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| Tomatoes..yum! |
Along with the tomatoes we decided to diversify our pepper offering this year. Last year we had a bumper crop with 4 jalapeno plants. This year we have 1 jalapeno, 1 cayenne, and 1 cherry pepper. Our arugula, mint, and parsley have also all been going strong since May. This is a good thing because I never knew Brando has such a strong love for arugula! Whenever I clip some for a fresh summer salad or to top our homemade pizza on Friday nights, he goes wild. Looks like I need to plant more next year.
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| Cayenne peppers, just beginning to ripen |
Our garden features more than just edibles. For our wedding anniversary last year Brando bought me a ton of dahlia seeds that I had been patiently waiting to plant. Well, the wait is over and we have been blessed with quite a few buds and flowers already even this early in the season (dahlias tend to bloom later in the summer as far as I know). Unfortunately the heat and humidity mean the blooms don't stay around too long.
The same is true of our gardenia bushes. The flowers are so delicate and fragrant. I love sitting on the back patio in the evening with a glass of wine when a small breeze kicks up their scent. One of my bushes from last season did not make it, so I put in two smaller replacements. Unfortunately, being so close to the ground, the squirrels had a field day and chewed off half of our buds before they even had a chance to open. Chicken wire couldn't even keep those pesky pests out. Oh well, such is life in the country!
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| Gardenia: wilting already! |
