Inside plants. I used to have tons of house plants, but with the shift in life style, I have had to release many of them. The ones that seem to do the best are the ones that can survive for weeks at a time in water.
Front porch planters: basil, dusty miller, purple palace. I dried bringing the purple plants inside for the winter. I found that by December, they start to turn green; they get spiny and by January I have to say goodbye to them.
This is actually lambs ear and sage from 2012. There was so much rain in Philadelphia this year that the lambs ears got a little moldy. I cut them down to the ground at the end of July, and they were back by the end of August. So hopefully, they will be back next spring. The 2 small 3 inch sage plants that went in, in 2012 are now in 2013, 3 bushes approximately 3 feet tall and almost 4 feet wide.
Hastas and ranunculus in the front sidewalk bed. Those front beds require a professional landscaper.
Nasturtiums flowers. They don't actually start blooming until about the first of August. Started from seed in mid-May. They have a slightly spicy flavor and go really well with any kind of tomatoes and basil-infused olive oil.
Talk about fast growers. The fig tree. One plant from Richter's, a Canadian nursery. This one came about 2 inches tall, planted in the spring of 2012. It is now about five and a half feet. No figs yet.
That broccoli rabe never showed its face. Maybe it was too much rain. But the flowers from the zucchini were amazing. They are sold in Whole Check for about .80/flower : /
The herb garden: hibiscus; thyme;oregano,rosemary,evening primrose, sage, eucalyptus, hyssop, chocolate mint (had to go in a container, too invasive), echinacea (one was a birthday gift), and the other ordered from Richter 's. Must say that the one from White Flower Farms performed better.
Naturally, the plans for the 2014 garden are unfolding. The bird and butterfly garden didn't go up as planned this year. But the good news is that the ivy is almost clear and the ground has been covered. The wood for the arbor is in the garage, the mulch bin has worms, the shed should go up in the spring. Postponing the greenhouse, for now.
It was a great summer.
