"Hey, if I had somewhere to go, I certainly wouldn't be in Cleve-Land." -Howard the Duck

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Our Little Garden in the Burbs...

Back in the summer of 2005, we put in a very expensive vegetable garden.  Found a patch of the backyard & borrowed a rototiller and dug up & enriched that little plot of land...planted lots of stuff & other than one stem of Brussels sprouts & a bunch of radishes & a few measly carrots...we got nothing out of that garden.  As soon as it got hot & humid here, everything in the ground got mold on it...and we spent enough to have bought fresh veggies for the entire summer!
 
We're older & wiser now...and there are 2 lovely lilac bushes growing where the veggie garden used to be.  The pots & baskets above are our newest attempt at a veggie garden.  For the past few years we've successfully grown jalapenos in pots here...and decided to branch out this year.
There are 2 pots like this of jalapenos...we LOVE jalapenos!  There is no such thing as too many jalapenos in our world.  After all...we can have salsa & these lovely little things from The Pioneer Woman...Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies!
 
But I digress...and it's a good thing we're heading over to the Parma Rib & Rock or Rock & Rib...whatever they call it...it's a rib cook-off & we go to enjoy the Beef Brisket from Texas Pit Barbecue!  They're from Magnolia, TX & after living in Dallas for 2 years, we know that Texas BBQ is THE best anywhere!  Luckily we can now get TX BBQ all year long since Dickey's opened right here in Parma...some civilization here at last!  Still...the cook-off is a fun time...even though the only beer available there is Budweiser...yuck!  Back to the garden...I must be hungry!
 
This pot has another jalapeno...that's 7 jalapeno plants...a bell pepper & a pimento pepper.  We'd never seen a pimento pepper before & we like pimento cheese...so we're giving it a try.
 
A plant I never imagined could grow here...a tomatillo!  When we saw it at the nursery, we were amazed & it went right into our cart.  I can taste the homemade Salsa Verde already.  There were already flowers on it & it's still going strong after 2 weeks.  Underneath it are some radishes...I need to thin them & use those radish greens in a salad.  We'll have radishes in just a couple more weeks.
 
Of course we need a Brussels sprout plant.  LOVE them & hopefully the critters won't decide they love them, too.  This was the first day I planted it...it's even bigger now.
 
Leeks...our favorite onion, but so expensive in the stores.  I have no idea how these will do, but it was another plant we couldn't pass up.  We're game to try...and we may just be successful.  There's one more basket planted with green onion seeds...but they haven't sprouted yet, so nothing to show there.  I love the baskets with plants in them...another treasure that had been in the garage for years.
 
A garden also needs flowers...so when I saw this dwarf sunflower ready to open...it had to come home with us.  That top flower opened the other day...but when I went out the following day to take a pic...some critter had chomped it right off & carried it away!  There's now a bite out of the second sunflower...but there are other buds & hopefully we'll be able to see some of them mature.
 
Of course I have to plant marigolds...and don't you love those old chairs?  They've been in the garage since we moved here in 2004...and the past few years we've pulled them out to hold a planter of flowers.  This year it's marigolds.  LOTS of them.
 
They're in a pot on the umbrella table, too.  These are filling in nicely...I'm just too hungry to go take new pix...so progress reports will be coming throughout the summer.
 
And finally the iris that Mom loved so much.  They usually bloom around Mother's Day, but with the cold spring we had after that nasty winter...I'm just happy they survived.  These iris grow in a big clump...and only last about a week.  Each stem gets 2 flowers...when one fades, the second one opens.  Very cool...and such pretty color for the backyard.  This pic is from last weekend...they're almost gone now.  In the fall I'll get some interesting seed pod stems...if the deer don't get to the plant before the seeds can develop.  Those deer are too cute to get mad at, though...I'm hoping I'll get to see some daylilies this year before they eat them all!
 
One last close-up of the marigolds...just because they make me happy.  We've got a glorious Saturday here...rain moves in tomorrow...so we'll enjoy today.  Happy Weekend to y'all!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

3 comments:

  1. Looks like you are set! Everything looks like it's doing so well. I planted a tomatillo a few years ago and it was wonderful. I made a tomatillo dressing that is so delish! We love jalapenos also. My daughter gave me a great and easy recipe for a stuffed jalapeno. Let me know if you would like it and I will give it to you. Can't wait to try the bacon ones. I pinned them. Enjoy that garden!
    hugs,
    Jann

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  2. Everything looks lovely! Norm would love the peppers.

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  3. Bacon wrapped anything is wonderful!

    I love the fabrics for your flowers. I think I have a few of those fabrics. I am working on some patchwork square quilts right now.

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