July garden - the big picture

A kind reader asked for more big-picture garden photos, and here's a start.  This shot encompasses about half of the garden. That big thing in the middle is a hop plant. It's a pain in the ass. The best thing about it is that it shades a bird box, which it has now swallowed. But it's OK as the birds are finished for the season. It also terrorizes the onions, the peppers, and the melons that are near by. The chard, there on the left, can hold its own against the hops.

But first, a story. We bought this 3.5 acre property in the early 1970s for $17,000. For eight years we lived in the burnt-out trailer that came with the land. It had two bedrooms, one at each end, and a kitchen with homemade cabinets and a tiny living room and not much else. You could see the ground between where the metal siding met the warped plywood flooring. The selling point: the property had 350 apple trees, and PK wanted to be a farmer. It was a dream come true. I didn't understand, but went along. 


He had to get a job, of course, and so did I. For years he worked eight hours at the paid job and another three or four a day at the orchard. He'd come home from work, throw on the pruning gear, and get out there with the shears. And then there was spraying, mowing, irrigating, fertilizing, and so on. The result of his labors? The most beautiful and delicious apples I have ever seen or tasted. 


Trouble was, gorgeous fruit or not, marketing them was painful and mostly unsuccessful. This was my job. I approached markets and grocery stores in our immediate area and got a few takers. They wanted only the most perfect fruit. One out of 10 apples, more or less, passed the perfection test. We put out a sign on the road and sold apples for several years for 20 cents a pound. We also sold tons of apples for 3 cents a pound for juice, and hauled them on our flatbed truck to Jacksonville. Picking? We mostly did it. Ditto sorting, loading, transporting. Ugh. Not much fun. 

I love this photo of Paul and Quinn, about 1980, loading an apple bin onto the flatbed truck. 

Fast forward a few decades. All but about 30 of the apple trees are gone. Quinn is 34 and Chris is 26. Our extended garden now occupies some of the former orchard. The rest of it is being prepared for pasturing animals—part of PK's next five-year plan. Now...a few more current garden views.

The main garden. One huge zucchini in front, then cukes, peppers, more zukes, corn and so on. All that yellow is volunteer dill gearing up to flower.

I can't get over how great the leeks are, or how long they last. And they hum with bees.

Flowers in front of the solarium. 

Here's what happens to asparagus after harvest season.
It is at least five feet tall.

Taken from in front of the house.

The wonderful rose is in its second bloom.

My favorite garden art, crafted by my dear friend Patty for one of my big birthdays.

It is a Celtic knot stepping stone, front and center in the flower garden. I admire it and thank her every day.