Summer 2021 Garden

 Since I am trying to use this platform as a way to maintain memories, I am posting about my yard because this year it is on point.  I love so many parts of it this year.  

This is a new spot this year- and clearly is well protected since there is "fencing" around it.  In March we fenced in part of the backyard for our dogs, and I thought a great idea would be to have a raised bed back there.  I have put in some glorious herbs from my mother's garden (lemon balm, dill, and I forget the other one.  Doh!).  Then I bought some parsley (struggling), and basil (which is doing fantastic!!!).  I have a couple of small pepper plants, and a GINORMOUS cherry tomato bush that is producing copious amounts of tomatoes- which is fine. by. me.  My two favorite ways to eat them are: on toast with an over easy egg and a strong cheese like sharp cheddar or fresh parmesan.  The other way I love to eat them is in a fresh corn, avocado, tomato salad.  You know I love a variety of textures- and that one hits all the points for me.  

I should've photographed from the other direction, but then you'd see our trash cans- and that's not beautiful.  I love hydrangeas.  Love.  Them.  This spot is a prime location for them, and they love it here.  They've only been in for about a year, and they love the North Carolina red clay, morning sun, and afternoon shade.  I've had quite a few dinner plate sized flowers off it, that I bring inside and put around the house.  

There are 4 types of plants that I must have no matter where I live and zinnias are one of those types.  I LOVE my zinnias.  They've struggled this year because I really need to work on the soil quality.  My plan for the fall and winter is to till in some good quality manure and chopped up leaves to get some good organic matter in that dirt.  I just love the happy, bright, and friendly colors of zinnias. I also love how they attract butterflies and yellow finches.  

This spot has totally taken off!!!  The red is some bee balm, the smallish purple flowers (but ginormous plant) is perennial Salvia (or Sage, or my mom says Black and Blue), Black Eyed Susan, and a Hibiscus.  The hummingbirds really like this spot, but so do the finches and other birds.  I wanted this spot to be just a hodgepodge of perennials that attracted perennials. I didn't want it to be neat and tidy and orderly. I wanted slightly messy and jumbled.  This is exactly what it is and I dig it (hahaha- puns can be everywhere)

This is the first year I've had anything grow in these containers so well.  But I think the wine bottles are the key to their success.  I like the shape of these concrete planters, and I like to have them on either side of my garage for balance and color, but it's a full sun spot, and I think they just get too hot and ultimately- whatever I plant there- dies; however, my mom used these little terra cotta watering spikes in her containers and said they were great.  She kindly donated quite a few (and the wine bottles) to me, and I have them in all of my containers and it is really making a difference in my plants life quality.  

Impatients are another plant that I must always have in my yard.  I love how they're colorful, and they get all nice and bushy, but aren't annoyingly bright and in your face (like gladiolas- which I also have and love, but gladiolas are so gawdy and attention seeking).  Impatients are kind of calm and reserved.  They don't need much to be beautiful.  They like fairly regular watering and shade.  I appreciate a low maintenance beauty- wait, I am totally an impatient.  HAH!!!!  I have all the jokes.  I don't know why high schoolers groan so regularly at me.