Abundance

My garden is my happy place...
although before today I might not have been willing to say that.


But, after 5 man-hours of weeding,
(I had help.  "Thank you Anna!")
it is finally looking as though it is loved once again.


We've been lucky.
It's been a summer of perfect garden weather thus far.
We've had adequate rain making watering just an occasional chore.
Sunshine and blue skies have been abundant.


Everything is growing...


like weeds!

Now I understand full well what is meant by the saying "growing like a weed!"
What is it about weeds that make them grow so rapidly?


With weeds slowing getting under control,
I am happy to stroll through the aisles between garden boxes,
inspecting the vegetables thriving within.


In spite of the proliferation of weeds,
this is my favorite time of the gardening cycle.


We eat from the garden daily.


Also, the perennial flowers that I have added around the fence over the years
are mature and all blooming...
making the garden an explosion of color.


Coneflowers (Echinacea) in every color...
purple...


yellow...


pink...


green (my favorite)...


and orange!


Mountain phlox in fuchsia, with yellow trumpet vine above,
and wild yarrow below...


Daisies...


Bee balm (Monarda)...


Colorful edibles...
Nasturtium (so delicious in salads, both the leaves and the flowers)...


and rainbow Chard...



Sunflowers that came up from seed bloom next to the greenhouse.
Their parents were giant yellow sunflowers.
The offspring is smaller and rust-colored.


The garden fence posts (which are 8 feet high) serve as the bones
for vines such as wisteria and trumpet vine (in all colors)


It takes a lot of pruning to keep these vines from completely covering the entire garden.


The work is worth it, however, because the flowers are so showy...
and the perfect food source for hummingbirds.


A single grapevine has taken over 1/4th of the garden fence.
I pruned at least 2/3rds of this vine in early spring,
however it has since grown back.
A severe haircut is necessary if these grapes are ever to ripen.


Otherwise, they will rot on the vine.

There is just something so delightful about the colors of summer...
a delight that I sorely miss during the grey drab winter.


I will be spending as much time as possible out here just soaking in the colors...
etching them into my memory through all of my senses so that I can more easily
envision this beauty after it is gone.

Thank you for taking the time to share it with me!!
Have a lovely day!

Comments

An American in Tokyo said…
Thank you for sharing it!
I hope you have a wonderful day as well!
Anonymous said…
You are an amazing woman! How do you find time to post everyday! After I work all day and then take care of the farm, I'm done for the night. You're posts are amazing. I love reading your blog. Keep it up. I aspire to have your energy one day. Or maybe give classes in time management.

Lisa D.
Spring Peeper Farm
Candice said…
Sunflower "offspring" can be a completely different color...who knew? And why does that happen? Off to Google it now...

Beautiful garden, as always, Bev.

Enjoy your summer!
Deb said…
Whew...that was some stroll. Just beautiful.
This N That said…
Gorgeous. It's good that all those things are fenced in keeping them away from the critters. My coneflowers were harvested by groundhogs. Your garden is a work of art. Happy Wednesday.
Sophie said…
Weeds are weeds because they are plants with the capacity to grow rapidly and spread. :P The green Coneflowers are the most aesthetic for sure.
Unknown said…
Your flowers are stunning! Love all the colors and the gardens look wonderful...so much work but so appreciated.
Dawn said…
Never knew Cone Flowers came in so many colours will have to do a bit of research now, I was pruning my grape vine the other day, I am determind to keep it under control it is in the poly tunnel, my last one before we moved run away every year before I knew it, your garden is lovely thank you :-)
Cindy said…
You have such a beautiful veggie garden!
I am in love with your garden. Such beautiful flowers and vines... I use to have a pink trumpet vine years ago... I don't know how you keep up with everything on the farm.. I am always so impressed with your energy.
Enjoy your day
blessings,
Penny
daisy g said…
What a glorious garden space! It's plain to see that y'all will be eatin' well for a good, long time!
Lovely blooms as well.
Thank you for sharing your lovely world with us.
Lynne said…
Beautiful gardens, flowers, veggies, vines Beverly . . .