Our new bed looks so pretty. But I must confess the vegetable garden is a wasteland. And the old flower beds… weeding them was just too much work. They are overgrown. It’s tempting to post pictures only of gardening successes. Then everyone imagines that it’s always more of the same. Lest my pictures of the new bed lead anyone to think I’m some kind of gardening goddess, here is some of the evidence that things are a little wild round here, unweeded and uncared for. I’m great at starting projects, but not always so great at follow-through.
Exhibit 1: The Oregano
This little oregano shoot we got a couple of years ago in our farm share has become a monster shrub. I don’t even like oregano that much. If only it were basil! When I posted pics of the oregano in the spring a friend said it looked like nice ground cover. Not so much ground cover now!
Oregano with bee. Can you see the bee?
But it does have pretty flowers. Which the bees love. I’ll just reclassify this as a flowering shrub and move on. And be happy with little oregano bouquets on the dining table.
Exhibit 2: The Lavender and the Mint
I love lavender. And it makes nice bouquets. But still not an herb I use in cooking. So again resigning myself to repurposing the garden from vegetable to ornamental.
I really should dry it and make sachets.
The other half of the bed is mint. Having planted it, I can’t eradicate it. Lesson learned. But hey: mojitos! And mint is yummy in salads and iced tea too.
Exhibit 3: My Nemesis Poison Ivy
I need to get professional help. It’s growing all along the side fence, coming in from the neighbor’s yard. All along the same fence are big rocks thrown there by a past owner, possibly to keep a burrowing dog in check? Anyway, this isn’t even the worst of it. There’s a tree in the back corner all overgrown with the foul weed that I can’t even get to because there’s a brambly wild rose there and poison ivy on the ground.
Really we need a contractor. But they won’t return Dom’s calls.
I am highly allergic to the nasty stuff and don’t even want Dom to mess with it lest he get it on himself and transfer it to me. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.
Exhibit 4: Wildflowers Gone to Seed
This was my wildflower bed a couple of years ago. Now all that’s left are a few daisies. But I don’t really want to weed them out. And the grass is a pain. So it’s become kind of wild and overgrown.
There were white daisies too earlier in the year. They’ve all died off and all that’s left are these yellow ones, which I think are cowpen daisies.
Exhibit 5: Tomato Fail
This one sad little plant is the only surviving tomato plant. All the rest died because I keep forgetting to water. Poor little scrap!
One of the dead tomatoes. Pathetic.
Exhibit 6: Squash
I’ve already given up on getting anything from this squash plant. And the monster oregano is eating it alive. I’m a failure at zucchini!
Exhibit 7: Irises and Lupines
This looks like failure, but my inner Miss Rumphius is rubbing her hands in glee. A couple of years ago we planted some lupine seeds. Only one plant came up and it didn’t bloom last year. But this year it did. Gloriously. And now look at all those seeds. Next year…. we will plant more and more lupines!!!!
This lupine plant is on the edge of the iris bed. Only one of my irises bloomed this year. Guess I need to thin them out already. I’m thinking of moving some to the front beds.
Overgrown iris bed. Full of grass and weeds.
Exhibit 8: More Mint
Actually quite a success. I pulled up a bunch of mint last year from the overgrown bed and transplanted it beside the house. Look at all that lovely, lovely mint! Believe it or not sometimes I worry about overgrazing my mint.
Exhibit 9: Unknown Invaders
Ferns? These are growing by the faucet in the back. So pretty.
Query: Anyone know what this is? It has pretty leaves. It’s growing up next to the fence.
Update on the New Garden
Seedlings sprouted already!
Me and my Lucy
