soaphouse's Blog

Growing and Growing...
Jun 27, 2008 | 8:02 AM PST
Tags: butterfly bush , coreopsis , moonbeam , veggies , broccoli , marigold , corn , sphagetti squash , spaghetti squash , bean , Daylies

Well, things keep moving right along here in the garden...with or without my help - :) It has been very hot here with not a lot of rain fall - but luckily we are allowed to water at certain times...so I have been keeping up with that. I am still enjoying the results of all my hard work over the fall and winter (with things being somewhat more low maintenance) I have decided that that is definitely the way to go!

During a good session in the garden the other afternoon, I was able to capture these picts:

Butterfl
y bush is looking great!

Daylilies doing their thing:

Looking
forward to my canna blooms!

Northe
rn Mountain Oats that I ordered on line last year are doing well and I look forward to them naturalizing a bit:

Oak Leaf Blooms turning pink:

<
p>We have really started to enjoy more abundance from the veggie gardens as well! We have daily picking adventures and eat something from the garden just about every day!

Here is a view of the veggies from the back of the back yard:

I just love the shot of color that the marigold give...makes a great view from the kitchen window:

Althou
gh, I did have to pull out all the broccolli due to that yucky wormy thing they got...just like last year! I guess I am just not cut out for broccolli growing :(

The corn is doing its thing:

But, has some yuck on it! This is my first time to grow corn, so I am not sure what to do about this or if it will effect production:

I am loving the purple pole beans! They are SO pretty and yummy too!

And, the spaghetti squash is jumping out of its bed!

Here is a good shot as you come around to the front yard:

<
p>Things are doing well there, too...I am loving the moonbeam coreopsis and have decided that I want to add more of this to the front perrenial garden:

>

The turks cap lilies are just starting to bloom. I can always count on these guys!

Getting ready for my hibiscus blooms!

>

The little knockouts that i planted at the base of the sculpture are blooming and i know they will fill in nicely!:Here is the view as of late as i sit on my front porch:

And finally...the view of the front yard from across the street:

Can you tell most of what i have planted along the street was to block off the view of the rental house across the street from us - HAH! Guess its working :)

Trip to the Nursery
Jul 25, 2007 | 3:31 PM PST
Tags: elijah blue fescue , coreopsis , moonbeam , euphorbia , blue haze , berm , sunflower seeds , okra , zucchini , beneficial insects , mulch , pine straw , salvia

Today, my daughter and I took a little trip to our FAVORITE nursery. I had a gift certificate and they are having a summer sale, so I got lots of goodies!

• 2
  types of coreopsis, a yellow and a hot pink
• 8 Elijah Blue Fescues
• 1 Black and Blue Salvia
• 1 Blue Haze Euphorbia
  

So fun to come home with this lot and plant them all...heres what I did in the front:

BEFORE:

AND AFTER:

I dotted around the Elijah Blues and put in the yellow moonbeam coreopsis in the new berm. In the fall, i think i will divide the coreopsis and spot it around a bit. There are several clumps from the one pot I bought, but I was afraid it would shock it too much to divide right now in the heat of the summer. The rest of the plants made their way into the back yard.

My hubby also went to get the rest of the free pinestraw I scored on craigslist and I got that all spread in the back. I still need a bunch more, but it looks great. Its amazing what a difference mulch makes!

Here are some other shots of around my garden today...

Sunflo
wer seeds showin up:

Snacked on this guy while pulling some weeds...yum, yum! Also harvested a giant eight ball zucchini today...will sautee for dinner tonight :)

Almost ready to pick :)

Found this guy on the sunflower today and I looked him up in my insect book and he is a beneficial. Maybe he will eat some of the squash borers!