Vegetable Garden Woes part 1

The vegetable garden is in a pretty sad state at the moment. The weather has not cooperated at all. So far this year we are almost 8 inches under our normal rainfall. That might not sound like a lot but when it doesn't rain for 3 weeks straight even the hardiest plants start to wilt.

I have bought the irrigation hose to run water to the vegetable garden (almost 600 feet from the house) but more important tasks always come up. Not that it would help that much with most of the veggies being smothered in weeds! Anyway, here are some pictures.

Below are the summer squash. Yes it's those sad plants poking up from the weeds! To the right some very short corn.

Next is my special zucchini I ordered from Johnny's Seeds. I got them because last years zucchini were so prolific we got overwhelmed. I got a variety that grows more slowly.

Here is the only garden highlight! Vampires beware, garlic is doing great.

I got 3lbs from a farm in New York with similar climate. Drought doesn't seem to stop these guys! There are 3 different types, German White, German Red, and Spanish Roja. They are about to flower.

More vegetable garden updates are to come.

Daylilies

All of the daylilies we brought from Maryland are still doing great. Here are some of what is in bloom at the moment.

Ladybug claims that we have a Little Grapette somewhere in the garden, yet I have never seen it. I think she is using it as an excuse to prevent from buying anymore daylilies!

Ornamental Millet

The Purple Majesty millet seeds we acquired last fall turned out very nice. Even with the drought conditions they seem to keep growing. We can't wait until the seeds start to appear!

There used to be a Juniper growing here next to our garage, until we found out it would get 30 feet or more tall! Not a great spot under a garage overhang. We moved the juniper then the millet went here. We would certainly plant it again.

Dahlias

Lady bug has several very nice dahlias growing in pots on our deck. We got them on sale and they turned out quite beautiful.

Asiatic Lily 'Capuchino Tango'

This is the best bulb which I purchased from brecks last year in the fall. The color and pattern adds a unique pop to the garden. I just wished I put it in a better spot... thought it would get taller.

Astilbe in bloom

In the hilltop garden, all the astilbe are in bloom. We have a mixture of white, pink and red. Most of these are three years old, but we just bought two new varities, white sensation astilbe and color flash astilbe.

A new cultivar of Astilbe simplicifolia hybrid named ‘White Sensation’ that is characterized by its pure white flowers borne on upright to cascading panicles over very dark green foliage and combined with a compact plant habit.

Color Flash astilbe produces spears of pale pink that extend 8" above the foliage, leaves that start out brilliant green and then change to purple-burgundy as the season progresses, providing an excellent frame for the bloom plumes.