Butterflies

I planted coneflowers last summer and they never bloomed, but this summer they've gone bonkers.  And the best part?  Butterflies LOVE them!  We've had at least four different types of butterflies this summer.

Tomato Central

My garden has been overrun by the two tomato plants -- one yellow heirloom of the normal-sized variety and a cherry tomato plant.  My zucchini is trying to escape the garden, but I got one good-sized zuke this weekend -- that may be it for the season, though.  Here's the latest grouping of veggie pickings:

 So then I diced them up and sauteed them in olive oil.  I added some sea salt, ground pepper and some fresh herbs from my garden:  thyme, marjoram, and oregano.

Rachel, Rachel, How Does Your Garden Grow?

Earlier this season, I shared a photo of my new tomato cages.

I had planted some basil, cherry tomatoes, heirloom yellow tomatoes, a yellow squash and a zucchini, kirby cucumbers, and regular cucumbers.  The rhubarb and the chives came back from last year.

A month or so later, this is what I've got:

 Wowsas!  The tomatoes have taken over.  I pulled out the cucumbers, because, um, well, I didn't do any planning and didn't realize that they needed to be trellised.  Plus, the one got a little powdery mildew on the leaves and the cuke was bitter-ish.  Not good.  Tossed, but not into my compost pile.  I don't think the yellow squash survived.  I've eaten about three or four zukes. 

The cherry tomatoes are really thriving.  They are just taking over.  I've had about five or six ripe ones tossed with one zucchini, basil, and oregano from the garden over pasta with chicken sausage and goat cheese.  Pretty tasty.  

 I can't wait for them all to turn ripe.  I think I'll have to share with the neighbors, though, because I don't think I can eat them all.

Is this photo upside down?  I can't tell.  I tried to rotate it, but no angle seemed right side up.  Anyway, next year, I think I'd like to take out the raised bed and put a garden around the perimeter of the yard.  I think there will be enough sun.  I don't think this raised bed is big enough for all the growing I keep trying to do.

Veggie Haul

Look at that cucumber!  And why didn't anyone ever tell me that cucumbers have little tiny spikes growing on them?  Ouch!  Otherwise, we've got two cherry tomatoes and two zucchini.  I picked a third zuke the other day when I discovered that the organic one from the store was bitter.  Anyway, these are the first veggies of the season.  I also put in some pickling (kirby?) cucumbers, but they have these big patches of white on them.  I think they were supposed to be on a trellis, because those white patches are all where the vegetable has been sitting on the ground.  Oh well.  Live and learn.