The Garden is Watered

It has been a wet summer here in Central Kentucky. After what seemed like forever I got my vegetables in the ground. I planted late this year, because of the rain and my time table. Though late, everything got in. I have three different varieties of tomatoes (Grape, Beefmaster, and Big Boy) cucumbers, carrots, onions, potatoes, bush beans, and peppers.

The rain has helped my tomatoes grow and bud and produce lovely green tomatoes, now I just need some more sun to get them to ripen. I have gotten a couple handfuls of grape tomatoes so far. I would have had tomatoes so much earlier if I had gotten my act together and planted them. At least I have them now and they are delicious.

My cucumbers are coming in. This year I feel I am better prepared for the amount of cucumbers that I should be able to harvest. Last year I got overwhelmed and not all of cucumbers were utilized. Interestingly enough, my cucumber plant that has done the best is a volunteer. The ones I started indoors ended up dying. So thank goodness for the volunteer, or I would still be waiting for cucumbers to arrive.

It seems this is the year for volunteers. I have volunteer tomato plants, (luckily they volunteered themselves in the same vicinity of my other tomatoes), sunflowers in the weirdest places and as of two weeks ago I have a volunteer birdhouse gourd vine growing in my front flower bed. I still haven't decided if I am going let it grow. In my research they take at least a 100 days of hot weather. It is the end of July, and though it has been a hot summer and August is looking like it will join the party, by my estimation I only have, at best, 60 days of warm weather left. And that could be stretching it. But it might be interesting to see what happens.

My flowers are doing really well, again thanks to the immense amounts of rain I have received. It has been great for cut flowers. My dahlias, cosmos, zinnias, pink and blue bachelor buttons. My sunflowers are doing well, but are slower. With more water there is less sun, and the sunflowers don't seem to like that as well. They are growing big and with some more sun I should have some beautiful sunflowers.

May Flowers

April showers didn't come until May 1st, but my clematis didn't want to wait. The morning before our massive amount of rain three of my clematis plants started blooming. Then during the rain storm they blossomed even more. There is a column of clematis flowers on one corner of my deck.







When I purchased my first clematis I never imagined of how beautiful my clematis' plants would be in a few years time. I dreamed of course, and hoped, but never imagined. Now I know that I made the right choice when I bought that first one. And the purchase of the seven other clematis' was inspired...at least I like to think so. :)

Jackson was hiding among the flowers.

Sunflowers are such a Happy Flower

The plants I have started from seeds are coming up. Guess which ones were the first ones that sprouted? You got it...my cucumbers. Not really a curprise. I have started two varieties. One is a pickling cucumber, therefor supposed to be smaller and the other is a big eating cucumber. I am hoping to be pickling a lot this year or at least live off of my cucumers.

My peppers, herbs, and beans are coming up. I haven't planted corn, carrots or sunflowers yet. I did put some sunflowers in a pot that will sit on my front porch and they have started to come up. I used the shorter variety, they only grow to 4-5 feet.

Sunflowers are such a happy flower. I would love to plant more sunflowers than what I already do, I just haven't located the right spot yet. A few seeds were added to my front garden with the cosmos and zinnias. This is my "tall" flower garden.

Ahh..Spring

Even though we are having chilly temperatures here in Lexington, some of my perennials are opening up. My clematis’ vines have been growing like mad, with their buds numbering in the hundreds, okay slight exaggeration, maybe 100. This weekend the first clematis’ opened up to the sun. The dainty little flowers, compared to my dinner plate size clematis, just started to open when the bees took advantage of their pollen. Soon I should be seeing the rest of my vines bloom. I am giddy with anticipation.

My clematis wasn’t the only thing blooming this weekend. Some late flowering tulips opened up.

And my little violas keep producing these gorgeous miniature flowers that greet anyone that comes to my door.

Ahhh…spring, how I love you.

A little Orange

The usual suspects are blooming already; hyacinths, tulips and daffodils. All beautiful and they help lift the dreary veil of winter and parade in spring. What I didn't expect were the pansies I planted last fall to add some autumn color to my flower beds to survive the long and cold winter, and then to bloom. But they did, their riotous color greets me every day when I return home from work. You can't miss the bright orange. I love my hyacinths, tulips and daffodils and can't wait to plant more; but these pansies make me smile especially after a long day behind a desk.

24 Days and Counting...

As I watch the snow fall once again I begin to realize that even though it seems like spring will never get here, actually it is only 24 days away according to the calender. Soon it will be time for me to start working in the garden. I have started collecting my seeds and planning my layout.

Tomorrow at lunch I have a trip to Lowe's planned with a friend. She has a purpose, I am just going to fawn over the bulbs and seeds. Then I will fall in love with a bulb or a seed I have never grown before, which means it needs to come home with me. Once home I will have to figure out a place for it. Sometimes I get a little implusive.

I have come to realize I don't have a gardening style per se, and still being new to gardening when I see something I like I want to add it to my garden. Maybe my style is...hectic, I mean...eclectic. Yeah, I like that. A little bit of everything poking its head out; roses, cosmos, zinnias, sunflowers, columbines...

Last year was a great learning experience. I did find out that I won't be so heavy handed with the Morning Glories, if in fact I even plant them at all. They were gorgeous but soon took over, like mad crazy, just like everyone said they would. Live and learn. In my front bed I hope to plant wild zinnias and cosmos. Both grow tall have beautiful flowers, are hardy, and they make me happy.

The rest of the beds are still in discovery. I need to find some good shade flowering plants. I do a lot of inpatients, which are great but now I think I want to change it up a bit.

Only 24 days til spring....the countdown is on! Can I last that long?

Resistance is Futile!!

I broke down and bought seeds today. I was trying to resist until at least the end of February, but I was no match to the draw of seeds and the promise of gardening. I did only purchase herb seeds, so that I can start them inside. I didn't go too crazy, I'll leave that for my next trip. I can't wait!!!!

Warmer Weather

It finally warmed up...and now it is raining. At least it isn't freezing rain. After two weeks of freezing temperatures Kentucky rose above 32 degrees. We are now sitting around the 50 degree mark. I want go outside and play in the dirt. I have even got the urge to start planting, but I beat it down with a stick. A couple more months and then tilling the soil will begin.

It Has Been Awhile

It has been awhile, 5 months to be exact. I didn't mean to be gone so long, but this fall was crazy. And then I just stayed away, but I realized as I sit here in my cozy living room watching an episode of Chuck and not having any signifcant human contact this weekend (it is freezing and no one wants to go outside) that I wanted to start my blog again. A way to get my random thoughts out. You see if I keep them in too long strange things happen, like baking bread at 2:30 in the morning or deciding that I want to become a spy. :) So for anybody out there who takes the time to read this, Thanks!