Garden update

It’s been a while since we’ve posted anything, we’ve been busy at camp and work. Here’s an update of what’s blooming in our garden.

These black-eyed susans have suddenly come out in full bloom. In a way they defied the odds–I bought them in an end of year sale at Home Depot, they were totally bedraggled and pot-bound. I planted them last fall in the unamended soil in our back garden–soil that was alternately gray and dusty and 100% clay, like a bag of potter’s clay. I forgot about them over the winter and they had to grow back this spring under a brick path I had laid–until I realized what they were and moved the bricks. THEN, they got trampled during a game of freeze dance at Miles’s birthday party. I’ve hardly watered them all summer.
But then again, that just shows how suited these plants are to Illinois–they seem to be determined to grow and bloom no matter what! Just give them some poor soil and a lot of sun and look what happens!

Pumpkin flowers = no pumpkins yet but we’re hopeful. Planted from seeds.

I can’t remember what these red flowers are called but they’re blooming nicely. I’m looking forward to them coming back fuller next year, there is still a lot of space between plants on the side of our garden. I think these plants come back stronger the second year (if the black-eyed susans are an example they will follow!)