Author: Christine

Dominated by large trees on a medium sized property, my garden is very shaded. With no “full sun” areas I have to plant shade and partial shade loving plants. I love shrubs and flowers including camellias and azaleas but Roses and Irises are my favourite and getting these to thrive is a challenge …

My garden in Autumn

I’ve been working my way through a lengthy list of Things to Do in the garden – none of which I will bore you with here. You know the drill … cut back, tidy, dead head, prune, chop, feed, mulch, plan, re-pot, plant, prepare … and then still lots more to do. One of the advantages of all this activity is that cutting back the tired summer growth seems to bring the Autumn blooms to the fore. After last years change of season realisation that everything is white in my garden, I’ve been trying to add a few more blues and pinks and I’m enjoying the colours. But it seems more white sneaked its way in too …

First Camellia bloom of the season. Last year they started to bloom slightly earlier which I wrote about here. This lovely bloom below is on the 3 year quite large shrub. It’s the first one to bloom every year. It is one of my favourite plants in the garden and I’m relieved it recovered from the strange leaf fungus or mould that affected it late last year. Cutting back the plants around it and removing the affected leaves seems to have done the trick.

Here are some of my other ‘Autumn Lovelies’…

[one_half]Lovely Autumn foliage in the garden[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Close up of Nandinas changing foliage[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Sweet Sutera loving the Autumn sun[/one_half]

[one_half_last]These are new and loving their spot[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Everybodies favourite, favourite[/one_half]

[one_half_last]My lovely little field of Anemones[/one_half_last]

[one_half]with lots more to come …[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Reseeded itself? Wonderful[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Sigh … I love all the foliage[/one_half]

[one_half_last]And the roses are still looking lovely[/one_half_last]

Don’t you just love the start of my little “field” of Anemones? I’ve read that they can become invasive … I say, “come and invade my garden with your pretty flowers! We’ll make lots of space for you here in the shade”. I should have bought three times the number I bought, they are so pretty and brightening up a corner that would otherwise be quite boring right now.

I’m totally bowled over by the little white Begonia (third last photo) that appeared again. I planted 6 seedlings last year and all of them succumbed to something-or-other (I suspected cut worm at the time). But this one seems to have come back or reseeded itself? I’m delighted, it was a nice surprise.

I’m loving all the foliage right now too. Everything is gorgeously lush and beautiful. And colourful. And growing. Even the Gardenias are lush and green with the most beautiful shiny dark leaves. They do this to me, the Gardenias … At the beginning of summer the Gardenias look frazzled and spare for about two months and I threaten them every year with removal. Then three months later they do this. They go green and lush and I don’t have the heart to yank them out.

So what’s going on in your garden right now?

Tags anemone, camellias, japanese anemone

Christine's garden Gardening Home page features Trees

I hugged a tree and I liked it

Post author By Christine
Post date March 25, 2012
13 Comments on I hugged a tree and I liked it

Some tree hugger in Austin, Texas told me to do it! But unlike Cat who has photographic evidence, there was nobody around to catch me in the act so I can’t prove it. But I hugged my tree today. And it didn’t feel weird. Really it didn’t. Try it!

And I found a really welcome little surprise. The Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) which I have growing at the base of the huge tree that stands in my front garden, has attached itself at various places and is starting to wind its way around the tree, in what seems to be a “hug”. Given the size of the little Star Jasmine and that of the big tree it might take years before it looks impressive, but I love the idea that one day this massive trunk may be smothered in this sweet Jasmine.

[one_third]The big tree …[/one_third]

[one_third]a closer view[/one_third]

[one_third_last]Star Jasmine hugs the tree[/one_third_last]

When last did you hug a tree?

You can get a perspective of the size of this tree in the second photograph – note the size of the bird bath in the lower left corner.

Happy Gardening
xxx

Tags pepper tree, tree, willow tree

Christine's garden Gardening Home page features

Autumn Bird-capades

My garden is a hive of bird activity at the moment. The Starlings are loving the berries on the massive Willow-like Shinus that stands in the front garden and at any given time during the day there seem to be about thirty to forty of them there at a time, eating the red berries and swooping down to my pond for a drink from the bird baths and a swim. They chatter non-stop and we love hearing their continuous chirping as we work. (The Pepper and Pond are directly outside the office).

But it can also be quite distracting. I’ve shown the location of the pond with the bird baths before in this post. If I turn my head 45 degrees to the left I see two of the three baths and the starlings have been taking turns playing and drinking here for the last few days. At any given time there are at least two birds on each bath with a few others on the ledges or darting back up into the tree to grab a few more of the red berries they seem to love.

A short, 35 second video of the Starlings this afternoon:

And a couple of shots of the Starlings …

[one_half]Starling on the Pond ledge[/one_half]

[one_half_last]At the bird bath[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The berries they love[/one_half]

[one_half_last]More fun at the baths[/one_half_last]

[one_half]In the massive Pepper tree[/one_half]

[one_half_last]With the favoured red berries[/one_half_last]

And in other Birdie News …

[one_half]Cape Bulbul (Pycnonotus capensis).[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Even the big birds drink here[/one_half_last]

[one_half]My favourite, the Sunbird[/one_half]

[one_half_last]And two little Witoogies[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Coming in to land …[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Cute little witoogie (white-eye)[/one_half_last]

Those are my Autum Bird-capades! The Starlings have taken over the front garden and in exchange for their delightful company all day, they leave quite a mess behind!

Birds in other Gardens …

I’ve been enjoying all the birds I’ve been seeing on other gardening blogs lately too. Some of my favourite “Bird” posts include …

Bird Rescue Board from It’s Not Work, It’s Gardening; The Niagra Falls Garden Magazine from Garden Walk, Garden Talk; Brush Piles are for the Birds by The Sage Butterfly; The Malachite Sunbird Babies by Barbie of The Gardening Blog; BlogSpot for the Birds by Elephant’s Eye; Hawkweed for Weavers at Beautiful Wildlife Gardens; Sweet little birds, outside my window by This Grandmothers Garden; Bird Counting by Gardens Eye View; A Bit of Bird Watching by A Rose is A Rose; The Bluejays by Crafty Gardener; Time to count Birds by Pam’s English Cottage Garden; We Have Owls! by The Whimsical Gardener, What a Hoot! by Las Aventuras … and there really are at least a hundred more.

Let me know in the comments below if you’ve shared your birds on your blog and leave a link to your post! Would love to share your birds …

Happy Gardening
xxx

[note_box]PS: Please join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter – we’ll be so happy if you do![/note_box]

Tags birds, bulbul, pond, project pond, starling, witoogie

Christine's garden Gardening Home page features Reviews

March book review

I’m quite pre-occupied with my pond make-over project at the moment so I’ve been perusing “pond” books at the book store and have even bought a few. Most have been fairly useful, in one way or another, but none has actually motivated me to make the changes to the pond I know are necessary. Until I walked past a second-hand book shop and decided to look in and see what gardening books they have.

I stumbled on and old book by Peter Robinson entitled Pond Basics, paged through it and was sold. It’s a real little treasure for anyone who is completely new to pond maintenance or has decided to build a pond feature and has no experience. It’s really basic which is exactly what I need at this stage.

I’ve found the book very useful. Having read this book and used it as a starting point, I have now managed to plan what I want to do with the pond and have broken in down into a step by step list that I’m tackling one task at a time. So we now have actual “Project Pond” Progress! The book is divided into 9 sections and covers Planning; Excavation and Installation; Moving Water Features; Decorative Features; Wildlife; Planting; Plants; Troubleshooting and lastly, The Pond Year.

I have to admit that the reason this book helped me so much is that it had plenty of examples of water features that have similarity with mine, in terms of size, position and shape. I was able to start visualising what my Pond or Water Feature really could look like using the examples and combining ideas (coupled with suggestions I’ve been given by gardening friends – Amongst others, Alocasias and Cannas are on my shopping list!).

The section on plants and ‘how tos’ (where, when and how) has also helped me to create a plan for my ponds planting and how I am going to tackle it all. Well written in a get to-the-point, simple way I appreciated the troubleshooting section and the pond year which gives guidelines on how to manage the pond and what to expect in all the seasons. All this information made me realise that I can do all this by myself (mostly, might need help erecting the trellises), but it’s now a project I am capable of doing myself and I think may look quite nice once I’ve finished.

[one_half]Pond Basics Contents[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Introduction to Pond Basics[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Nicely illustrated with photographs[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Planning tips & requirements[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Many different types of ponds[/one_half]

[one_half_last]And examples of ponds I liked[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Different plants types[/one_half]

[one_half_last]And a trouble shooting section[/one_half_last]

My copy of the book is a hard cover version, published in 2004 by Bounty Books. I’ve checked Amazon and it’s available at Pond Basics by Peter Robinson on Amazon.co.za as a paperback.

I recommend this book to new gardeners who have little or no experience with a pond or water feature and are interested in adding one to their garden.

What gardening books have you read lately? Join Holley and friends the March Garden Book Review meme and share one of your gardening books with us!

Happy gardening!
xxx

PS: In my next post I’ll be showing a short video of the Starlings enjoying my pond!

About the Garden Bloggers Book Review Meme

Garden Bloggers Book Review is a monthly meme hosted by Roses and Other Gardening Joys (20th day of the month). Whether its vegetable gardening, flower gardening, specialized gardening, design, landscape, or even fiction (that includes a garden, such as ‘The Secret Garden’), Holley invites you to share your take on the garden books you have read. “Each of our gardens are different, and each of our tastes in garden books will probably be different – but I think if we tell what we like (or not) about each book, we can get a good sense of the books we might want to add to our collection”. Join Holley on the 20th of the month and share one of your books with us all.

Tags book review, books, gardening books

Christine's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Dietes Grandiflora is Third of my Twelve

Post author By Christine
Post date March 19, 2012
10 Comments on Dietes Grandiflora is Third of my Twelve

I would not be a true South African gardener if I did not have this wonderful indigenous plant in my garden – Dietes grandiflora. I’ve briefly discussed Dietes before – it is a reliable plant in my garden and forms part of what I consider the “background planting”. It forms a stunning backdrop to all my other foliage and flowering plants and is beautiful in its own right.

Also known as Wild Iris, this is a large wild iris grown throughout South Africa for obvious reasons. It’s evergreen, easy to grow and thrives in most conditions. For example, I have it growing in my sunniest beds with the roses where it gets about six to seven hours of full sun every day and I also have plenty of them growing in the back garden under the trees where they provide a wonderful contrast with their large strappy leaves which can grow to over a metre high.

Dietes grandiflora are both frost and drought hardy and will grow in either sun or shade. For best results and most flowers, plant Dietes grandiflora in full sun or light shade in well composted, well-drained soil and water well in summer. (Full plant profile at Plantzafrica.com).

Diana of Elephant’s Eye asks us to profile our twelve favourite plants. The ones we could not do without in our gardens. Dietes grandiflora is a stalwart in my garden – so this is one I won’t do without. They require so little attention and reward us handsomely season after season. This month Diana profiles her Pioneer plant – Spekboom.

[one_half]Dietes grandiflora in the rose bed[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Dietes grandiflora in bloom[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Close up of the flower[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The large strappy leaves[/one_half_last]

I honestly pay these hardy perennials very little attention. They don’t demand any. I’ve hardly ever seen any insects on them (no tell-tale bite marks), they rarely require any sort of grooming and my rambunctious pets don’t even manage to damage the plants when they go bounding through the flower beds.

[one_third]Dietes in combination[/one_third]

[one_third]The attractive seed head[/one_third]

[one_third_last]The lovely Wild Iris[/one_third_last]

[one_third]Big upright strappy leaves[/one_third]

[one_third]Dietes grandiflora and Gaura[/one_third]

[one_third_last]White, purple and orange[/one_third_last]

I “cut my gardening teeth” on Dietes grandiflora. As a beginner, brown-thumbed gardener these plants gave me a great boost initially by simply thriving and providing attractive foliage and the bonus of lovely flowers. It is for this reason that although I don’t talk about it often, it is on my list of plants I won’t garden without.

What are your favourite plants? The stalwarts that provide the backdrop to your garden?

Diana of Elephant’s Eye invites you to write a plant portrait each month. “I challenge you, in 2012, each month choose a plant. Archived pictures of flowers, berries, autumn leaves, wildlife endorsing your choice. Start fresh – what will be your signature plant?” Join Diana and friends on the 3rd Friday every month and showcase one of your favourite plants and see what others have chosen as theirs!

In January I profiled Carex evergold as my signature plant and in February I raved about the Pittosporum eugenioides ‘Variegata’. This month it’s Dietes grandiflora. Next month … perhaps a ground cover or a fabulous flowering plant. Come back and see!

That’s all folks!
xxx

Tags dietes, dietes grandiflora, Dozen for Diana, My Garden of Twelve, twelve

Christine's garden Gardening Home page features

Artemesia not powiss castle

Post author By Christine
Post date March 18, 2012
7 Comments on Artemesia not powiss castle

I’ve been hunting for Artemesia Powiss Castle for a while. Barbie has one she bought at a specialist nursery (Heaven Scent) in Elgin about a year ago. I’m always admiring it when I visit her. Its grown from a tiny little plant into an impressive shrub she has planted with her roses. I love it as an accent plant for its lovely silver foliage. None of the local nurseries seem to stock Artemesia Powiss Castle. I can’t understand why – its apparently easy to propagate, is a fantastic foliage plant, water-wise, beautiful, thrives in our climate … bla bla bla … but no one stocks it.

This is Barbie’s Artemesia Powiss Castle …

As seen in Barbie’s Garden. Beautiful, right?
[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

What I was offered, and bought – Artemesia schimidtiana

[one_half]The lovely Artemesia Silver Mound[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Artemesia Silver Mound & Cissus[/one_half_last]

[one_half]In combination[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Artemesia close up[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Artemesia Silver Mound label[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Living in a pot – for now[/one_half_last]

So Nurseries, why do you stock this and not Powiss Castle? #Just asking!

The label says: “Artemesia schimidtiana “Silver Mound”. Evergreen, hardy perennial. Pungent silver foliage and yellow flowers in summer. Insect repellent“.

For now I’ve stuck it in a pot while I decide where to plant it. I haven’t found the perfect spot yet.

In other news … lovely mild weather so I’m off to the garden to tackle my super long list of “Things to Do”. What are you up to?

Happy gardening
xxx

[note_box]PS: Please join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter – we’ll be so happy if you do![/note_box]

Tags artemesia, artemesia powis castle

Christine's garden Gardening Home page features

Foliage Follow Up in March

Post author By Christine
Post date March 16, 2012
11 Comments on Foliage Follow Up in March

Interesting contrast - close up of the leaf

It’s the 16th day of March which means its time to join Pam at Diggings for March Foliage Follow Up, the monthly gardening meme where garden bloggers showcase the beauty of foliage in their gardens.

At no time has it been more obvious to me than over the last few weeks, just how important foliage is in the garden. With no mass displays of gorgeous blooms my garden would have been a sorry sight without the colour, interest and lush growth all the different foliage has provided. With small areas of pretty blooms highlighting beautiful shades of greens, greys and blues, contrasting shapes, forms and textures … it’s been a wonderful few weeks of admiring the foliage.

Here are some of my favourite foliage plants and combinations I’m enjoying at the moment. In the third and fourth photos below, the coloured leaf from the Silver Birch tree (Betula pendula) has fallen into the Dusty Miller – I was amazed at how interesting and beautiful the colour contrast is – in nature. I’m not sure I’d put those colours together but when it happens naturally it is simply beautiful.

[one_half]Carex evergold and Duranta “Sheena’s gold”[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Ipomoea batatas and Osteopernum[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Carex, Dusty Miller and an autumn leaf[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Interesting contrast – close up of the leaf[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Artemesia Silver Mound and Cissus[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Artemesia schmidtiana ‘Silver Mound’[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Carex and Sutera – what do you think?[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Nandina pygmaea and Plectranthus[/one_half_last]

[one_half]I’m liking how all these work together[/one_half]

[one_half_last]and the start of Autumn leaves …[/one_half_last]

The Artemesia schmidtiana ‘Silver Mound’ is a brand new purchase. I really like it but I bought it on impulse and don’t have a plan for it. I’ve been hauling it around and placing it next to existing plants to see where it will look good – so far I’m not finding the perfect place, so it’ll have to live in the pot for a bit longer.

[note_box]PS: Please join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter – we’ll be so happy if you do![/note_box]

Happy gardening
xxx

Tags foliage follow up

Christine's garden Gardening Home page features

The Latest Garden Lessons Learned

Post author By Christine
Post date March 12, 2012
27 Comments on The Latest Garden Lessons Learned

As Summer turns to Autumn it’s time take part in the quarterly gardening meme by PlantPostings called “Garden lessons learned“. Looking back over the last three months and taking stock of the garden reminds me of the lessons I’ve learnt over the Summer months. Just when I thought I was becoming a fully fledged gardener, Mother Nature dished up Summer and cut me down to size – and I humbly concede that I still have a very long way to go…

These are the Lessons I learned this season …

1. Summer is for sitting back and enjoying the fruits of ones labour
I spent many hot sunny weekends on the back terrace watching the birds, reading, relaxing and enjoying my garden. Really enjoying it! And I made lots of plans for the garden and accomplished very little. No matter … that’s what the next six months will be for. Preparing the garden for next spring and summer.

2. Summer is not my favourite “gardening season”
Of everything I learnt, the most obvious to me was that Summer is not my favourite gardening time. I just don’t have the same energy levels in Summer as I do during the rest of the year. It just gets to darn hot out there to accomplish a whole lot. My ritual of making a list of chores on a Saturday morning resulted in tasks being carried over from week to week because I just can’t do heavy digging and physical chores in the heat of summer. Even the few overcast days were not cool enough to get much done. I have a VERY long list of “Gardening Things to Do” now.

[one_third]First Anemone of the Season[/one_third]

[one_third]The gorgeous Sunbird[/one_third]

[one_third_last]Bits of colour in the garden[/one_third_last]

3. Don’t forget about the flowers
At the end of Spring I listed “It not just about the flowers” as one of my Spring Garden lessons learned. Hmm … I was on a bit of a ‘foliage kick’ at that time as I had discovered the joys of gardening with foliage. So much so that I really did forget about flowers. Luckily I had gorgeous foliage to admire and delight in over the summer months as I really had forgotten to consider what would flower in summer. I had flowers but no “show stopping” display of gorgeous blooms.Next year I need to pay some attention to this so that there is always something flowering.

4. Plant at recommended distances!
Haven’t we had this before? Duh … I didn’t follow my own advice and now I’m going to be lifting and replanting as soon as the weather cools down enough. Again.

5. Attracting birds to the garden
I discovered the joy of observing birds in my garden and I learnt a bit about attracting different birds. Using different feeders, seeds and fruits I was soon rewarded with a few “new” visitors. Lovely!

[one_third]My roses were lovely[/one_third]

[one_third]Lots of new birds came[/one_third]

[one_third_last]Still loving all the foliage[/one_third_last]

6. I learnt about sterile plants
I discovered that Petunias don’t attract any bees and bugs. It’s a bit strange to me not to have insect activity around plants and I think I might be planting an alternative next year. Might. I do like how they provide easy summer colour in my Camellia bed. I hope I can find something else with a similar habit and requirements for that spot.

7. I can do it organically (mostly)
Besides an organic snail and slug product I use, I have not used anything chemical in my garden for the last nine months. And I’ve had less aphids this summer than in the years before. There were beetles and bugs and all kinds of interesting creatures, but I never felt the need to kill any as they were always present in small numbers. I hope it stays this way! I prefer not having to spray – and its a lot less work this way too.

8. Write down plant names before planting
My memory clearly is not as good as I think it is and I have forgotten the exact names of a few of the plants I’ve planted. Why didn’t I write them down?

[one_third]Brachycombe Daisy in pots[/one_third]

[one_third]And up close and personal[/one_third]

[one_third_last]One of my “other” pets 🙂[/one_third_last]

So what lessons have you learned this season? Please share with us – we learn so much from reading these types of post by experienced gardeners, so join in and head over to Plant Postings to add the link to your “Garden Lessons Learned” post so we can share in your gardening lessons!

Happy Gardening
xxx

PS: We’ve updated our Facebook Page – If you are on Facebook, please “Like” our page … we’ll be so happy if you do.

[note_box]New here? If you would like to get involved in the gardening blog community, consider joining a blog meme. Click to see a list at Gardening Blog Memes.[/note_box]

[one_third]The lovely Mexican Petunia[/one_third]

[one_third]In the back shade garden[/one_third]

[one_third_last]Love my Iceberg Roses[/one_third_last]

Tags lessons learned

Christine's garden Gardening Home page features

Autumn in Cape Town

The days are getting shorter and the nights are longer again as we look forward to the cooler weather that comes with Autumn. While Diana in Porterville is enjoying her Nandina for autumn colour, Barbie’s garden in Philadelphia survived the heat of the summer and is still producing an abundant harvest, my garden here in the Southern Suburbs is giving me a few new gray hairs. Last year the Camellias started flowering on the 10th March and this year there are barely any buds in sight. Does the garden think it is still Summer? Probably. It hasn’t cooled down that much and still feels summery most days.

I love my garden in Autumn and Winter. There is always far more going on in it during the cooler seasons. Here are the first of my lovely Japanese Anemones showing their buds. All the plants I planted a few months back are growing beautifully and are covered in buds. I’m really looking forward to the lovely flowers opening.

In the Northern Hemisphere our gardening friends are enjoying the start of spring. Donna in New York said her favorite sign of spring is that of the first pollinators returning, bees buzzing and birds chirping are always a joy. Andrea in Idaho says it’s time to get back outside to watch a fresh line of spring ‘pretties’ emerge in her garden whilst Alan in St Louis is sowing seeds for his revamped vegetable garden. Holly in Texas is so happy its spring not even the weeds are getting her down and our friend Bag in London celebrates Spring with a study of the London Plane tree throughout the seasons.

How fortunate we are to be able to share in the joys of their spring gardens. When I feel uninspired to garden I “visit” their gardens and get fresh inspiration to prepare for spring. I’m already dreaming of Irises and Lilies … but for now I am still enjoying my Autumn blooms.

The Patio Rose above (a Woolworths special) is pretty in a pot on the outside table. I wonder what they are fed before they are offered for sale? This plant has been flowering non-stop for a few weeks now. On the opposite side of the garden the Petunias are still doing their thing in the Camellia bed, tumbling over the edges of the bed and wandering over the stoned area. Lovely. I wonder for how much longer.

In the other beds where I have deep shade I planted lots of white Impatiens. They’ve been delightful all summer – easy plants requiring hardly any attention while providing a splash of white prettiness in dark corners. Unfortunately one bed has been spoilt by cutworm decimating two of the nine plants. Not sure which I dislike more, the moles or cutworms.

I’ve really enjoyed the summer. I learnt a lot again and enjoyed making my garden more birder-friendly in the last three months. Lots of different birds made appearances at various times including a family of Rooibeksysies, the baby doves that posed for a photo shoot and lots of other birds I’ve peviously written about.

I planted a few Dahlias earlier in the season. I’ve had amazing lush green growth from the few bulbs I planted and am thrilled how they have “greened up” a large bare area that I had at the back. But the flowers have been disappointing. No mass of these pretty blooms, just a couple. I wonder if I did something wrong? Or perhaps the area I planted them in really does not get ample sun for Dahlias.

I’ve joined up with Donna and friends for Seasonal Celebrations over at Garden’s Eye View. Why not join and share your Spring or Autumn garden with us!

Happy Gardening
xxx

[note_box]PS: We’ve updated our Facebook Page to the new cooler layout and time-line. If you are on Facebook, please “Like” our page … we’ll be so happy if you do xxx[/note_box]

Tags autumn, seasonal celebration

Bloggers Harvest Day Christine's garden Gardening Home page features

Belated Harvest for Harvest Day

Post author By Christine
Post date March 8, 2012
8 Comments on Belated Harvest for Harvest Day

At last some red! It was worth being a few days late for the monthly Garden Bloggers Harvest Day so that I could add a pop of colour to my Harvest Day post! I get really envious when I see all the harvests that are full of colour and all I seem to produce is green … not that I don’t like green. In fact we do – a lot! But every month I show Basil and Mint, Basil and Mint. Basil and Mint! And occasionally some Lettuce, Coriander, mint and Basil!

Look how great it is I have actual red tomatoes at last! Edible, lovely tomatoes and we have also picked our first limes off the lime tree. I have wonderful garlic chives, coriander and plenty of huge Habanero and Jalapeño chilis.

[one_half]Limes, tomatoes and chives[/one_half]

[one_half_last]More tomatoes to come[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Lots of chillis that are very big[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Lots of new seedlings growing[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The famous Mint, lots and lots of it[/one_half]

[one_half_last]One of the veggie planters[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The wonderful limes![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Basil, basil and more basil[/one_half_last]

[one_half]And the Spearmint has pretty flowers[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The Lemon Grass is coming on[/one_half_last]

It’s amazing to me the difference a few days can make in the veggie planters. From a meagre harvest on Sunday to a good harvest on Thursday. But I have so much Basil that I’m about to go and make Basil Pesto!

Happy Gardening
xxx

About Garden Bloggers Harvest Day

Please join us on the 5th of every month and show us what you’ve harvested. Whether you have a massive vegetable garden or grow a few herbs in pots or just pick a few peaches from a tree … we’d love to see! Its all about sharing our experiences, photographs, successes and failures as we “learn to grow”. See March Garden Bloggers Harvest Day.

Tags garden bloggers harvest day