Today's temperature hit 97 degrees (F) so the garden has only been enjoyed after sunrise or through the windows of an air-conditioned house. It has become a wee bit wild.
For the first time ever, there has been plenty of rain at just the right time. Not once have I drug out the garden hose to water. I am getting spoiled by our new weather pattern.
When the smoker grill broke, I saw potential for a new life rather than sending it to the dump. It was recycled into flower pots.
A surprise sprang up in the middle of the front sidewalk. Evidently, a Tahitian Butternut Squash seed dropped out of the compost bucket, landed in a thin crack, sprouted, and was ignored. When it formed a tiny squash, I realized it was my favorite variety so everyone was instructed to avoid it. (Scooter was instructed to stop watering it.) UPS and friends have learned to walk around. Its determination to live is inspiring.
July has been a colorful month in the garden. A little bit of rain makes a little bit of difference, a lot of rain makes a huge difference.
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHappy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!
I had that purslane in the past so I definitely envy yours by the way besutiful blooms.
ReplyDeleteReese sent it to me because it is his favorite color. He works at a Metrolina Greenhouse and sent me a box full months ago. They have spread so much that I was able to transplant them from another part of the garden. They are recovering from being moved and hopefully they will soon cover the whole area. I love them - never have to water.
DeletePortulaca is one of my favorite plants to grow because watering it is so easy. I would be walking my section checking moisture levels of the plants to see if they will make it through the day. I would come up on the portulaca wilting and it is a situation of, maybe I will water it today, maybe I will do it tomorrow, maybe next week. I'll have to see what I feel like. Watering this plant is optional. I've done a wilt test on this plant to see what it takes to actually kill it to learn how far I can push it. The plant was about five weeks old in 1.5 inch cubic volume of soil with no water for a full month. It was able to come back no problem with just a little water. Bear in mind the average temperature was in the upper 80s (F). When I learned how tough this plant was I knew I had to send some home because Mom can't kill it when she forgets about it.
DeleteDid I detect a hint of criticism in that sassy comment? I will not retort because I want more flowers next year.
DeleteYour loving Mother
What a cheerful place it must be to walk around your home. You've done a beautiful job. Don't you love volunteers, especially when they're something you love? Your comment about Scooter's watering made me laugh. I can definitely relate with two males.
ReplyDeleteHe avoids it during the day, but we really have to watch him when we let him out before bedtime. He acts like we put it there for his convenience so he won't have to walk far for the perfect spot.
DeleteThe rock garden looks very nice! Is that your home? It's beautiful! I would love to see all the rooms inside...I bet it stays cool downstairs. We had a good rain last night and it was so welcome. The grass and flowers all got a good watering! Enjoy your day! Stay cool!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is my house and it has a brand new roof, just like yours! No pictures of the inside now because the garden is in. Potatoes are stacked in the living room, tomatoes, cucumbers beans, onions are in baskets everywhere waiting to be canned, frozen, pickled, shelled....
DeleteBoy, I LOVE all the color!
ReplyDeleteThe rock garden area already looks nice. I know how hard it is to keep feet off volunteers! I'm always telling my son to "look out" for this or that! The creeping wallflower let the bed and crawled into the path, and he stood on it, thinking it was "grass you didn't take care of." Now, really, did it LOOK like grass?
ReplyDeleteIf it is green, it looks the same to my non-gardening guys.
DeleteYour garden looks so inviting and I love the look of the rock garden. I am glad you got some rain with 97 degrees. We are headed right into a heat spell for the next four days, but luckily we had some rain today.
ReplyDeleteIt was a good choice when Reese sent you Portulaca grandiflora. Our German name for this sweet
ReplyDeletelittle flower, that is so undemanding, is Portulakröschen. You find it not only in many rock gardens, but it also grows in pots. You could let them produce seeds and maybe they will come
back next year. There is also a wild portulaca which I find on many spots of my garden. A sort
of weed.
Enjoy your lovely flowering garden early in the morning before the heat comes. Later in the day
you will have lots of work to do with all the good garden products you have to preserve.
I had hoped they would return this year but none did. I suppose the cold winter killed all the seeds. This year, I will be saving some. We have the same weed you mentioned, but it is called purslane. It fooled me this year because I thought the portulaca has sprouted.
DeleteI always love seeing your flowers. You are blessed with a great talent. :)
ReplyDeleteLovely to see your colourful garden and how the squash found the perfect conditions to grow! Hope you don't have too many days when you are stuck inside due to the heat. Sarah x
ReplyDeleteI can only bare it at sunrise. It is the humidity that is stifling. Last night we had a good rain and it has cooled for a while. I should weed, but the porch swing and a cup of tea are calling my name...
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