My New Love

Last year my mom gave me this basket with red geraniums and purple and yellow petunias. It was really cute, but the front porch didn't get enough sun for it and I moved it to the back. I wanted it back on the front porch this year, so I put shade and part shade flowers in. I didn't do a very good job of mixing them and it just turned out weird. The New Guinea impatien hasn't bloomed once, so I'm not sure it is getting enough sun. I put a pot of violas in it from spring and gave up. The violas finally lost their battle in the heat, so I went to the temporary greenhouse near us to find a replacement. There wasn't much left and most of what was left looked a little sickly at this point in the season. The greenhouse worker suggested the caladium. I've never looked at it too closely because there is usually a lot of pink in the leaves and pink isn't really my color. But, I saw the green and white variation and decided to try it. I love it! The tag says I can dig up the tubers in the fall and replant them in the spring, so it will even be reusable! The tag says this variety is called "Aaron."

On the 2nd Day of Summer

On the 2nd day of summer, the tomatoes are almost as tall as their supports.

The biggest lemons are ping pong ball sized.

The herbs are covering up the cow and goose. The little indoor gardener keeps an eye on things from the window.

The view from the north end of the patio.

There wasn't any basil at the Farmer's Market in May when I planted the rest of the flowers, but I finally found some last Saturday. He's just a wee thing, but should grow fast in the summer sun.

Not Quite Dead

The fern that I was planning to replace? Within the week I wrote about that, a bright new leaf had appeared. I guess it is just a late bloomer, but now it's doing very well! Next year maybe I will remember to be more patient.

Hosta Bed

It was too cloudy to get a very good picture of the hosta bed, but it's doing pretty well. The fern that stayed green all winter now appears to be dead - go figure. I think I'll replace it with the Japanese painted fern that has done so well at the north end of this bed.

Hydrangea Heights and Tomato Town

Life is good in Hyrdrangea Heights. It's looking like I'll have the most blooms since we've lived here. Last year I believe there were 2 pretty good sized ones and 1 teeny, but this year looks like I'll have about 10 bigguns. The first year we lived here I got clever and cut it way back. I think it's taken this long to recover.

The news in Tomato Town isn't maybe so good. The plants are getting bigger, but no sign of blooms. I am afraid they don't get enough sun. But, that's why they're in pots. They may have to be moved to a sunnier spot, altough that's hard to find in our shady yard. At least I still have the yummy smell of the tomato leaves to enjoy, even if I have to buy the tomatoes at the Farmer's Market.

Old Shed

A few weeks ago, I began to dig up the tiger lilies from around the shed. The remaining ones - which are many - are beginning to bloom and I wonder how the lilies that I passed on to friends are doing. I hope they are blooming too! If we don't build a new shed, I want to dig up the rest of these and find them new homes. I'd like to replace them with some other something. Hostas probably for the shadier side, and I'd like to create an herb garden with perennial herbs on the sunnier side.

Future Home Of...

The Downing Potting Shed BBQ Storage Shed Greenhouse! Maybe...