The vegetable garden…
Residing way in the back of our property, unruly and wild this year.
August always brings taller and greener growings.
But still, I think, August?
How can it be?
It seems spring was only here yesterday.
As time loops and looms its way deeper into the future.
The future I have not yet caught up with.
And so, as the days of summer tic by, it becomes increasingly important to one's psyche to stop and admire the offerings of its heat and long days.
Boys sniff together.
I get ready to forage and collect.
As you may know I replanted my garden several times this year due to gophers.
(even though the beds are lined with sturdy wire mesh, eeek!)
I lost all my tomatoes and bell peppers.
But tomatillos….
Tomatillos self seeded and are turning jurassic.
They grow inside perfect little lanterns.
Sticky until you wash them up.
Fairy tale pumpkin vines are looking pretty lovely I'd say.
So exciting!
I spy a few babies on their way to flowering.
Sometimes I hide inside the domed garden.
I lost all my beets and radishes in there to birds.
But they haven't bothered my summer crookneck squash, yay.
I think what happened this year as that all the wild life around here figured out that I have a buffet going on for them.
They outsmarted me.
Despite my best efforts.
The good thing is that I learned that there is nothing more liberating than taking a deep breath and saying, oh well.
Ooo, another baby.
The good news, some wild zinnias exploded throughout most of the veggie garden.
And I have to say, it's a pretty decent compromise from nature.
The hummingbirds and yellow belly finches are delighted.
Silly hummingbird.
Those yellow bellies are ferocious.
They pull the petals off of all my flowers before it's seed time.
Cute and rotten, all rolled into one.
The strawberries have been gifting treats all summer, even in mass heat.
There is also lots of basil as usual, which I am always grateful for.
The zinnias and the basil seem to get along very well.
All sorts of shapes and sizes of zinnias, but all hot pink.
Curious no?
Gobs of zinnias really.
So how can one complain?
I think not.
Even giant wild cosmos are coming along.
All in the veggie garden, can you believe it?
Some lovely lil' pumpkins are intertwined in there too.
Even a brussels sprout plant turned up in this heat, odd I'd say.
But, yay!
Hello bird.
It has been a tough critter summer, but the best way to cope was for me to give in…
And say, the weeds and grasses and critters are winning.
And it's okay.
Then all of a sudden hoards of zinnias and pumpkin vines turned up.
So, I guess the garden always has a message/lesson doesn't it?
It's always an interesting journey.
Me and my garden.
It's a ton of work, but always worth it.
Even after I throw a gopher fit.
It's still worth it.
August always reminds me of that.
Happy August.
Can you believe it?!
Love, Vanessa
ps: How excited are you for this?
I am muchly excited! Looks like it will be a good film.
I know it’s crazy, here we are in August. Me thinks the monsoon plays little time tricks on us, cascading us quicker to the fall season in the washes of heavy wind and rain in a befuddled cloud of humidity.
Have a great day.
Always, Queenie
Garden looks so welcoming and the movie 🙂 enchanting -Thank You for the enjoyment-Denise
Vanessa,
I’m amazed by what you’ve been able to do in your garden! Living in the desert, I understand your challenges. You’ve really made an oasis there. It’s so gorgeous with all those zinnias.
Carmen
Just lovely.
Vanessa,
Your gardens are beautiful and I would dare to say quite amazing, since you live in the desert! I think I will try planting some zinnias in pots, since I currently am renting, do you think they will flourish in pots? Oooh I hope so!
Teresa,
sugar, spice and whatever’s nice
Teresa, indeeeed!!! I have 4 huge pots with zinnias, they love
it!!
‘Into The Woods’ looks FANTASTIC!!!
Of course, anything with Johnny Depp in it is always fantastic!
Oh, your poor garden with the critters eating so many repeated plantings of your crops. Dear me! Someone in our city has what looks to be very tall, raised wooden boxed in planters…I mean…they look like the boxes are three feet off the ground, for growing vegetables in. They look like a table with the usual four legs, except there is a ten inch border of wood around all of the edges on top, to fill in with potting soil. And yes, I know squirrels and some varmints can climb to the top and eat things, but maybe NOT the gophers. Those must be monster gophers to not even be stopped by the wire mesh. And wire would have to be put on top to keep out the birds too. Anyway, the people are selling them on their front lawn right on the main highway. ‘Wooden Gardening Boxes’ For Sale!
I do hope you can ‘lick’ those critters at some point!
I wish they were selling them in my neck of the woods 🙂 Yes our
friends in Napa sent us pics and tips on theirs. We might have to go that
way. I am leaning towards watering troughs for horses 🙂 Well have
to see. I guess in the desert, the only one watering – makes sense why
every critter wants to be here haha!
ohhh mannn! Makes me hot thinking about having to do something about weeds and gophers… my normal random punkin vines didn’t come up…you just made me realize it…and usually I have those white cinderella ones… Your pink zinnias are pretty 🙂 think of a fancy way to preserve some…paperweights of acrylic ??
I always love to read your blog and see your photos-feel like i am just strolling leisurely along with you. I saw the stage play of Into the Woods–the moive looks good.
Oh Vanessa, I love spending time in your gardens, they are so wonderful and inviting.
Thank you for the tour. I am very excited about the up coming Disney movie, Into The Woods. Disney always uses the best actors and visions.
I didn’t know about “Into the Woods” and yay, I’m excited. What a great cast! Thanks for the heads up.
Your garden is faaaaaaaaab-u-lous as usual, even with the weeds and crazy nature trying to eat everything. Hahaha.
Love your garden tour. Thank you so much.
I am sooooo wanting some zinnias. I think I
will weaken next week and buy a couple large plants
I saw at the market. Oh they were yummy pink, just
like yours. And what a treat to have hummingbirds
too.
Nom, nom, nom!
It’s so refreshing to see your “live and let live,” attitude regarding the gophers. We have rock squirrels which love my new plantings and I just have to sigh and think,”When you plant for wildlife, you have to expect wildlife to eat some plants.” Your garden is absolutely beautiful, and I can understand why it is a magnet for the animals after a tough dry spring. Those Lesser Goldfinches are so cute too- today we had one snatching up some dryer lint we had put outside. Thanks again for sharing your experiences.
Your garden seems like a magical kingdom! I want to run with your gorgeous doggies!
Pumpkins pumpkins pumpkins! Soon you will be the pumpkin farmer again 😉 A magical lady indeed. I was fortunate enough to play the Witch herself in a production of Into the Woods a few years ago, can not wait for the Disney version!
The garden still looks great in spite of it being unruly, but that is part of its appeal 🙂
My Zinnias are budding and so are my pumpkins. I cant wait to write a post about them. You are truly an inspiration!!
I cant wait for the movie to come out! Love fairytales, woods, the Brothers Grimm and Johnny Depp!!
Very excited!
I think that the “hello bird” photo should be made into a postcard! It’s so lovely with the old faded ribbon holding the bamboo and that big round seed head in the background! The awe-inspiring beauty of everyday life in the garden!
Hi Miss V. I’ve been in hiding since the tea party and haven’t been around. I’m sorry about your garden troubles but I love how well you handle it! I had not heard of Into the Woods but now I can’t wait!
love & blessings
~*~