Path
Do you know where this path will take you?
To the other side of this flower bed.
I found I was always cutting through this flower bed instead of going around it, so I decided to make a simple path across it.
The original design that I had in mind for this flower bed was for it to run along the side of the yard and then curve around and run out into the lawn. Then, as you came through the gate to the back yard, instead of seeing a big expanse of lawn, you would see this flower bed and it would lead you to the patio.
And it works, except when I am out and about in the garden, I don’t necessarily want to walk all the way around this bed to get to the other side, so I added the path today.
The path looks a litte stark right now and the plants around it are wilting in the mid-day sun, but once some flowers grow up around it, I think it will be mostly hidden, but still open enough for me to cross.
Lilies
So many lilies (Zephyranthes) blooming at once, more than I’ve seen bloom together in a long time.
Are these rain lilies today, signaling that we are to get some much needed rain this evening, as forecasted? Or are these fairy lilies, beckoning all the garden fairies from near and far to come play in my garden tonight?
I hope they are a little of both.
Harvest
I was out and about early this morning and this is what I picked today.
I assume that everyone knows that early morning is the best time to harvest vegetables, as this is when the water content in the vegetables is highest. You can see that a few more zucchini escaped my attention and got quite big. I’m “backlogged” with zucchini squash and can’t eat them or give them away as fast as I am picking them. I’m going to get more aggressive tomorrow about giving them away.
I’m also getting several cucumbers each day. Home grown cucumbers, like home grown tomatoes, taste nothing like what you buy in the stores. But no one makes a big fuss over the cucumbers. Perhaps I’ll dedicate a post to cucumbers in the near future and make a big fuss over them myself.
After all, it does no good to point out where something is lacking (no one posts about cucumbers) without offering a solution (I’ll post about cucumbers).
So true! Why aren’t people just stark raving mad for homegrown cucumbers??? They actually taste like a cucumber and not just water. I tried cucumbers for the first time this year and I’m hooked. Unfortunately all the flooding and intense heat has sent my vine into hiding, but I’m determined to come back next year better than ever. Go girl! Keep those cukes comin!
Callie
http://www.xylemandphloem.com
Carol, your rain lilies are amazing!! Mine are cruddy this year – guess they like to bake then have refreshing shower.
If you post about cucumbers, I’ll call Philo over to the computer – he loves them and I can barely stand the smell of the skins!
Once they’ve been turned into Kosher Dills, however, that’s a cucumber of a different color.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Love your path, Carol! I have a place like that that I should do the same.
I grow cucumbers and I buy them in our stores. Is there something wrong with me that I can’t tell the difference? Maybe it’s because our local stores get their produce from local growers?
Anyway…cucumbers are just one of the many raw veggies I used to hate. Well, I still hate most of them, but I now love cucumbers. I always loved the smell of them, but never could eat them until the last few years. I love to just slice them and dip them in ranch dressing.
Carol, great job on the path! Cucumbers are something I can take or leave. I don’t dislike them but don’t crave them either. Perhaps if I had some fresh from the garden I might like them better.
Everyone posts about tomatoes and no one posts about cucumbers, so why not write a post about a nice cucumber, tomato salad? A little onion, some red peppers and a hand full of feta. That’ll get people talking about cucumbers. 🙂
The path looks great too!
Callie W-L… Thanks for the encouragement and I’m glad you discovered how good home-grown cucumbers are.
Annie in Austin… I have to grow my lilies in pots since they aren’t hardy here. I water them daily so it must be something else that caused them to bloom like this suddenly. And, I didn’t even realize that cucumber skins smelled. I’ll have to go sniff mine.
Kylee… Yes, make a path where you need one, and you will be happy to have done it. If you are getting cukes from a local grower they would probably taste pretty good.
Robin’s Nesting Place… I especially like the smaller cukes from the garden, they are quite different from those big green waxed cukes in the stores.
Anthony…If I had some ripe tomatoes, I’d make that salad, but I don’t. So I am making do with home grown cucumbers for now, though I’ll admit they’ll take a back seat to tomatoes once those ripen!
Thanks all for the kind words and comments!
I was amazed the year that I grew cucumbers – I always liked them, but that was the year I learned to love and crave them. And, unlike tomatoes, the dang squirrels leave the cukes alone!
Now, several years later, I have a cucumber plant in the garden again. It’ll be a while before they can be eaten – they’re only half the length of my little finger – but I can’t wait!
Hi Carol,
Those cukes look delicious. I planted a Japanese seedless one this year but so far it’s all vine and no fruit.
I love the path. How did you do it? I need to start thinking about paths in my garden, too.
I’m also enjoying my garden cucumbers, though like Kylee I don’t think they’re that much different from the store ones (not the variety I’m growing, at least), and we’re doing our first pickling session sometime this week. (Wish us luck…)
I too enjoy fresh garden cucumbers any time, the secret is to not let them get to big. The small ones that are green when you slice them are best. Once they get big and mostly white inside they do not have much flavor. If I want that taste from the grocery I only buy the English cukes that are long and thin and wrapped in plastic wrap and not waxed but they are $$$
I just sprinkle the thin slices with salt, add green peppers and tomato wedges. My favorite recipe is twice as much sugar(1/2 cup) as apple cider vinegar(1/4 cup). Some times I add cauliflower too.
Love the path. Watching where natural paths are made is where to put logical stone paths. I’ve seen this on college campuses, etc. First it is a student made path and then becomes a sidewalk.
your veggies look outstanding.. What are your plans for them?? Are you going to pickle the cukes?? I love little rain lilies..
I really like the looks of your path…and it is so practical, as well.
Funny what you said about cukes…I just took some photos of my first ones this morning and was considering doing a post on them. They are one of the staples in our summer vegetable garden. When the lettuce and greens are gone we substitute with Cukes and Tomatoes. I munched one standing in the garden today and it was soooo tasty. I just can’t tolerate store bought cukes, so mostly go without in the winter time.
I am having the same issue in one of my flower gardens. I have a lovely little flagstone path running through on a diagonal. But when I’m working there, I always take a short cut, as do my kids, their friends, my dogs and my husband. I think I better put in some more stone.
The lilies are lovely.
I am envious of your veggies.
I think the path looks great. Great idea. And your veggies look wonderful. Yum! We had homegrown cukes in our salad tonight, still warm from the garden.
LCShores… What is amazing is how many you can get from one hill of cucumbers.
Carolyn Gail… I’ve never tried a seedless one. Post about how it is once you get some fruit.
Susie, thanks for the cuke tips and I agree, it is best to wait to put in paths until you know where people are going to naturally walk.
Dirty Fingernails… I’m planning to eat as much as I can and give the rest away. I’m not much into canning or pickling.
Connie… I’d love to see a post with your cukes!
Chigiy… Sounds like you need to move your path (and plant some cukes!)
Bonnie… I actually like the warm cukes from the garden as much as chilled. They seem to be just the right temperature.
Thanks all for the comments and kind words.
Carol at May Dreams Gardens