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| Jasmine Flowers |
The jasmine vine growing up one of the lattices in the front is flowering. I have written about this jasmine vine in previous posts from time to time, but, basically, my mother planted a jasmine plant under the living room window in the front garden and M built her a trellis for the vine which grew rapidly. After a few years, however, we had to uproot the vine and relocate it to the back garden because I needed to replace the main water pipe leading from the water mains to the house and that was directly under the jasmine vine. My mother was not pleased, but, the jasmine vine did well in the back garden, near the side wall behind the garden shed, until it died during one of the years-long droughts we had. I felt very sad about it dying, but, then, a couple of years later, after a wet winter, I noticed a tendril growing back up, a few feet away from where the original plant had been planted! I had M dig it up and we planted it in a pot and it grew in there until one of the garden cats decided to sleep on it and broke the vine! However, it grew back and we eventually moved it to the front, to grow up the central trellis along the walkway. It has been growing there for a few years now, and seems to be doing well. I think my mother will be pleased; she was keen to have a jasmine vine in the front garden.
Today, M brought me more plants from his Monday client - four more clumps of purple fountain grass (the last of the fountain grass, he said) and one more agave plant (plenty more of those, he said, if I wished to have them). I had him plant three of the fountain grass clumps in the same bed as the earlier clumps were planted and the fourth one at the corner of the front garden because there wasn't room for it in the other bed. He planted the agave plant in the same area in the front where he planted the two earlier ones, so there is a group of three agave plants, there. I told him that if he brings me more agave plants, we could try planting them along the parkway in the front. I am assuming that these are not the kind of agave used in making tequila! If they are, they probably won't remain in my garden for long! LOL.
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| Nectarine Tree |
Elsewhere in the garden, the nectarine tree is having more flowers, now. I haven't seen as many bees flying around the nectarine tree as there were when the peach tree was flowering, but, I do hope that at least some of these flowers will be pollinated and we can have some nectarines this summer.
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| Purple Mizuna Bolting |
I found the peppery taste of the leaves to be a little too overpowering when eaten raw in a salad by themselves, but, they are milder when cooked. I might not grow them as a salad green, next time, but, I might just grow them as an attractive plant in a flower bed!
Meanwhile, in the side yard, where I had put down flattened cardboard boxes to keep the weeds down, some of the wildflower phacelia seeds I scattered last year have started to flower! It is my hope that they will self-seed and spread, next year.
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| Phacelia Flowers |
It is a rather windy day, today, sunny, with an afternoon high of 76F. M watered the garden for me and I picked the rest of the broccoli side shoots and some peapods:
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| Today's Harvest |
It's not a big harvest, but, as I told friend R, it's enough for us for a side dish to go with our rice and chicken for dinner. Or, turned into a stir-fry with some sliced carrots.
Today, I am grateful for:
- M helping with the garden
- New free plants
- Garden flowers
- Today's harvest
- Water for the garden
Today's joyful activity was tending to the garden.
Plans for tomorrow include some housework and garage cleaning.
How was your Wednesday? What is happening in your garden? What are your plans for Thursday?
That was nice of M bringing you the last four clumps of the fountain grass. I would take more of the agave plants too. I like those. I love that story of the jasmine vine. Your mom really wanted that jasmine vine in the front garden and it was determined to survive so it shall be in the front yard just where she wanted it. Those jasmine flowers really are beautiful. Happy Thursday! Denise
ReplyDeleteIt really was very kind of M to bring me the plants. He said that lady had about 50 agave plants and he set some out by the trash cans so people could help themselves to them. But, if he brings me more, then I will definitely accept them.
DeleteMy mother did really want that jasmine vine out front! It has a lovely fragrance, too, that you can smell as you walk past it. That's why my mother wanted it growing under the living room window - so you could open the window and smell the jasmine flowers when it was flowering. :)
You're very fortunate to have M bring more free plants for your garden.The jasmine plant is determined to thrive and your mother would be delighted, a lovely story and beautiful flowers.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm very fortunate to have M bring me more free plants! He tells me he doesn't want to dump things on me and I assure him that I am happy to receive the free plants! That jasmine vine is doing well, isn't it? It is now trying to go up on the roof and I am trying to discourage it from doing that! Maybe, this year, after it finishes flowering, I might give it a very light pruning to keep it within bounds. My mother loved to garden and would spend hours tending to her plants. M and I both feel her presence when we are in the garden. :)
DeleteYour garden is certainly starting to flower for spring. It's amazing how determined the jasmine vine is to grow where your mother wanted it! The photo of the nectarine tree is lovely with the rays of sunlight coming in on the right. You have a real talent for photography capturing the sunlight like that! Celie
ReplyDeleteSpring is the best time for flowers in my garden. Once it is summer, it gets too hot! The rays of sunlight in the photo are entirely due to the cell phone camera! It's the only camera I have and I am definitely a point and shoot photographer! :D
DeleteOne way or another, the jasmine vine was determine to make it back to the front. Do you open your windows to smell it like your mother had hoped?
ReplyDeleteIt did want to be out in the front, didn't it? I have been opening the front door in the evenings to get some of that scent! I also picked a stem of the flowers to place at the altar and it perfumes the living room. I can't bring too many scented flowers in because that triggers my daughter's allergies. :)
DeleteLovely photographs again. Your fountain grass will make a statement now you have more plants to go with the first ones. I think the history of the Jasmine plant is intriguing and makes me think that your mother is very much with you!
ReplyDeleteI've just repotted a miniature rose plant that I was given in February. The original pot was too tiny and now it should grow a lot better, but I noticed some powdery mildew on a few leaves on one part and I need to research what oi do about it. I plan to plant it outside in the summer.
Thank you, Bushlady. I am hoping that the fountain grass will grow well and fill in that planting bed, especially when the osteospermum dies back in the summer. M and I firmly believe that my mother's spirit tends to the garden for us. The last words she spoke were to him to ask how things were going when he was planting some bean seeds that my daughter had sprouted as part of a science experiment for school. She had walked to the back sliding glass door, asked him how things were going and he gave her a thumbs up sign. She walked back to her favorite chair in the living room and less than half an hour later, M's aunt Katy found her slumped in her chair. M called the paramedics and they declared her already dead. I had been at the office for less than an hour when I got the call to come back home.
DeleteSorry to hear your miniature rose seems to have some powdery mildew. If you can, cut and remove the infected leaves and dispose of them. You can wash the rest of the leaves off to remove the fungal spores, too. Spraying the leaves with neem oil is also recommended and soapy water is also an alternative. Good ventilation is also recommended.
Thanks for the tips. 😀
DeleteAny time! :)
DeleteThat jasmine is resilient! And what an amazing memory of your mother. I'm surprised at the Mizuna - it looks too ornamental to be eaten!
ReplyDeleteIt's not quite as hardy as your honeysuckle plant or the fuchsia your father planted, but, it seems to have established itself and should do fine. My mother was one of those people who could stick a dead twig in the ground and have it grow and flourish; I, on the other hand, can plant a flourishing plant and turn it into a dead twig in no time! LOL.
DeleteThe mizuna does look like an ornamental plant, doesn't it? It would be an ideal plant to grow in a flower bed if you want to sneak in a few edible plants without people noticing!
Very pretty. Jasmine smells beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Akasha; it does have a lovely scent. :)
DeleteHow lovely the story is about your Jasmine and your mum. Funny as I read it after I had already commented on the next post and how the rose reminded me of Mum.
ReplyDeleteMy mother loved to garden. She was happiest when she was gardening. :)
DeleteThat's a good harvest. They must taste delicious with being freshly picked.
ReplyDeleteThe jasmine is beautiful, and what a lovely story. X
Thank you. I checked the vines today and there are more peapods ready for harvesting! The jasmine vine is doing well. :)
DeleteHow lucky to receive those castoffs from M's client. I am sure they will enjoy life in your garden as you are a good caretaker of living things.
ReplyDeleteI think that's a nice daily harvest from your garden. It's the perfect amount with nothing going to waste.
I am very lucky to receive those unwanted plants! They'll make good additions to the garden, if they establish themselves; if not, well, the price was right! :D
DeleteIt was just the right amount of harvest for us. I am now picking every other day or so, and now have some peapods to freeze!