a little talk about what can be picked and what can not, and how flowers on trees become fruit.
 Curry - this plant is by the side door and smells like an Indian restaurant.
 My medicinal herbs from the herb class I took with my mom and sisters last year (?).  Haven't done anything with them, but someday I'll make a tea or salve with them.
 I've also been trying to plant edibles among my other plants.  Easy way to sneak in a few extra garden spots in the year.  Baby artichoke plant in the front planter box.
 Front container planter. These are all (minus parsley) from last year.  They all went crazy this spring (sage, chives, parsley among a few flowering plants).   I have a snail problem, as you can see on the sage leaves.  I went out last night and picked off over 10 of them.  Threw them in the neighbors yard...........just kidding, I threw them in the road. 
 Planted herbs and veggies in my flower pots by the pool.  More parsley, cinnamon basil (smells divine) and a banana pepper.
 
Had an extra tomato plant, so trying it in the container with some strawberries.  I've never had great luck with container tomatoes, but we'll give it another shot.

 And because I have an addiction to succulents, here's some growing around here.  I love succulents because they are SO low maintenance (seriously, I water them maybe once a month and never do anything else for them), and have such unique characteristics.  All the ones pictured are from last year.





 I thought a lot of these would die thru the winter, but they all perked up this spring with new growth.
 I have this Fuscia plant hanging outside my sink window.  The flowers are so interesting to me. Look like upside down hair bows.


2 comments:

The Yoder's Five said...

I didn't know you could trellis cucumbers! Ours always take over the garden box (which we still have yet to plant this year, stupid late frosts). I love how relatively easy it is to grow things in Cali. I'd totally get me some citrus trees.

And to answer your question from a few weeks ago, Ruth (Davison) is still kicking around and she and Gretchen hang out all the time and go to shows together. I haven't actually seen her but I've seen Gretchen, and Ruth and I always exchange Christmas cards.

Gretchen has been teaching an adult class every Wednesday night in St. George but I haven't been able to go yet. (Well, she is having others substitute while she's in Europe for 6 weeks, but hopefully I can go to a few classes later on.) Angie usually comes, and Amy Hodges has been coming, too! My friend Hillary in my ward (who used to take from Gretchen but was younger than us) has been going every week and gives me updates. Wish you could come with us, let me know if you're visiting Utah this summer and we can hook up for a ballet reunion.

Mary said...

Thank you! I'm so jealous that you already have fruit setting on your tomatoes and peppers. When you trellis squash do you have support the fruit somehow? And so many succulents! I've been trying to find a good source here because I really want to make a living wreath out of succulents. Any chance you could bring some cuttings to the reunion? I understand a cut leaf will even root and become its own plant.
I got the birthday card and artwork from Noah and Ava. That girl is an artist! I loved it. And tell Noah thanks for remembering me. Can we reserve books for Ava's birthday or will you be too busy and possibly out of town to pick them up?