How Does Your Garden Grow?

I always start out very excited about gardening, but around July, I throw in the towel, I don't feel like weeding very much, and I start to water less frequently, and I don't give them any special plant foods or fertilizers, like I used to. Nonetheless, here are some things that have managed to hold on to midsummer. I have a pot of marigolds, this started out as a seedling in a cup given to me by Matthew, for Mother's Day. Next to that is a pot of sage. The sage started out near my sidewalk, but something kept coming up and eating it. Squirrels? So I brought what was left of it onto the porch steps, where it has not done too badly.

On one side of my sidewalk there is a thick tussock of parsley in front of a bunch of coreopsis. The coreopsis was already established when we moved in. I have been gathering seeds from it and maybe I will plant some more next year.

Next to my coreopsis is some sweet alyssum. That was a Mother's Day present from Justin. More seedlings in a cup that were not labelled. I started these in a pot which they quickly outgrew. I planted them where my sage used to be, and now they are taking over the sidewalk, such as it is. I'd like to get some new sidewalk in that stamped concrete, maybe, but since we got a new roof this year, we're probably not going to be getting a new sidewalk. One thing at a time.

Then I have a patch of basil. It's so tall! And it smells really good, better than flowers. Next to that I have a spotted laurel. I'd like to thank Niall Young for helping me put a name to this plant. It was here when we moved in.

The other side of my sidewalk has four o'clocks and foxglove. I put in the foxglove when the four o'clocks were not looking so hot. They've rallied. Now they are too tall for the foxgloves to get much sunlight, so I don't know what they'll do. I'll just let them sort it out amongst themselves.