Garden Tour 9/10/19

It's September.  The gardens are looking wane.
Rains forecasted next three days.  Needed.

Pumpkins are showcasing their autumnal outfit.
I didn't plan to plant pumpkins this season.
I thought I was planting butternuts.

However, last year's compost pile is boasting several of these huge squashes.

Years ago I purchased seeds called argonauts, larger than butternuts.

Hopeful that is what these are.

But the season might not be long enough to these to mature.

The burning bush is changing its dress as well.

Each passing day more red.

And filled with bright red seeds,

meaning lots of baby burning bushes to share some day.

The next two photos are mums, which bloom late summer.

Dahlias also bloom in the fall.
All of these were gifts.

Love seeing plants purchased in years past have self-seeded elsewhere:

Bees sing their loudest symphony early morning.

I like to think they are thanking their Creator in song.

Notice its left pollen sack is full.

Autumn Joy sedum blooms in the fall.  A bee favorite.

In the same bed as the sedum, are ornamental grasses.
Some needed to be divided - somehow.

Some summer flowers are still hanging on:

Phlox

 Feverfew

Petunas

Gloriosa Daisy 

Other flowers still adding color but due to insects or lack of rain, not photo worthy.

Two late summer flowering bushes:  Rose of Sharon

My goal was to grow Heavenly Blue morning glories up the tree trunk.
The surprise was on me, not Heavenly Blue, though my idea worked well.

Sunflowers looking wane from lack of rain.
Morning glory vine on fence was planted by wind.

Harvested another huge bowl of tomatoes today.  Will cook down another pot in the morning.
Will be sad to see the season ending.  Tomatoes have been very fruitful this year.  Thankful.
Have shared with many.  The largest ones weighed almost 1 3/4 pounds.

Potatoes were also very productive this year.  Shared with someone recently that digging potatoes is like an Easter Egg Hunt.  She agreed with my analogy.  When I was a kid, I didn't have the same appreciation for what seemed to be a half acre.  Of course, it wasn't a half acre, but it did seem like work.  Today I look forward to seeing what the "mother hen" has laid.  A friend weighed two of the largest ones.  They were just about 1 1/2 pounds each.

It was also a good year for summer squash.  Made several summer squash casseroles for the freezer.  It freezes well.  Will certainly enjoy the fruits of summer this winter.  For those who are gluten free, almond flour works well to replace bread crumbs.

The beets and carrots are waiting to be dug.  I'm already wishing they made refrigerators with four crisper drawers to store the abundance.  My parents stored in the root cellar or the well house.  There's a "story" about these in Vol II of Life Is a Garden Party, available via Amazon.

Will bring in herbs for herbal bouquets of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, as well as the scarlet runner beans to be shelled, before frost.

Headed back outside.  It seemed too hot to be out earlier.  Been nice sharing with you all.  Feel free to share how your gardens fared this season.

See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop

and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.

James 5:7