Summer Garden Tour 2017

23 August 2017

OK, you guys.  Today's post is a little different, yes.  I wanted to change things up a little bit around here, because I feel like I do a lot of posts that are almost a little redundant to some point, so I thought about what I want to do a blog post about, and one of the first things that came to mind was...my garden.  So if  you didn't know, I love gardening.  It's always been a hobby of mine, and growing up I always got a little piece to garden, so that makes it even more special to me.  This year, well...yeah.  Let's just see what happened this year =) 


Now actually, this year, I didn't 'technically' have an 'actual' garden.  Almost every other year I have, but this year we just never got to tilling the ground and all of that (who knows, maybe we'll surprise ourselves and have a fall garden? xD we'll probably do that), but what we focused on a lot more this year were flowers and so, because fruits/veggies > flowers, I actually did grow some fruits and veggies in the flowerbeds.  DESPERATE TIMES CALL FOR DESPERATE MEASURES.  *ahem*

So basically in this post I'm just going to be going through what all I'm doing and did this year plant-wise, so even if you're not into plants and stuff, yo, food comes from plants, so.  Yeah. :P



 /1 PEPPERS
SO, I don't really have a lot to say about peppers.  They're good.  Awesome in stir-fry.  These found their home in one of our flowerbeds *facepalm*, but hey, what can you do.  

Fun fact: They're also green.






 /2 LETTUCE
  I. love. lettuce.  It's one of my favorite things to grow, just because it's really good in salad and easy to eat.  IT'S SO GOOD Y'ALL. 



 /3 HERBS
 I've never really been huge into herbs.  I guess they're easier to grow and keep...like, in your kitchen, if you wanted to, but I don't really mess with them a whole lot.  The only two kinds I had this year were mint (it's a classic YESS) and basil.  Not even going to lie, I haven't used the basil at all and I have some idea for the mint, but haven't done anything yet.  I toLD YOU I DON't DO HERbS.





We have had so many butterflies and bees around our place lately it's kind of awesome.  I guess they're attracted to all the flowers? Eh, idk BUT IT MAKES THIS PHOTOGRAPHER HAPPY.




 /4 CUCUMBER 
TIME TO INTRODUCE MY CUCUMBERS.  Fun fact: I was not expecting any cucumbers to actually grow this year.  I had bought a seed packet and planted them in seed flats in the spring, but once they'd sprouted & I set them outside, the wind knocked them all over and they all died.  I thought.  BUT ONE lived to tell the tale and sprung up from the flowerbed, to my surprise.  (And like, at first we had no idea what it was until a cucumber actually grew on it lol WE'RE SUCH GOOD GARDENERS.  WITH SUCH GREEN THUMBS.) 




/5 PUMPKIN
So this one also has a crazy story.  Last fall around Thanksgiving, I went to the store, saw a cute pumpkin they were selling outside, and bought it.  I used it for decoration for the season, but then afterwards, I had no idea how to dispose of it or throw it away.  Like, it was still alive? So I didn't want to put it in the trash.  Therefore, I set it on the edge of the porch.  And forgot about it.  Completely.   (I think sometime from the span of last winter to early this spring I'd noticed that since it had been exposed to the natural elements it had rotted and become disgusting, so I DEFINITELY had no idea how to get rid of it then.)  BUT THEN, it was gone.  WhAT. 

AND THEN...the magic.  This thing started growing in our flowerbed.  (This thing...wowow #progardeningtermsamiright) WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.  (again) Was it a zucchini? Was it a cucumber? WHO KNEW.  WELL, my mom figured that it was that old pumpkin, and she was right.  

GUYS.  THAT THING WENT INTO THE GROUND AND GREW AGAIN.  And the best part is this year I have more pumpkins to decorate with, like #winwin right????








  /6 TOMATOES
Probably one of my favorite things to grow other than lettuce.  I've always grown tomatoes when I've had my own garden as far back as I can remember, and while I can't say they've always turned out the greatest, I think they're probably one of my favorites to grow.  My only issue this year was that we had so many thunderstorms and strong winds that knocked them all over at their roots.  UGH.





  /7 PEACHES
OKAY so i'm not growing this in my garden, but I discovered that our new place actually has fruit trees.  AND A PEACH TREE.  Wut.  Like, the day I found that my day was made.  PEACHES ROCK.  I'm serious.  They're amazing.




+++

SO YEP.   There you go, guys.  A very different post than usual, but I wanted to shake things up a little bit around here.  AND I really wanted to do this, because gardening, it's just one of my many passions, y'know? *ahem* SO WHAT ABOUT YOU? Green thumb or not? I think gardening is almost therapeutic in a sense.  It's so calming to see your plants grow from seeds into actual fruit-bearing plants.  But I will admit, I still have yet to successfully grow an indoor house plant.  AKDFJFUHS. HARD. 

 Do you have a garden? What's your favorite plant? (also fruit/vegetables > flowers, just saying) Let's talk!! 

-autumn 

28 comments:

  1. WHAT? I am head over heals for herbs! I love them so much! I wish we had space for a garden where I live. I loved looking at all the beautiful plants you have!

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    1. Aw, that's so cool! I do like herbs, it's just that I don't use them a lot :) Thanks, V.

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  2. You have such a lovely garden!! I could never really get into gardening, because whenever we did it, it was in the summer, and weeding in the hot southern heat is really rather miserable. I'm slowly developing a love for plants, though, so I may have to try my hand at it again.

    Great post, Autumn! These photos are lovely. :)

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    1. Aw, thank you so much! OMG WOW I CAN IMAGINE. that would be unbearable. You should definitely try it sometime :) Maybe a small one somewhere in the shade? xD

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  3. This is so pretty, and such a good idea!

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  4. Mmm, there's nothing like fresh garden produce. I'm looking forward to summer over here, because we can't grow a lot through winter. :( The peaches especially look delicious! Peaches are my favourite fruit. :) And girl, you need to use basil! It is so good - in pesto, on pizza, in pasta sauce, etc. I put it in almost everything when we have it in the garden.

    I'm not really a gardener, but I'm starting to appreciate it more (must be my old age, haha). My family has a big vegie garden, so I probably just take it for granted that there's always something growing, and fresh food for cooking. But, I just planted some succulents out this afternoon, so hopefully they survive. XD

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    1. YOU GOT THAT RIGHT. There's something so pure and fresh about garden produce. Awwww I love peaches too :) RIGHT YES? I'm thinking I need to use the tomatoes to make pizza sauce and use basil in it, that way I'd use up multiple things at once.

      haha, well, I don't think I'm super old but I love it :) OH GOTCHA. If my family grew a garden idk if I'd be as inspired to have my own. It depends, I guess. Ahh, I hope they do! You'll have to let me know how they turn out.

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  5. It's so cool that you grow so much food! I only have flowers in my garden. Also totally get on that basil because there is NOTHING as good in Italian food as fresh basil!

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    1. Hahaha, this isn't really a lot but thanks :) Flowers are so pretty though!! OK WILL DO, MY FREN.

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  6. This is SO BEAUTIFUL. Ack, I have had a garden many times but dumb Japanese beetles invaded it...ALWAYS, EVERYTHING. But I really love gardens and I'll see about trying again this upcoming spring ;) You inspire me.
    And lovely pictures Autumn...the pumpkins are so cute! (Same thing happened to us on the compost pile with melons :P)

    Anna | www.worldthroughherheart.blogspot.com

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    1. WHAT HOW DARE THEY. My history/literature teacher was telling us the other day about his escapades with Japanese beetles. All I learned from that class was 1) don't stomp on them and 2) traps don't work either bc then all the Japanese beetles from your neighbors will come to your yard. (plot twist: set the trap in your neighbor's yard xD) YES GIRL YOU TRY IT AND DEFEAT THOSE EVIL INSECTS.

      omg thank you so much, anna <33 YOU inspire me. that means the world to me.

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  7. I love this so much. Your plants look so beautiful. I had a garden this year, but it's kinda funky. Everything was slow, and now it's getting to be Fall. But I did/do have peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, string beans, kale, potatoes, and cabbage. So it's just the long season veggies that are failing.
    Have you had a caprese sandwich? Those are what I use a lot of my fresh Basil on.

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    1. AH thanks! hmm, yeah, well at least you'll have a true fall harvest :) Oh wow, girl, you have one garden for sure!! That's a ton of good stuff right there. I'm sure they'll come around.

      Haven't heard of that before. What is it? I'll have to look it up!

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    2. My garden sounds more impressive than it looks...

      You should look up those sandwiches! They're the best and pretty simple. Sliced tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozerella on mayonaised ciabatta bread.

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    3. Ciabatta bread sounds fancy xD I'll have to try it though! I love trying different artisan breads out. It sounds Italian-ish too :)

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    4. It does, but you can get it at Walmart 😛 I like the chewiness of it.

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  8. I love how wonderfully wild your garden sounds!! Like, "we lost an entire pumpkin somehow, but then we found it again, no biggie". Jealous of your peaches also! :) they look so juicy and soft!

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    1. haha that is a very good term for it! "wonderfully wild" OMG THANK YOU <33 lol you just made my day, Olivia :)

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  9. Your garden is goals!! Also I love that story about the pumpkin x) Your garden looks so beautiful!!

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  10. This is epic! Your garden looks so amazing. I think it is legit magic how you can plant a seed, water it and literally have food spring up out of the ground! AND THE PUMPKIN OMW So resilient! #TheLittlePumpkinWhoCould

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    1. AMEN TO THAT. Plants are like such a mystery. God is so amazing :)

      RIGHT???!

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  11. Great garden and beautiful photos!
    Love it!
    I am trying to get on top of our weed garden and writing a blog post about it soon.

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    1. Thank you so much, Hannah!

      OOH yes you let me know when you do so I can check your post out :)

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  12. THIS WAS EXACTLY THE KIND OF POST I NEEDED RIGHT NOW <3333 SO MANY PRETTY PICTURES OF FLOWERS AND FKLJSAFJSAJD YES. Mint is crazy, isn't it??? We have a ton of it in our yard and it's like taking over...it's practically ground cover by this point. XD I MOSTLY DON'T GO OUTSIDE BECAUSE I'M SO SCARED OF CATERPILLARS *hides* ugh horrible creatures

    rock on,
    abbiee

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    1. WHELP THAT'S GOOD. lol YES IT ACTUALLY IS. It just grows so fast and takes over everything. But whatever, it's good too xD

      bro i feel u. insects r evil. believe me.

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  13. Girl you have an AWESOME garden!!! We're huge into mint. Mom makes an AMAZING peppermint tea that will seriously help any cold. Basically she dries the mint and once completely dry, she gets a huge of pot of water boiling, puts the mint in, and lets stew overnight. Girl. It. Is. So. GOOOD!!!

    As for your basil, my mom is totally into herbs, so here's three things you can do with it.
    -Cut it up thin and put it into your salad.
    -Make Lemon Basil Chicken (stir fry chicken tenders in a pan with oil and basil, after it's cooked, squeeze lemon on it. You could probably look up some other recipes on Pinterest)
    -Make Basil Pesto Chicken Pasta (this is honestly my FAV! Bake chicken tenders, once cool cut into chunks, cook up some pasta, get a bunch of basil, puree it, mix it with oil, put the chicken, pasta, and basil pesto into a bowl and mix with some salt. Serve with parmesan. Thank me later.)

    That's so cool you have pumpkins!! We tried to grow them once, but they took over the entire garden, and didn't produce very big pumpkins. -_-

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