It occured to me that it's been awhile since I've done a garden post. We've had some rain that has kept some things growing and rejuvenated a few things that I thought were finished. We've yet to have a killing frost which is really odd for mid-October.
The Autumn Joy sedum looks like it should this time of year. I love this plant. It's so pretty, and it has some fond memories for me. When I was eighteen and away from home living on my own, a country girl living in town, I could look out my bedroom window and the landlady had a flower garden out there. I don't know what all was growing in that garden but I remember the sedum being so beautiful. When I got down and gloomy (or tired of doing homework) I'd stare out the window at that sedum.
Summer squash, this is yellow crookneck, should not be producing fruits in my area at this time of year. They should be frozen dead. But..... this plant did not even start blooming until Labor Day! It just sat and baked and complained about being watered with tap-water all summer until we had some rain. I took this picture maybe a week ago. We've since had just enough cold to kill off the top of this plant.
The cosmos have been just radiant. I really like this "tire-d" flower bed. :) Next year I may grow entirely cosmos in it instead of trying for three different kinds of flowers. These cosmos have survived being stomped to bits by the yellow dog. They've been baked to the point of near extinction, and seem to just keep coming back. Love 'em!
Marigolds. You can't beat marigolds for just blooming on and on despite whatever kind of lousy weather, soil or growing conditions they have. I used to grow a lot more marigolds than I do now. I think I will have to start planting more of them again. They are so easy and so cheerful.
I must say, when the dogs come trying to "help" me when I'm weeding and mash a prized plant in the process, it's real hard to remember gentleness and self-control even when they're written on bricks in front of me. I've never had as much trouble gardening with a dog as I've had with this yellow dog. Flash the Wonder Dog learned to stay out of the flower beds. Good old Buddy learned to just lay down behind me wherever I was working. Sometimes I tripped over him, but he wasn't a problem while I was working. Lady-BUG is convinced she should be between me and whatever I'm doing, whether it's weeding, or trimming grass or planting.
Caught this picture of an Easter lily just before it opened. When they're not forced for Easter, but just allowed to grow in the garden, Easter lilies bloom in July, just after my other lilies do. I have several around the yard, and they were all salvaged from the after Easter dumping of the lilies from church over the past couple years. This one is from two years ago and this is the first time it's bloomed. Well worth the wait.
