The Pond

It was a hot, humid day today and I was out working in it, too. Came in dripping with sweat but glad I'd spent the time out there. The pond is getting very overgrown but it's not something I can tame very much. Eventually the cat tails and irises will take over completely. Today I trimmed back some of the irises so I can see the water and so the seed pods do not fill the pond with seeds. I weeded as best I could since I was at the limits of my capacity in the heat by that point. It looks a lot better and I got the fountain going. The biggest surprise was seeing two gold fish. The heron didn't get them all.

My Joe Pye weed is the tallest its ever gotten. I keep finding new plants and transplanting them below the pond along the edge of the glen, but I don't think the conditions are wet enough there.

Water hyacinth is in bloom.

These grasses are loving this spot.

The bishop's weed ground cover (gout weed) under the day lilies gets munched on by the ground hog so it isn't an invasive as it is for other people.

I have two colors of stella d'oro lilies on the hillside next to the pond.

Another view of the pond and all the different green textures.

Harvest Monday

I missed last week's Harvest Monday hosted by Daphne's Dandelions because I was enjoying the harvests (and helping to harvest them) at Greens and Jeans.

I came home Tuesday, June 14th to overgrown snow peas. I pulled them out on Wednesday afternoon and harvested the peas remaining, all of which had to be shelled. My teen watering team assured me that the did pick them while I was away and there would have been many more for me if they hadn't done so.

I shelled them and including them in a chicken stir fry on Wednesday night.

Thursday I tackled the weeds in the vegetable garden and harvested garlic scapes, lettuce, and an onion that needed to be pulled. Thanks to Villager at Our Happy Acres for his garlic scape pesto recipe. It was perfect with whole grain baguette slices and even some for the freezer for those days when garlic scapes are just a fond memory.

Sunday I got more lettuce, a nice bit of basil, and my first green beans.

A Color Change

The middle of June brings a new color palette to the perennial garden. The predominate color is in the yellow end of the color wheel as the day lilies make their debut. Here are some of the new faces.

Vegetable Garden - Mid June

Thankfully my vegetable garden got watered while I was gone for two weeks. I was pleased to see it did so well in my absence, nothing that a morning in there couldn't take care of. Weeds, fertilizing, and tying up wayward plants were on the agenda on Thursday.

Green pepper, Rutgers tomato, and cherry tomatoes.

Amish paste tomato, green beans, and first zucchini blossom.

Cubanelle pepper and as you can see I did not thin my onions as much as I should have.

A volunteer petunia in the vegetables. I transplanted another two of these volunteers to the perennial garden but left this one for now.



The fence is serving well as support for three tomato plants.

Beans and tomatoes are doing well together.

Lettuce is still producing amongst the peppers and eggplants.

Onions will soon be falling over ready for pulling.

Peas have been pulled from this bed and now I have to decide what else to plant with the zucchini.

Cucumbers also climbing the fence with nice basil plants in front.