Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Crouching Gardener, Hidden Broccoli

August 27

A bit of rain this morning, and a nice warm overcast day. A storm rolled in after sundown and it's been pouring for at least an hour now, giving everything a much-needed soak.

It's harvest time, and the garden knows no rest. Peas, beans, tomatoes, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, herbs, zucchini... There are signs of fall, also: the oats have turned from green to brown, and the hops are close to ripe. Brussells sprouts are still going strong, though:



Dotted mint (Monarda punctata) in bloom. Amazing.






Thursday, August 7, 2008

What's Happening Now

August 3-4
Garlic on the trampoline.

The bounty.

The most beautiful cabbage anyone has ever seen.

Purple cabbage after the rain.

Lady's Mantle, magical.

Onions and oats in the back garden.

Three sisters in blossom.

Not the place it used to be

Here's where we started, two Springs ago:


This is more or less what was growing then:

Quack grass
Dandelions
Pigweed
Grass
Lamb's ears
Creeping Charlie
Purslane
Crab grass
Various weeds
Grass
Milkweed
Goldenrod
Nettles
Grass
Peonies
Currants
Baby's breath
Oriental poppies
Chives
Oregano
Asparagus
Rhubarb

Raspberries
Grapes


And here's how things were looking in July of this year:


This is what's growing now:

Tomatoes (Brandywine, Moonglow, Green Zebra, Federle, SSE Italian)
Peppers (Cayenne, Jalapeno, Aurora, Bulgarian Carrot, Sheepnose Pimento, Jimmy Nardello, Lady Bell, Golden Bell)
Eggplant (Japanese little fingers, Louisiana green, classic, early)
Cabbage (red, green)
Brussells sprouts (green)
Cauliflower (white, purple)
Broccoli (green, purple, Piricaba, Raab)
Rutabagas
Turnips
Parsnips
Parsley root
Beets (Detroit red, Lutz salad leaf)
Kohlrabi
Carrots
Radishes (Daikon, rat-tailed)
Chard (White, Golden, Rainbow)
Kale (Dinosaur, Red Russian)
Arugula (Astro, Sylvetta)
Endive
Mustard (Chinese thick-stemmed)
Tatsoi
Spinach (Fordhook giant)
Lettuce (mixed)
Chervil
Wrinkled Crinkled Crumpled Cress
Radicchio
Strawberry spinach (aka beetberry)
Melons (Swan Lake, Haogen, Charentais, Cream of Saskatchewan, Blacktail
mountain watermelon)
Cucumbers (West Indian Gherkin, Mexican Sour Gherkin, slicing)
Peas (Cascadia Sugar Snap)
Zucchini (Black Beauty)
Ground cherries (volunteers)
Asparagus (existing)
Rhubarb (existing)
Garlic (planted last fall)
Garlic chives (planted last year)
Chives (existing)
Oregano (existing)
Mint (peppermint, spearmint, chocolate)
Lemon balm
Cilantro
Fennel
Basil (sweet, cinnamon, Thai)
Parsley
Dill
Epazote
Lovage
Sage (planted last year)
Thyme (planted last year)
Red Shiso
Nigella (black cumin)
Borage (planted last year)
Calendula
Bachelor's buttons
Agrostemma
Nasturtiums
St. John's wort
Marigolds
Zinnias
Amaranth
Chamomile
Feverfew
Angelica
Sweet Annie
Sunflowers
California poppies (planted last year)
Nicotiana rustica
Rattlesnake master
Echinacea
Butterfly weed
Milkweed (volunteers)
Goldenrod (volunteers)
Asters (smooth blue, heath)
Prairie phlox
Dotted mint (monarda punctata)
Wild bergamot (mondara fistulosa)
Blazing star
Culver's root
Blue vervain
Cardinal flower
Longleaf bluet
Anise hyssop
Great blue lobelia
Lavender, Munstead
Lady's mantle
Horseradish
Peonies (existing)
Currants (existing)
Baby's breath (existing)
Oriental poppies (existing)
Jerusalem artichoke (volunteers)
Purslane (volunteers)
Red clover
White clover
Crimson clover
Winter rye
Vetch

And, in the southernmost strip (in the foreground):
Corn (Hopi blue, Oaxacan green, Ashworth white)
Beans (Rattlesnake snap, Scarlet runner, Henderson Lima, ...)
Squash (Lakota, Hubbard, Acorn, Butternut, Buttercup)
Pumpkin

The pictures really don't do it justice... The transformation has been truly amazing and the whole garden is just incredibly beautiful, luscious, nourishing and inspiring.
We set out to create a place of beauty to be enjoyed, as well as both see and show what change can be and do. The result has exceeded all our expectations and then some. I'm in love with it, completely, at the moment. If only everyone in the world could have such a place.

July is Lovely.

July 13-26