Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day ~ September, 2010

Photo above ~ meet the perp. Happily munching his way from the front garden to the backyard. AND ~ he invited a few dozen of his close, personal friends so things are looking a little ragged around here.

You know how people always brag that their gardens are alive with color? Well, mine's half dead with color.

Lots of bright bloomers, but most are just halfsies. Relentless deadheading helps but after 5 months of long hours, hot sun and hard work these gals are pretty worn out. (Me, too!)

Big applause for this young lady. Columbines are generally June bloomers but ~ like I said ~ I'm a relentless deadheader. I do believe this is the latest I've ever seen a Columbine flowering in my garden!

I should be speaking the praises of Sedum, today. (Love that plant.) Thought I'd be a rebel and clap my hands for Potentilla instead. Petal Pink Potentilla, that is. The hardest working waterwise shrub in my gardens. Been blooming all summer.

White David Phlox ~ looks gorgeous in a vase and the fragrance... oooh la lah.

Plentiful daisy wannabes ~ volunteer Asters, Zebrinas, Marguerites, and (truly) wild Coneflowers.

Last but not least, Moth Orchids! Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you think this is cheating but they're squeaking in on a technicality. They've been living outdoors all summer! This is their 2nd re-bloom at Chez Kate, so I think this counts.

Oh! And, in case you're wondering... I'm planning to paint those garden chairs. Some day. Real. Soon.

As always, go give Carol of May Dreams Gardens a great, big hug for creating this wonderful Bloggers' Bloom Day monthly tradition.

Final Exam

"The Chocolate Flower prefers dry, pitiful soil."

That statement got me sooo excited!

After all, shopping for perennials that enjoy my harsh, garden environment is like braving the Nordstrom's shoe sale when you know, full well, your size 7 foot is the same size as a million other women sporting a Mastercard. (When you do find something that fits, chances are good that it's probably sold out.)

Which is why I was thrilled to find the Chocolate Flower.

It's easily mistaken for a Tickseed Coreopsis, until you brush past it, without thinking, and get a surprising whiff of that pretty chocolate fragrance.

This time of year, my waterwise perennials fidget nervously in the soil. It's report card time.

Did they learn their lessons? How to survive in the land of the inept gardener who sometimes wishes she'd started a horseback riding blog instead?  Because it's not like I'll coddle them with the promise of a do-over. No, no. Visions of the compost pile haunt them night and day.

Chocolate Flowers get an A+. Berlandiera lyrata USDA zones 4-8. Save yourself some $$$ and plant this easy bloomer by seed.

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Hey, Smarty Pants:
Think you know a thing or two about native perennials who dream of a comfy life in your garden? Click here and take this wildflower quiz.

Sonic Blooms!

A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking. ~ Earl Wilson

It feels soooo marvy to get OFF of an airplane. To grab my bag from the noisy carousel. Turn my back on the rest of the sardines who were squished into the same plane as me...

Then, slide back into the familiar life I so gleefully abandoned two short weeks ago.

And, I suppose that's the great thing about vacations. How they knock a little sense into me. I return home, unable to recall what had been making me so batty that I desperately needed to leave.

This time around, I vacationed with two of my best buds: Week one I traveled with my happy little horse. Week two I scooted off to Oregon with a Master Gardener who is simply gaga over Dahlias.

Do you grow Dahlias? They're too fussy for me but after wandering through entire acres of bright blossoms, bigger than my head, I have half a mind to try.

I'm particularly giddy over these perfect, little Poms:

In case you're wondering... Yes, they do come in other colors than pink. I didn't realize that's all I photographed until I got home! ;-)

For everything you've ever wanted to know about Dahlias, including how not to kill 'em, click here.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day ~ August, 2010

On this bloggers' bloom day, the shiniest flower in the garden was my dear friend, Gloria, author of Dakota Garden.

She and hubs, Ted, were in town for a conference so naturally I had to throw a slumber party. We gabbed, non-stop. Poor Ted could barely get a word in edgewise!

I was so fearful that she'd stand in my garden, all dejected, thinking... Wow, this joint looks a whole lot prettier online. 

Because ~ honestly? It does! In the real world, there's just no hiding those pesky weeds. Or, the spots where flowers eagerly curled up and died.

Plus, there's not much rhyme or reason to this place. If it strikes my fancy, I'll probably plant it. Whether it should live here, or not.

Anyhoo, Gloria, Ted and I had a grand time. Nobody croaked from the din-din I prepared. (Breathing a sigh of relief.)

And, after a giant panic attack, prior to their arrival, I figured out that meeting blogging friends, in the real world, is two tons of fun.

PS: She asked that I disguise her if she ended up in my blog. So, dear Gloria, how's this? :)

To see what's blooming elsewhere, check out Carol, of May Dreams Gardens, inventor of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.

Tomato Time @ High Star Farm

This summer, I had my worst luck - ever - with heirloom tomatoes. Let's just blame that on over confidence. Poised for huge success with fancy, new containers in a sunny, protected spot, I expected blue ribbon results.

I'd saved up a whole winter of coffee grounds and egg shells. (Nitrogen, calcium and phosphorous makes for some very happy tomaters.) But, then I made the fatal mistake of blogging about it.

Had no idea my veggie garden nemesis, Mother Nature, reads my blog posts. She swooped in (on June 16th!) freezing pineapple sage, baby bell peppers and the most delightful delicacy of all, Black from Tula heirloom tomatoes. [Note to self: watch the weather reports.]

Normally, I would have started over. It takes more than one cold night to foil my plans. But, this year I'm volunteering at a local organic farm so why bother?

No amount of TLC in my sorry gardens can match the luscious bounty produced in this greenhouse. [I get to nibble the whole time I'm harvesting. How sweet is that?]

On my last harvest day at High Star Farm I picked 18 pounds of tomatoes and I barely made a dent. That got me thinking about what conniving little buggers tomato seedlings can be. In springtime, seedlings look small and innocent, inspiring you to plant twice as many as you really need. Come August, those tiny plants have evolved into monstrous vines and you've got tomatoes coming out your ears.

Here's 2 hot tips for handling the harvest:
1) Grill the big ones: Thick slices, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Parmesan and Asiago cheeses, garlic and parsley. They taste so yummy, you'll run out before you know it.
And....
2) Dry them in your oven to save them for a rainy day:

Oven-Dried Tomatoes

• Slice small tomatoes in half, slice larger tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces.
• Sprinkle with sea salt ~ this improves flavor and speeds up the drying process.
• Set the oven to 175 - 200 degrees (F).
• Slowly roast until they feel pliable, kind of leathery. It could take anywhere from 3-6 hours, depending upon the size of the tomato slices.

To Rehydrate Dried Tomatoes:
Soak in water for 1-2 hours or toss directly into soups and stews.

PS: If these ideas don't snap your socks, send those extra tomatoes to me. :)

Wordless Wednesdays: Sweet Bella

My Bella ~ named as such for the distinctive vampire bite on her pretty neck. What has this girl been up to?

For more Wordless Wednesday participants, click here!

Wordless Wildflower Wednesdays

Locals: Find these pretty wildflowers on the trail to the lake at Guardsman Pass.

For more Wordless Wednesday participants, click here!