Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Busy July

Most of the photos in today's post are from the first of July but I'm getting around to sharing them now.

The lilies are the shining star of the early July flowerbeds. They're so pretty! 






The purple cone flowers were just starting to bloom the first of July. They are very invasive and threaten to take over my flowerbeds.

I clip off the seed heads every year. Last summer I took the seeds and walked along the south edge of a hay field that is located along the road. I threw a handful of seeds in the road frontage all the way west to the line fence with our neighbors.

Purple cone flowers don't bloom the first year they're planted from seed, they just grow. I'll find out in 2022 if my experiment was successful.

Little wireman is almost overgrown with this ground cover. I'll make sure he doesn't get completely buried. He's been decorating my flowerbed since 1999! He was made in art class by a son, I put him in the flowerbed for his high school graduation open house back in '99. He never made it back into the house.

I haven't had my own garden for several years. Our local son has a garden and I've been helping with his this year. I ran out of green beans last winter so I've planted plenty. They had tiny flowers the first of July, we're getting plenty to eat and put in the freezer. Yes, I freeze my green beans, I hate the canned ones.

The grass needs mowing and the garden needs to be weeded but we had too much rain the end of June. I feel guilty for saying that when the western US states need rain so badly. I just couldn't get yard mowed with it raining every day and I don't like to mud around in the garden.

Twenty plus years ago I planted two different varieties of blackberry bushes in a corner where the west barn intersects with the west shed. I made sure I planted thornless plants. They're loaded with immature berries, I should have plenty for the freezer.

Of course I had to use up last years frozen berries so I baked a blackberry cobbler, it was delicious!

I love summer, so many beautiful flowers and the bounty of all the fresh vegetables and fruits, it's wonderful!

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Stitch, Sew & Show, , Needle & Thread Thursday


10 comments:

Ivani said...

I love summer too. Your flowers are wonderful and that blackberry cobbler looks just delicious!!!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I should have made sure to find all thornless berry plants. But two of mine have thorns and have grown so long and leaning they are first year so i assume I just cut back this fall and then next year make sure to do supports to hold them straight? We had too much rain until recently also and now the heat wave has come with little rain so I am needing to water the garden. I do like you and try to cut the deadheads of the flowers and scatter them where they can grow next year

Cheree @ The Morning Latte said...

Beautiful flowers!

Sherrie said...

Hi Your garden looks awesome, and all your flowers are
beautiful. The cobbler looks really yummy. Have a
great day!

chrisknits said...

Wonderful garden, enjoy the bounty. Thanks for linking up with To-Do Tuesday.

Rebecca Grace said...

It looks like your little taste tester approves of the berry cobbler! :-). Beautiful flowers in your garden, Gretchen!

Created by Kathi said...

You are having a busy July!!! I love memories of picking blackberries with my grandfather as a young girl.. going out in the heat of the summer in long sleeves and long pants and thick old shoes… it was an event in which then my grandmother wiuld reward us with fresh blackberry cobbler too! You grand seems to enjoy it!
Kathi

Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting said...

Beautiful flowers!!! Fresh fruits and vegetables are such a treat!!!

Jennifer Fulton Inquiring Quilter said...

Lovely flowers to look at. Summer is so abundant. Love fresh green beans too! That blackberry cobbler sure looks delicious. Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.

Melisa- pinkernpunkinquilting said...

Your gardens are beautiful, Gretchen . It looks like your cobbler was a hit. Have a wonderful rest of the week.