High Season June 15, 2009

 

The garden is really hitting its stride here as we round the corner of mid-June.  Many flowers have come into bloom, including the ox eye daisies, the coneflowers, and the lavender.  The yarrow is just about to break bud.  The large container I designed has taken on even richer coloring as the hydrangea has turned a deep shade of maroon in the sun.   I moved my large Aeonium ‘Black Rose’ out to sit beside my container planting as I think the near-black purple of its leaves are the perfect compliment to the overall design. 

 

 

 Sedum Hill is growing wild to the point of frustration – I spend far more time “weeding” it than I do on anything else in my ornamental beds.  Still, it’s a repeated favorite of anyone who strolls into my garden so it’s worth the effort.   Speaking of weeds, I’m surprised by how few I have this year.  I am guessing they have gotten choked out by the lush growth of my perennials.  I also make it a point to pull the weeds in the spring as soon as I see them, which no doubt stops them from multiplying and seeding in more.     I spotted a few great beneficial bugs too in my garden and beside it too this week.  Black aphids were densely populating on a few stems here and there and a herd of hungry lady bugs soon followed and knocked down the aphid population very quickly.   I love it when the good guys beat the bad guys!   And nearby was spotted the caterpillar of a monarch butterfly.  This is one beautiful baby!

 

 

Bugs aside, I planted out my zinnia transplants to get my “fence” in the front started again.   Another task that’s taken me quite awhile to complete was putting in three more posts around the perimeter of my ornamental beds so that my various vines can grow up them this summer.  Now I just have to find plenty of willow branches to weave another garland like I have hanging in the front and also to build some “cages” again like I had last year around my unruly salvia plants. 

 

 

 

In the vegetable plot, the lettuce is officially past with the last heads getting bombarded by slugs and bolting inside.   I planted the bush beans and patty pan squash transplants I’d grown from seed in their stead.   Since I’d just picked a bunch of squash bugs off my melon vines and I know that Mexican bean beetles will be out shortly, I moved the row cover off my cut flowers and put it over the beans and squash instead.  Hopefully they’ll get a nice start under this protection, and then I’ll remove the cloth when it’s time for them to be pollinated by the busy bees.    

 

 

I peeked under my other row cover to see that the beets are just about ready to begin harvesting.  I like them best when they’re small and tender.  The broccoli on the other hand has still not formed heads; it’s getting very late at this point and I hope they’ll produce soon.  The peas are still going strong though!    I made a great little salad the other night with fresh peas, sliced kohlrabi, chopped chives and cold pasta tossed in ranch dressing.   Good thing I work up such a healthy appetite when I’m working in the garden! Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the sweet peas I’m growing in there….they are the  most lucious and romantic things you’ve ever smelled!!