How Does YOUR Garden Grow?

Cause mine is kicking BUTT! :-)

 Moonflower vine is getting pretty big ... how long til it flowers?  Anybody?  Our planter of mustard greens is pretty awesome.  I added some more seeds in the empty space and they are already sprouted, 5 days later.

 WHO ran into my garden and messed up one of my zucchinis?  Hmmmm?

Happiness.

Lavender.  One day I will have a house with a field, and that field will be almost completely filled with lavender.

Bullhorn pepper.  This was a plant "rescued" from Home Despot's (typo on purpose) cast-offs.  Again, they put out flats of plants that have maybe a few brown leaves on them to be tossed in the garbage.  I scored 2 flats of tomato plants, peppers, perennials, and two planters of petunias. Say that 3 times fast.

Cucumber plant is blooming!  I finally smartened up and put a giant tomato cage around this, and it makes all the difference.  It was sprawling out across the garden, and now I have a few extra feet on either side of it.

Spring onions, that will be ready in the summer.  Hey, I got a late start this year.

Is it .... arugula?  I honestly can't remember.  I planted tons of seeds in one day and depended on my memory (HA!)  It's kind of fun though .. it's MYSTERY GARDEN!

 Cabbage.  I think I have to thin this though, there are 3 coming up all crowded on top of each other.

Peas and radishes!  I pulled up a few gorgeous radishes in the last few days.  I should have thinned them when they were smaller, but I'm still getting some beauties.  I brought a yummy veggie sandwich the other day with produce from the garden - sliced radish, mustard green sprouts, pea tendrils, and a bell pepper from the farmer's market over some ricotta in a whole wheat pita, with dill from the garden and a drizzle of herbed olive oil. 

Beets were thinned this morning.  I'm researching recipes using beet greens for dinner tonight.

The girls' favorite thing in the afternoon is checking the strawberry plants for ripe ones to eat.  And is there anything cuter than two girls sitting on the edge of a garden, wolfing down strawberries as fast as they can pick them?

This weed pops up all over this side of the house.  It is spiny and a bitch to pull out, so I'm letting it have this little space next to the garden in my mint patch.  I *think* it's thistle, and it's native ... so if it attracts pollinators, I'll let it be.  Anyone know of any uses for thistle?

I don't know who ran into the zucchini plant, Mom.  Definitely not me chasing a tennis ball.  

I couldn't figure out what this was, until I saw the mottling on the leaves.  This is a calla lily, from the garden that used to be here.  So this sucker pushed up through 6 extra inches of dirt.  I love calla lillies!

My tarragon is blooming.  Is it supposed to?  Should I pinch the blooms off, like with basil?  I have big plans for this herb, so I need to know!

Rescued tomato plant is the first to produce!
Hope you all are having a great start to your summer.  We had neighborhood kids over All. Weekend. Long.  I love that the girls have friends in the neighborhood, but it got a little tiring.  I'm hoping to steal some quiet afternoons with my loves this week.  Be well!