Garden in snow

Everything changes when blanketed in fresh snow. The baby's breath looks like it is blooming again and I love bird tracks in the snow. This is just one day before the winter solstice when we begin to gain time again :)

Hawaiian flowers

Kennydalegardener has been vacationing on the island of Kauai. Such amazing flowers - hibiscus, ginger and plumeria.

Fall color and harvest

Beautiful fall color on a blueberry plant in the garden - a bright spot in the fall sun! I also picked tomatoes and raspberries which are having a great fall crop. I planted garlic today for harvest next summer. Still much to do out in the yard this fall.

Chinese lanterns

These stunning flowers get bright orange just in time for fall. I cut some and brought them into the house. Apparently they will stay a long time inside. This is the best year for me growing this plant. I planted it several years ago from a start from garden club member Sharon. They look quite festive!

Flicker bath

A male flicker took a big bath today in the bird bath on my deck. I seldom see flickers bathing so it was a real treat. He came with three others and after he was cleaned up went in the tree where he had some beak interaction with a female.

Fall crocus

A fleeting flower blooming in late summer. This year the slugs are attacking after more than 2 inches of rain late last week. In the spring there is dense green foliage which dies away and then you are surprised with flowers in late summer. My aunt gave me some bulbs from her garden many years ago and I have been able to increase their numbers and move them to more locations.

Roses

I picked these in ahead of a heavy rain prediction. The one on the left is a Princess Diana Peace rose I have had about 10 years. It was purchased after I lost my Mom. I had to move it 3 years ago because it wasn't doing very well but it seems to like its new location. The other one I have had 2 or 3 years and it has the most amazing fragrance. They are my newest roses . I have several that are well over 40 years old.

Salsa

First time making salsa from home grown tomatoes - very tasty way to enjoy our crop during the winter months! I had to buy peppers and onions but used home grown tomatoes, garlic and jalapeños. This is the first batch and I made a second batch using more yellow tomatoes so the color is less red. It will be nice to have all natural ingredients in our salsa!

Rain

Rain overnight - .28 inch - the most in over 2 months. Nice to be getting water without paying for it! This is a chocolate Cosmo blossom - a wonderful bloom smelling of chocolate. It is growing in a pot this year - hopefully it will make it through winter. I have lost two previous plants that were in the ground. 

Orchid cactus

I put my orchid cactus outside on the deck for the summer and it is blooming. Usually it blooms in May if indoors. The plant is many years old - I have had it for 11 years since my Mom passed away. 

Sprinklers

How reliant I am on out automatic sprinklers! Last week one zone's valve blew out so I have been watering with a small sprinkler. Four other zones had one sprinkler quit working along with the drip lines to the tomatoes. Luckily all are up and running again now and the valve part arrived and Brian fixed the broken line! With a yard/garden this size in very dry weather the automatic system is very much needed and appreciated!

Tomatoes

The tomatoes are producing like crazy! Getting about this amount every other day for more than a week now! They are so sweet and flavorful - wish they could be fresh like this all winter!

Dilled green beans

A bumper crop of green beans so we made a batch of dilled green beans. I have picked about 20 pounds so far and have eaten lots of fresh beans. The variety is Kentucky Blue Pole and they are very tender!

Driveway container

An orange color scheme with million bell wave petunias, marigolds and a huechera. The peace sign garden art is from the Twisp Saturday farmers market. It receives a lot of heat and as long as it is watered keeps blooming away. The pot is concrete made by brother in law Jon.

First picking - green beans - and .05 inch of rain

The first picking of the tender green beans from the garden. It looks like it will be a great crop this year. After 35 days without rain there was a mostly heavy drizzle resulting in .05 inch. Sort of washed off the dust!

Cape fuchsia

Be careful where you put this plant that spreads via underground as it can take over a flower bed. But is has beautiful tubular flowers that the hummingbirds love. It blooms all summer and adds nice color too. It is easy to dig up and share with friends.

Tomatoes

First harvest of full sized tomatoes today with several more just a day or two away. Have harvested a few dozen cherry sized so far. Nothing like the flavor and taste of homegrown tomatoes!

Clethra rosea - Summersweet

 A most fragrant blooming shrub tree that is so amazing at this time of year. This one was planted 13 years ago and grows nicely along the driveway between Mexican mock oranges. It has grown slowly but does send out runners. I was able to successfully transplant one to my son's yard and it is blooming now too. It is a big bee attracter and is always buzzing while in bloom. It is also known as Summersweet.

Raspberry season is over

After 40 days and 163 pints of berries the 2013 season is over. Lots of jam, pies, muffins, cereal toppers, and many bags frozen for winter. Plus shared with family and friends. A couple baskets flew with me all the way to San Diego!

Asiatic lily

These lilies are new this year. They are large, fragrant and spectacular. There are also some pink ones including a stargazer lily I've had several years.

Garden scene

Some Shasta daisies, a variety of coneflower and a few stalks of gayfeather surround a glass ball which has been adorning my garden for many years. It was a gift from my son Erik.

Spanish lavender

Spanish lavender looks so festive - like a butterfly in the garden. It seems to be fairly hardy as it survives winters and even makes baby plants too! The hummingbird garden art is from Squak Mountain nursery I believe.

Pinky Winky hydrangea - encore

As the name indicates the blossoms start to turn pale pink after they have been blooming for awhile. Love these flowers!

Honey crisp apples

This apple tree was planted 3 or 4 years ago and espaliered on wires. This is our first attempt at this method and so far it seems to be working. The apples have been delicious in past years.

Blue lace cap hydrangea

This large hydrangea started out as an indoor plant gift. My mom took it for awhile and repotted it and put it outside in the summer. When it got bigger and bigger she gave it back to me and I decided to try it as an outdoor in the ground plant. Apparently it liked it as it has grown quite large over the last 13 years. It lives across the sidewalk from the large mauve mophead and provides great color and structure in the front garden.

Russian sage

A spiky lavender colored flower with gray green leaves. I have this plant out near the street and another inside the yard. I moved that plant last year as it was overhanging into the lawn. It had a much larger tap root than I expected and I was not sure if it would live. But lots of water last fall and this spring it grew again and is blooming. The Kennydalegardener is visiting in Leavenworth where there are lots of Russian sage plants growing.

Phlox

A beautiful perennial with a slightly nutty fragrance. It faithfully returns year after year and also makes a great cut flower. I think it also comes in a pink variety.

Sweet peas

Ah the wonderful fragrance of sweet peas. This is the first good crop of sweet peas I have had in a long time. They are doing well growing in an inverted tomato cage decorated with a glass door knob on top.

Hens and chicks

These succulents are so easy to grow just about anywhere. They can be tucked into small places or put in a bed to fill in a larger area. At this time of year the flower stalk appears - I call it the "rooster". I have them in many places in my garden and never tire of them.