These nectaroscordums (N. siculum spp. bulgaricum) are even taller and more exotic looking than I expected, and they also reek unbelievably strongly of onions (they are members of the Allium family so I shouldn't be so shocked).
These seem to be one of those plants that look kind of so-so from far away, but close up you can really appreciate all their attributes. They're thriving in the clay mixed with remaining lava rocks, and for that alone they should be praised. I'm planning to add more bulbs this fall. If you have deer issues, I bet these reeking-of-onion plants would deter them. Just a thought.
In fact, it's turning out to be the Year of the Onion here. Look at how big the onions are in the veggie bed are:
There are red, white and yellow onions with some green ones to the left. For size comparison, here's a full view of the bed. Notice how the onion stalks (or whatever the green parts would technically be called) are as tall as the broccoli plants in the back.
Other vegetable delights include the pot 'o hot peppers, where all three (jalapeno, Thai chili and habanero) are growing quickly and starting to put out flowers. As someone who enjoys food so hot that it makes steam come out my ears, this is a joy in the making!
In the front garden, my cosmos and Phlox drummondi seedlings are finally starting to flower, and I'd like to thank everyone who suggested direct sowing cosmos...I will act on this advice next year!
In more positive seedling news, I have little cilantros popping up all over the herb section of the garden (they'll go great in those spicy Mexican and Thai dishes with the peppers!). I direct sowed a packet of Slow Bolt Cilantro from Renee's Garden and at first I feared most hadn't germinated, but in the past week or so they've shown up in droves. I know it's kind of hard to see, but there's one in this picture in front of the dianthus and columbine foliage. They seem to not be getting attacked by bugs like my basil seedlings (a big disappointment).
(Random side tangent, speaking of disappointments: My hyacinth bean seedlings have gone nowhere, despite me having little wire supports all ready for them at the base of the floor-to-roof posts we have along our front patio. They sort of look like they got eaten by a squirrel or something, or maybe they're suffering from too little sun, too little water, too much water--we've had both dry and soggy spells lately--but there's nothing happening. I think vines twining up the poles would look so great, but I can't seem to make it work! Why?! But I digress.)
Anyway, I planted some new Phlox pilosa in the front (and they are perfectly pink, as Gail would say). I'm thrilled with how brightly they're blooming after just a few short weeks in the garden! There is a fourth one that should be in the picture above, but while I was weeding the stem got snapped off, and I realized it was brown and a little brittle (please tell me it will grow back next year Gail?!).
These new hostas are my favorite things in the shady part of the front garden.
In the front left is 'Touch of Class' and to the back right is a nameless passalong from my mom; I like the way the light and dark parts of the leaves are reversed with the chartreuse in the center of 'Touch of Class' and on the margins of Nameless Passalong.
I accidentally became a rose gardener again. This one came with the house but has been languishing in weeds. I have no idea what it is but I tried to clear up the weeds around it when I planted a couple new quinces nearby.
I got these 'Candy Oh So Vivid Red' roses to trial from Proven Winners, which I hadn't known would be in the trial shipment.
Suddenly I realized that after an eleven year hiatus I now grow roses again. I'm thrilled that they're budding and I hope they're ready to grow without much pampering. We shall see!
I even managed to throw together some decent containers for the first time in a couple years. This one includes 'Double Blue Madness' petunias that are not blooming (unfortunately), with hemigraphis 'Blackberry Waffle' and some vinca vine. It will look much more exciting when the petunias bloom but I'm enjoying the contrast of the hemigraphis and vinca.
This container is in a sunnier spot, and it's got 'Red Plume' celosia with 'Diamond Frost' euphorbia and 'Ready to Wear Paris' calibrachoa. The hemigraphis and calibrachoa are from Hort Couture, and while I can't really say if they're particularly fashionable, they are growing vigorously and working well in these containers.
(Official disclaimer: the Proven Winners and Hort Couture plants were free trials...at this point I only like them for their merits as nice plants.)
The planting frenzy is over with all the veggie seeds and seedlings in, the containers done, and the annual seedlings and new perennials in the ground! Most surprisingly, I actually got off my butt and did a thorough weeding of the entire garden. Next is mulching, more weeding, hopefully successful harvesting, and soon enough bulb planting. How is your garden going, now that it's truly summer? What's next for it?
3 comments:
It does seem to be a good year for the members of the onion clan. The garlic here has never looked better. Oh, man, I've still got to buy my pepper plants. I'm so far behind this year. I wish I could help with your hyacinth bean, but I've never grown them.
I wouldn't worry about the Phlox pilosa. I break mine all the time. (Boy, that makes me sound clumsy.)
Thanks for this tour of your garden, Rose--everything is really thriving! As MMD said, don't worry about the broken PPPP. I planted a few last fall, and they have already multiplied, so you will no doubt have even more next spring. I don't know if I was the one who recommended direct sowing the cosmos, but I find they do so well that way that I don't bother with trying to start them indoors. I'm still waiting for some of my indoor-started seedlings to start blooming to see if I had any real successes.
I, too, feel as if the planting frenzy is done, but now it's off to weeding and mulching! Drat, you reminded me I never planted a hyacinth bean...wonder if it's too late.
You're veggie garden is looking fantastic Rose! Everything is looking great, and I agree - this is a wonderful time of year. I'm loving the cool, cloudy, rainy days, enjoying not having to water, and seeing everything thriving.
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