The Garden at Sunset

A few quick shots from the garden this evening at sunset.  It’s changing so much every day – the paths are disappearing, the dahlias have begun to bloom, and there will be the first of the pole beans to harvest by the end of the week.

The beautiful blue-green foliage in the lower left of this front-yard shot are squash vines from some delicata seeds that Firecracker saved from a soup we made back in January and then planted (wherever she had the whim!) in April.  They have set several squash on fairly compact vines.  Delicatas are some of my favorite eating squash, but we had never grown them before – I had no idea their leaves were so handsome, as well.

This is a Golden Hubbard, which is larger than a football at present, but will grow much larger and weigh about 15 lbs at harvest time, with deep orange skin and flesh that is perfect for soups, stews, and baking.  (But look how much it’s grown since I photographed them less than two weeks ago!)

Oh, the tomatoes!!  Just a few of the smaller slicers have begun to ripen, but most of the plants are loaded with green fruit.  We’re holding our breath an in anticipation of fresh tomatoes!

This is a shot in the backyard, where the summer squash have finally caught up and filled the beds – the patti-pans in particular are really cranking out lots of fruit.

The little rhubarb crown I acquired in March when I traded a fellow permaculture-hobbyist in exchange for some pear butter has grown enormous!  I was told I shouldn’t expect any harvest-able ribs for two to three years, but I had more than enough for a batch of sour cherry-rhubarb jam.  When it’s in full production, we’ll have lots of deep-red rhubarb to deliver to BCS.

The Royal Burgundy bush beans are still blooming and producing really well.  I love their purple blossoms!

This is one of my favorite corners in the garden right now – up near the front steps, with  some of the poppies still blooming and a big patch of thyme and rosemary right behind, there – Buttercup squash spilling out of the coldframe (which once held baby artichokes and summer squash).  They’ve begun to wrap their way up the artichokes (on the left) and have set several beautiful green fruit, which will ripen into what many cooks and gardeners consider the finest-tasting squash in existence.

And I think that’s it for tonight!  Happy gardening!