Productive Weekend

The weather actually co-operated this weekend. Partly cloudy, temps on the mid 70's and a light breeze. Perfect weather for planting. The first tomatoes went into the ground, 'Wayahead' (2), 'Bush Celebrity Hybrid' and 'Bush Big Boy Hybrid'. The first of the bush beans were sown, two squares of 'Mon Petit Cheri', two squares of 'Sequoia' and two squares of 'Greencrop'. Three 'Cherry Pink' tomatoes went into an eighteen inch pot with a small bamboo obelisk in the center. Eight 'Early Call Mixed' morning glories were planted to climb the bamboo.



This is an overall view of the vegetable area. Note the giant pea vines towards the back. This is a purple podded shelling from Burpee called 'Pretty'. I've grown it before, in large pots and it was well behaved, about two feet tall. In the ground the vines are at least five feet tall and are starting to bud like crazy. My seed was dated 2006, and the germination was very good. As far I can tell, Burpee no longers offers it, and I can find no other sources. I guess I'll be saving it's seed from now on



The other major project was getting the pots around the pool cleaned, filled and to start planting them. There are eight of these pots in the stones on two sides, the pots are sixteen inches in diameter. I had everything all planned and started and ready to be hardened when one of my housemates brought home these cushions for the swing. They are a lot more orange than the picture shows, and would clash horribly with the pink and white combination I had planned, sigh.... Instead of soothing colors I'm now leaning towards hot colors orange, scarlet, yellow and rust. It should be interesting to see what I can come up with.

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I also got these potted up, 'Stardust Mixed' geraniums from Park. They are supposed to have star shaped flowers. Note the points on the leaves, very different. I have wanted to grow these for years.


In closing, one of my all time favorite bearded iris 'Amethyst Flame'. This was one of the first iris I planted back in the mid 1970's and it has gone with me each time I've moved. It won the Dykes Medal in 1963, which is also the year I was born so it has to be good!