Parade of Blooms
“Gardens are not just plots for growing vegetables and flowers, these are places for growing people”
– The Soul Gardener
It occurred to me that I haven’t given you a parade of things blooming in the garden recently. I feel like the end of June through the end of July is really one of the best times in this garden. In the future I have plans to add more for interest throughout, but at the moment, it’s a high summer garden. I went out last night and tried to get a photo of just about everything that was in bloom. Here’s what blooming in the gardens of Chiot’s Run.
There are wild flowers and cultivated flowers, edible plants and those simply meant to feed the soul, things I planted and many that were here when I arrived. Most of them need dug up and moved to a nursery bed while I try to rid the beds of invasive weeds. It’s a big process starting a new garden, but I can guarantee that I’ll grow more than the garden in the years that come.
What’s blooming in your garden this week?
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Friday Favorite: Peony Poppies
I am completely enamored by the peony poppies in my potager. I tried growing these beauties in Ohio and they just didn’t care for the soil there. Here, they thrive and that makes me happy. They are one of my favorite flowers, so delicate and lovely. I also appreciate that the pollinators love them, there’s something wonderful about seeing the bees enjoy them as much as I do.
One of the best things about these beauties is that they sow themselves so I don’t have to worry about seeding them every year. Now that’s another big reason to love them. Though I’d sow the seed myself if I had to, in fact I’ll probably save seed to sow in other parts of the garden.
What flowers are you enjoying in your garden right now?
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Happy 4th
When I was younger, I remember my mom always trying to have a ripe tomato by July 4th. She used wall of waters, started planted early, and did all sorts of things to have tomatoes extra early. This year, I started ‘Glacier’ and ‘Stupice’ in early April. I planted some in the garden and some in pots. The ones in pots produced lovely ripe tomatoes on the 4th of July.
This isn’t too bad for Maine with no greenhouse. Next year I may try growing some in a low tunnel to see if that hastens ripening.
If you live in a colder climate, consider starting a few cold tolerant varieties and grow them in pots in a sunny location. The warmth of the soil in a container will help them grow and fruit faster.
I also realized that I haven’t yet published my list of the tomato varieties I’m growing this year, it includes a few old favorites and some new and exciting ones as well. I think I might wait until I start getting a few ripe ones so I can show you what they look like.
What’s the earliest you have harvested a tomato in your garden?
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Bountiful Broccoli
I’ve been growing broccoli for many years, always growing different varieties and seeding them every couple weeks to extend the harvest. Yet I always seem to end up with all my broccoli coming on at the same time. This year, I was intrigued by the ‘All Season Blend’ broccoli from Renee’s Garden. There are three different varieties in one see packet, perfect for those of us who don’t want to buy three different packets and for those of us that don’t want to be seeding broccoli every three weeks for two months.
Here you can see the three varieties as they currently stand in my garden. I’m harvesting the first variety now, the second will be ready just as I’ve finished with the first, and there are a few of the late seasons that are just starting to show tiny heads.
Overall, I’m extremely satisfied with this seed. I’ll be adding it to my must buy list from Renee’s every year (along with ‘Catalina’ spinach). I just seeded more for a fall crop and I expect to have the same success with them as well.
Do you grow broccoli? Do you try to plant in succession or grow different varieties for a longer harvest?
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So Long
I’m constantly trying to get rid of things and not acquire more. With moving we definitely trimmed down, but then with chickens and other farm things we acquired a few things. As my lifestyle changes I try to get rid of things I used to use and no longer do. I’m constantly downsizing and trimming down. Thankfully, I really notice that I have very few things I don’t use on a regular basis. As I was cleaning out the root cellar this week I came across tons of old canning jars.
I have some of my own, that came from my grandma and the previous owners left a bunch that they didn’t want. The result is that I probably have 75 or 100 old canning jars. I used to use them for canning, but I don’t do much canning any more. There are a few I’ll keep, mainly the ones form my grandma, but I’m going to get rid of them.
I’ve been trying to decide what to do with them, I could probably sell them for a few dollars a piece. The Goodwill probably isn’t the best spot for them, I’d love them to go to places that they’ll be loved and appreciated. There are so many old, interesting things in the garage I was thinking about setting up at Etsy store to list them all. I have a few really neat vintage lanterns and other really neat things. Now I’m just trying to decide if I want to deal with the responsibility of an Etsy store or if I can find a local place to sell everything to.
How often do you go through things to reduce the level of stuff you have in your home & garage?
