Gardens on Tuesday

I thought it would be nice to do a garden post today, and show you the pictures of how things are progressing around here. 

First, though, I want to tell you about a visitor I had last night, totally unexpected. 

My good friend, Jill.  I have mentioned her before, she loves nature, and she is my go-to person to ask about birds, etc.  She was a registered vet tech, but now works at my old company in regulatory affairs. 

I stupidly did not get her picture! 

We had such a good time visiting, and she got to see all the things I have been posting about, although she only got to see the back end of one of the snakes. 

Thanks for your visit, Jill... it was spirit and soul-lifting, and so good to see you! 

Now, for the garden tour: 

We start with a fail.  This is my Wal Mart big container... it had a hole in the bottom of it, I swear, but as you see, these balsam plants I started from seed inside have totally drowned .  The soil is sopping. 

I am going to dig them out today, see if there is any chance of reviving a few.  One was blooming, so this hurt. 

Next to them is the horse-trough-herb garden, with two kinds of basil, and some parsley. 

So this corner, the southeast of the deck, is filled with herbs and flowers.  In the square planter is a cherry tomato plant which I need to get staked quickly. 

The southwest corner.  I planted snapdragons in the planter up on the railings... I don't know why as I have NEVER been able to grow them from seed before!  So far, there are some things coming up, but I don't know what they are. 

The callibrachoa and lantana are going gangbusters. 

This planter, on the northwest corner, has re-seeded itself for now the fourth year with a petunia like flower.  I am going to try to collect seed from them this summer, so I can keep this strain going, as it is so hardy! 

The red potato bed is really, really growing and blooming out well. 

The irises, now gone by, in the bed behind it and to the left, are resting now. 

The vegetable beds have surpassed anything I could have thought after last year's total failure. 

We have been picking lettuce for us and for the ducks for weeks now. 

And look at this!  The peas that I proclaimed "We will never pick a pea" because they were put in so late, are rewarding us amply on the west side bed. 

The east side bed did not do as well.... but the few plants I left in there all have heavy pods on them. 

(above is the west side bed) 

The tiny little onion slips I planted are maturing into decent sized bulbs for us... we do not need large onions here. 

I have about fifty plants that are in stages of maturity, and I am baking a chicken right now that has one of these onions (a little larger one) in it's cavity, and it smells so good! 

The red hot pokers (kniphofia) and yarrow are getting ready to bloom... and you can see the rest of the newer perennial bed is looking good. 

Stella D'Oro is the first of the daylillies to start blooming, and to it's right in this picture are daisies, and monarda Jacob Cline, a red monarda.  I did not think either of these would come back after last summer... though I watered them faithfully.  Look at them!  I attribute this to lasagna gardening.  There are also plants in this picture, both prunella and agastache, that I started indoors this spring. 

Here are the zinnias I started indoors, and some volunteer sunflowers... this is where I grew the row of sunflowers last year.  I have pulled out many of them.  The bigger plant on the left is the butterfly bush I butchered, it's coming along nicely, thank heavens.  I completely am having a senior moment on the two beautiful purple plants in the foreground, but they are blooming nicely.  I put them in during the drought, too. 

Miracles do happen. 

Here's the farthest northwest bed, that I rarely show.  It has some sedum, some beautiful iris that are all finished now, and some liatris in  it... out of sight.  In the middle is an awesome hollyhock.  Hollyhocks are biennial, and this did not bloom last year, but man, it's growing fast and getting ready to bloom any time.  I love it! 

I'm baking a chicken this morning, and it's very quiet in here before the "storm" hits, and grandson Chris and his girl are picked up in Lawrence and will be here to help me.  The dogs and I will be out of our routine for a few days, which is good. 

Dear old Ranger. 

Pugapillar Abby Lynn

The Protector of Us All, Lilly Ann 

I did hear two sentences from Keith, he and his dad got in nine holes of golf yesterday and then drove to Sioux City, South Dakota.  They had another 3 hours to drive to Mobridge today, and get settled at their hotel.  It sounds like their trip is getting off to a good start!