Midwest Gardening 2018 Part 2

 Part 2---Looking good!

Our side yard is a long strip of concrete ten foot wide with a three foot garden bed on the east end. It gets lots of sun as it is on the east side of the house. 

oldnewgreenredo

Part 1 ended with our colorful dragonflies on the fence and

 I had added an OLD enameled chair for a planter. 

Despite our 90 temperatures  now---the Tiger Lily has not yet bloomed, 

but the orange blossoms will be welcome. 

Purple Russian Sage is another perennial in the lower left.

oldnewgreenredo

This side of the house is also a working garden, partially with a little fence to protect our Eggplant and Red Lettuce. We have Squash and Pumpkins mounded here and there along the fence which has green fencing added for climbing. 

oldnewgreenredo

We did buy Lettuce plants, but I will add seed as soon as these are eaten. It's so wonderful to have fresh greens 12 feet from the kitchen.

oldnewgreenredo

Our Spring record rainfalls for the last two years forced these bushes to grow huge around the back porch. My Fairy and her pond have been displaced. I will have to find another spot for her. The wooden base she has sat on for 8 years had to be moved as it totally disappeared under the bushes.

oldnewgreenredo

I moved the box of green wood over to the corner of the patio---and now it lifts and protects my pots from the constant hoses being pulled across the deck. 

oldnewgreenredo

The vegetable garden itself is my hubby's domain. Here we have tomatoes, peppers in pots and Swiss Chard. We have eliminated the weed barrier and the mulch this year, and are crossing our fingers we won't have drought. We are sticking close to home all summer, so watering will not be an issue. We eliminated the old lattice which had been up since 2009, and was the remnants of my Art/Craft/Antique shop in Volo, IL, which I closed in 2008. 

oldnewgreenredo

The entire garden is fenced now with a narrow mesh. We are still far enough into the country that Bunnies, Woodchucks, and voracious Squirrels and Chippies are an issue. These pics were all taken on June 14, 2008.  Our tomatoes were all started from seed, as were the peppers.

oldnewgreenredo

Golden squash planted along the fence, you are seeing the older fence top rail. We have ladders and trellis that we will place when they are ready to take the area over.

oldnewgreenredo

This is the overflow from the greenhouse of our seed grown plants. Family and friends are picking them up over the weekend.

oldnewgreenredo

The Marjoram plant on the lower right is huge this year. We have seeds going and perennials. Everywhere are frogs that my family has gifted me over the years. 

The water trough pond is a favorite of the local birds.

 I have a stack of patio blocks placed inside to give them a place to stand under the shower.

oldnewgreenredo

I'm so excited the climbing rose is blooming to replace the morning glories that terrorized the yard. Amazing the damage one package of seeds can do.  

We have Indian Corn and Fairy Tale Pumpkins planted behind here, Much of the green on the ground is from Morning Glory's self seeding. Lots of weeding to do.

oldnewgreenredo

Up close the roses are brilliant. This was a cloudy day---taken around 10 am.

oldnewgreenredo

This rose looked like it was dead there was so much frost damage on the canes. 

oldnewgreenredo

Behind the Greenhouse the forgotten Chives blossom. No worries, I will cut them back and they will be fresh again in a month.

oldnewgreenredo

The north edge of the yard, perennials, Tomatoes, Rhubarb, so delicious. The cart in the back left is full of cut grass destined for the compost pile.

oldnewgreenredo

Center of the yard is a badly listing trellis, but birds are in both houses, so I just roped it to the Grand's play house. We will redo something in fall, since the birds still have at least 2-3 sets of babies yet to produce.

oldnewgreenredo

Here's my urn on top of the well pump surrounded by Day Lilies. 

Can't wait for the color to come.

oldnewgreenredo

Here and there we have planters with annuals. I still have a few to plant...but it's so HOT!

oldnewgreenredo

I'll garden post again in a month, good or bad weather to see our progress or failure. 

Last year was fair to poor. But, today is another year.

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

Thanks always for visiting. 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

Sharing at these Ad Free blog parties-with ads not in the middle of the blog (I'm going to try and see if this is possible)

Finding Silver Pennies

Amaze Me Mondays
Make It Pretty Monday
Talk of the Town
Wonderful Wednesdays
Vintage Charm
Home and Garden Thursday

Thursday Favorite Things

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi

Midwest Gardening 2018

AD-FREE BLOG

No Spring? Straight to Summer!

Well, I guess it's safe to talk about our weather extremes here in Chicagoland, sans expletives!

And do a GREEN post. Yes, it is finally time for the garden.

oldnewgreenredo

We had freezing temperatures past Mother's Day, and then in one day jumped to the 90's. Rounds of storms, dampness, cloudy misery or blinding sunshine and heat caused everyone scurrying around like ants to get yard work partially accomplished before the next weird weather wave.

oldnewgreenredo

This morning, despite our yard NOT being done, or even picked up, I scurried around to take photos before another storm hit and then blistering heat.

Our plants have barely had time to grab hold. Many seeds aren't even up. My front yard perennial beds are fairing better, (above). Everything Spring was short lived. Tulips, Daffodils, Iris, Peonies, were all POOF with the heat or pounded with the rains.

oldnewgreenredo

Our Iris were beautiful but shriveled up in the the high temperatures within a day. 

Now, Sedum and Tiger Lilies are looking lush and waiting to burst into blooms.

Crossing my fingers, and ready to dash out for pic opportunities...lol.

I need to REDO the paint on my birdhouses...but that has to wait until the yard is done!

oldnewgreenredo

The Hostas loved our all-time record rain for the month of May. 

oldnewgreenredo

This is the third year for this area. I lost one Canterbury Bells, and three Tearose bushes from the corners, because of our meager snowcover and freeze/thaw patterns last winter. I transplanted some creeping sedum to fill in the front of this bed. I will have to plant some more where the roses failed.

oldnewgreenredo

Despite having a new greenhouse up this year, we didnt' even get our plants into it, until after the last freeze. I never even started marigold seeds, and with extra medical bills this summer, we cut back on plants and projects. I still planted some pots with annuals, but they are still small. I love the blue Lobelia for as long as it lasts.

oldnewgreenredo

The geraniums were bargain ones at the local grocery store, and are so brilliant. This is the actual color. We plant Peppermint in pots as bee deterrents, a GREEN thing to do instead of poisons. I'm severely allergic to bees and wasps. So we plant the peppermint in pots anywhere there is seating or main working areas. Those pots are dumped into the burn pit, rather than the compost pile as peppermint is invasive. 

oldnewgreenredo

On the porch I have herbs and a few flowers in the pots. The Basil is looking great and my Rosemary is coming around. I may have to transplant that to a bigger pot before I bring it back in towards Fall.

oldnewgreenredo

The porch is set for an occasional sit down. Facing south, the porch is hot except late in the afternoon. Our overhang will keep the coleus planter in the shade. 

I will move it soon for something more exciting on the table.

oldnewgreenredo

This is a cozy spot, we have a table and umbrella here also. 

Down the stairs we have a small bed of flowers.

oldnewgreenredo

The cute? garden critters are gifts from my kids. I move them around where interest is needed.  Everything was pretty much dead in here, except for one (lower left) multicolored greenery. I planted Sunflowers and Zinnia seeds, here. We will see if anything comes up.

oldnewgreenredo

My tall plants from seeds in the big pot, haven't come up? I have dahlias in lots of pots and they are just started to leaf out, promising flowers soon.

oldnewgreenredo

My peonies were very few this year, big, and then exploded in the heat. I had one bouquet on the table. I will try and get in there to trim and pull weeds this afternoon, after the storms.

oldnewgreenredo

Variegated greens and some bright annuals in a long planter will pump up this area. 

Yes, that is some sort of invasive creeper trying to swallow the rocks.

oldnewgreenredo

I have lime or grape colored sweet potato vines planted in to fill areas around my pots. 

Next post will be the side and back yards and the vegetable garden, which is doing great!

oldnewgreenredo

NEW OLD addition to the side, an old chair rescued from the clay shop redo---I had enameled two of these in the 1970's and we have used them all these years. Now it's designated as a pot holder and the flowers are doing great here.

How is the Gardening in your neck of the woods?

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

Thanks always for visiting. 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

Sharing at these Ad Free blog parties-with ads not in the middle of the blog (I'm going to try and see if this is possible)

Friday Favorites Link Party
What to do Weekends Party
Finding Silver Pennies
Amaze Me Mondays
Make It Pretty Monday

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi