Thursday, July 14, 2011

Almost Tomato Time!

Yep, it's another gardening post. Sorry, I can't help it. Plants are just so photogenic. We'll start with my lavatera, which looks like it wants to be violet this year: It's about three and a half feet tall with a laser-straight stem, covered in buds. Very excited. Last year the only one that survived came out white, and while it was lovely, I was surprised at the lack of colour.

And moving on to my courgettes, which I'm slicing off every Sunday to keep the plant active: Yes, that is a courgette leaf, and yes, that is my foot. I had no idea how big they would get. Mental note for next year: plant them further apart.

The hosta is doing its flowery thing: I know hostas are praised primarily for their leaves, but I think the flowers are pretty too.

The red shrubby thing has "bloomed" again--this is the second time this season it has put out red leaves. They're already fading fast to green. Whatever it is, I think it's happy. The red leaves are new, the lighter green leaves are from earlier this season, and the dark green leaves are from last year.

Boy's Mum has shared some of her flowering tobacco plants with me: I've managed to keep the snails off them well enough that most have gotten big and strong and are blooming in a very interesting and attractive way:
I don't think tobacco leaves this small are any good to roll up and smoke--they're purely ornamental.

But how are those 'maters? I think you'll agree they're doing just fine.

1 comment:

Kim said...

Courgette = Zuchinni? So fancy. Do you eat the blossoms when you slice them off? I like to fill them with goat cheese and bake them, though they are also delicious fried (filled with cheese of course).

I was never sure if you were supposed to cut the flowers off, or if you had to leave them on in order for squash to grow. Mine were way too close together (and in a too-small pot), and I didn't pick the flowers (for fear the squash wouldn't grow) and I ended up with nothing. Sad.

Hoping to have some space to actually plant veggies someday! Your garden looks great!