what's in the garden

I don't think I have talked about our little vegetable gardens at all this year.

We have two 4' x 8' raised beds...one for each of us, although my husband is the official water-er for both.

This year Lonnie is sticking with his favorites - Better Boy tomatoes and some green pepper plants. He also planted two jalapeno plants.

We like to sit out there and watch things grow!

His tomato plants are big and healthy looking.  He did add a couple of bags of fresh garden soil this year...that's probably the reason.  I have some cherry tomato plants that aren't nearly as big.

We are a little competitive. He may have bigger tomato plants but I have harvested the first vegetable!

It's a Japanese eggplant. I hadn't even noticed it was forming.

 These eggplants are smaller and nearly seedless. Supposedly you can even eat the skin. I took a bite of this one - raw - the skin was tough but probably would be edible if cooked.

I also planted zucchini and cucumbers...some of the seeds either didn't sprout or were eaten right away. I replanted after a couple of weeks.

On the flower gardening front...I had picked up a six pack of Portucula (moss roses) at Lowes. They are such tireless bloomers and will re-seed and come back the next spring some times.

Apparently, bunnies really like them too....

I have had Portucula before and the rabbits never bothered with them.   

Is there any use in even planting these?

On a more positive note this Physocarpus, or Ninebark, is really looking good this year.

I have two of these wine colored ones (Summer Wine) and another that is supposed to be copper colored (Coppertina)  but I can't tell a huge difference in the leaf color. 

A close up of the flowers...

Those photos were taken before this rainy spell we have had. All the rain is good for the plants, but it makes the blooms soggy and rotten.