2011 Garden Tour

I figured that since the summer is mostly over, it was about time I gave you a tour of my garden this year!  Well, to be honest, this is the first time that all parts of it have been presentable enough to show off.  So here we go!

This is the new strawberry plant behind the shed.  It's not growing very much, probably because I don't keep that area weeded very well.

In containers on the front steps I have white geraniums...

...and some violas.

In the front flower bed I have zinnias

Cosmos

And more violas.

I also did up this container (an old galvanized steel washtub) trying to copy some gorgeous containers I saw in Better Homes and Gardens this spring.  I have a sweet potato vine (that seems to be taking over quickly

Coleus

And these begonias that I LOVE in white...

And pink.  I also planted plenty of begonias in the shadier part of my front bed along with these petunias.

Further back in my "shade garden" I have my hydrangea and a bleeding heart, but there were no blooms, so I didn't take any pictures.  And they may or may not be a little wilty due to lack of watering.

In the hot little bed between the sidewalk and side of the porch are these black-eyed susans that Laura gave me.  Thanks, Laura!  They are doing great, and I love thier simple, casual blooms.  Totally my style.

I know that this looks like a weed patch, but it's actually the bed right outside our side door.  Irises and....?  I planted some seeds, and that's what I think the other stuff is, but it hasn't bloomed yet.  Alyssum?  Forget-me-nots?  Maybe it is just a weed, but why isn't it growing anywhere else?  I will keep you posted about any future blooming.

In the interest of keeping it real, this is what I call "my rose bed."  As you can see, I take very good care of it. Actually, I really do try to take care of it, but I am not always sure how.  Weeding might be a good start.  Maybe a little mulch...we'll have to try that next year.

 And here is a wide view of the patch of land called "the garden," or more specifically, "the vegetable garden.

Cucumbers

Banana Peppers

Jalapeno pepers

These are red peppers that apparently haven't turned red yet.  I also have green bell peppers that I apparently forgot to take pictures of.

Green Chiles!  Boy do these get me excited!  Think of all the breakfast burritos!

The most prominent "weed" this year is volunteer tomatoes.  They're everywhere!!  I would like to let them grow because they are more mature that the tomatoes I intentionally planted, but they are growing in such bad places.  And they are totally taking over.  I pulled up all of the plants that don't have fruit yet.

Cauliflower.

Cabbage

Soybeans

And the yellow plant is a potato plant.  I get to dig them up soon, and I am so excited!

That's what's in the ground, but then there's my containers.

Another strawberry plant (this is its second year).

Sweet potatoes that I started way back when following instructions from this article.

Mint

And tomatoes...

...yep, I have two trash cans of tomatoes.

To finish things off here are the containers on my "deck" which is also the landing right outside our garage.

This is my multi-purpose container.  I intended it for herbs, but decided a few petunias would spruce it up a little bit.  Unfortunately, the petunias are not allowing much sun for the herbs, which are starting to look a little scrawny.  Let's zoom in so you can see them better.

Cilantro that is just waiting for tomatoes to ripen so it can be used in salsa.

Basil, on the off chance that I have a change of heart and decide that I like it.

And some scrappy dill.  I know this sounds crazy, but I think I like dried dill better than fresh.

And I have this container of these.  I have no idea what they are.  Any botanists out there that can help me out?  Whatever they are, I like them.

So that's it... the garden for the year.  Some things are doing better than others.  The ones that are doing well are just another testament to my motto that its God who grows things, because I haven't been very diligent in tending to these little beauties.

How does your garden grow?  Leave a comment and tell me!