Wildflowers!

Several years ago we got wild and crazy and ordered a $10 bag of mixed wildflower seeds. We've done the same thing a couple of times since. We tried several locations, but the best choice seems to be in small compact patches, around posts or along the border fence. We know the identity of some, and others we simply enjoy "namelessly". The beauty and the variety are awesome and interesting. Plain beans and carrots in tidy little rows can get boring! Here are some of our wild flowers:

Eryngium(sea holly)

"bird's eye" (small 3/8") 

"five spot"

cone flower 

...  small flowers ...1/4"

 

 

shasta daisy

  poppy

And finally, the MOST beautiful flower of all... my granddaughter, Adelyn!

herb the twisted bonsai tree

We have a rosemary plant that is about ten years old and has a twisted gnarly trunk about 1" in diameter. It's about 2' high in a 1' pot and it's been "manipulated" like a bonsai.

Of course it is all edible (except the wood!), and we do use it in cooking. There's much more herb here than we'll ever consume!
It blossoms several times a year lately. This year, for the 1st time I noticed that there were tiny pods formed following the blossoms. Each held 3-4 tiny seeds. The blossom is delicate, awesome, and beautiful, but very small around 1-2 mm max. We like our twisted treasure. It seems to thrive well outside in the summer.

"spare guys"

I call asparagus "spare guys" sometimes. We are sadly nearing the end of the season for these wonderful tasty nutritious (expensive) guys. I wish all veggies were like asparagus. It's the only perennial vegetable... that I know of. Wouldn't it be great if all veg, or even half could be planted once and enjoyed for years like these guys!? We have an old patch that's maybe about 15x20'. It's ALMOST more than we can eat and keep up with, but not enough to think about freezing. There are also about a half dozen "wild" plants up on the hill that we've marked with bamboo stakes (...even though we really do remember where they are.) I marked them so I could avoid mowing them down!! Any how, those WILD plants are the thickest and the most tasty! Not surprising really, but I wish I knew why. We get some spears that are easily 3/4" in diameter, bigger than my big thumb! Mmmmmmm. Too bad the season doesn't least all year.

Poppies and carrots and much...

A row of carrot greenery contrasts with poppies. Carrots take a while, but are worth the wait.  Tough to thin those tiny things too! The poppies pop up every year since we planted them in a wildflower seed mix a few years ago.

The poppies have hairy stems and the buds are bent over droopy just before they straighten up and bloom. Interesting.

Peas!

Much gardening has been done since May!!! Far too much to post. So, we'll try to keep it simple for now.

One thing is certainly different since the first words were posted here in May---the weather! Then it was rain rain rain and rain. Now for about a month it has been dry dry dry and dry. We've been busy watering though, and the garden is doing well, thank you.

We've been eating fresh sugar snap peas now for several days. Mmmmmm. The plants are beautiful too.

Green beans are up and growing. Three different types (and soy/edamame too).

There's so much more to talk about...but that's all for now.