Dang Dahlias

Are dahlias beautiful? Yes, they're gorgeous! Are they worth the effort? Not for me. I babied two tubers, keeping them warm in spring and watering religiously. Only one bloomed, and that wasn't until September. Too soon, we got cold weather, in the 40s, which they don't like. I cut all the flowers to bring inside (below).

The cut flowers are pretty, but the plant is not (below). The flowers face downward, and the branches are so delicate a squirrel and a stiff breeze knocked them over. Yes, I staked them, but that didn't seem to help much. I didn't like to color, either, which is called "blueberries and cream." After a few days, the color fades to cream, which can be elegant, but I crave bright colors in my garden. I get plenty of white in winter, so I want to embrace as much vivid color as I can in the summer. I'm glad I did this experiment with two tubers, a good learning experience. Breeders are introducing new dahlias with a compact form and lots of flowers, which are sold as plants, not tubers. I'll pass for now. However, I have a new appreciation for those gardeners who grow dahlias.

Breaking the Bouquet Rules

Merry Christmas! My gift to you is a collection of my summer bouquets       

Sure, there may be rules about building bouquets.

But I pick what looks pretty...

or interesting...

or captures my attention.

Wild or cultivated...

different colors...

or all the same...

formal...

or casual...

I don't follow any rules except one. It has to fit in a vase.

Winter Solstice

Today is the winter solstice, a celebration of daylight returning in the midst of darkness. The bird on the feeder wishes you warmth and coziness today and all winter long. Happy holidays to everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yesterday was the first winter storm of the year. Rain came first, which transitioned to snow, and now everything has frozen. You can see how the hydrangeas (below) are bending under the weight of the snow and ice. However, the roads are clear in this area, so people can celebrate together. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have a garden. And I'm grateful for houseplants (hibiscus, above), so I can exercise my green thumb indoors in the winter. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

End of the Season Review

The photos of this review of the growing season were taken much earlier, a reminder of those glorious, warmer fall days. I grew a fancy fern leaf parsley, and the texture and taste weren't great for cooking. Did it look good? Yes. But I found myself not using it for anything. I won't plant dahlias  again (more later on dahlias). My crops of kohlrabi, chard, and kale were flops this year. The kohlrabi grew and grew and didn't develop bulbs, despite planting three crops each a week apart. I suspect the early hot weather stunted their development. But since they failed so completely, it could have been the seed was packaged incorrectly. It did look like kale, but then they're cousins. The kale was ravaged by slugs, and I got one small crop at the end of the season. I don't know what happened to the chard. It never really took off... maybe weather, maybe slugs. 

I'm trying to see how long I can keep the basil going indoors (above). The painted lady runner beans attracted hummingbirds more than anything else I planted. The flowers are nice, the greenery is lush, and the beans are edible. I trimmed a vine for a bouquet, which worked pretty well. I saved seeds for next year. I also saved seed for the bright pink zinnias (below). I hope they're viable. It's nerve-wracking to have to wait until spring. Overall, I'm happy with the garden this year. I've learned a lot, so that's a win. We ate a lot; that's another win. And I've truly enjoyed the time I spend working outside. My favorite "meditation" (originally I mis-typed the word as "medication" and that works, too) is sitting outside, observing the plants and shrubs and trees, the bees and bugs, the birds and squirrels. It reminds me that all life on earth is connected and brings me peace. 

Today's Peapods

Today I picked five peapods. They were small and a little tough but completely amazing to be growing in November. I 've decided to cover them since the next couple days are predicted to be colder, followed by warmer temperatures. I'll see how long I can keep the peapods and the lettuce (below) going.

First Freeze

Overnight, October 7, we got our first 27 degree temp. Now it's time to clean things up!