Wednesday, September 22, 2010

garden surprises

I know it’s autumn, but the temps have been in the 80’s the last few days. Tomorrow it’s supposed to get in the 90’s. Some plants still think it’s summer, early spring even. A lone liriope flower poked its head out of the pumpkin patch (oh yeah, the liriope got buried early on). In the back yard a marsh marigold is blooming. Day lilies I cut down a month ago have buds.

Pat and I planted three zucchini plants in the front bed when the pumpkin plant was still small, really, really small. I thought we could manage all the vines; after all, how big could they get? As we watched the pumpkin plant take over the yard, we figured the zucchinis were goners. Well guess what we found today? Zucchinis! The plants survived. Pat says that next year we need to manage the vines better. I thought we did OK. Her reply was “if you mean the vines didn’t eat the car and the house.” Next year, I’ll work on better vine management.




Now this looks like autumn, next years flowers.

10 comments:

BernieH said...

Those are obviously some determined little zucchinis! What a lovely surprise to find buds on the daylily and the lone little Liriope ... there's nothing boring about gardening!

Anonymous said...

We live in south Texas and we will still have 90s for another two months. Love your garden surprises, thanks for sharing.

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

Its great isn't it to get little surprises in the garden with those blooms. I've read that some of your vines in the USA grow 2 feet a day - I hope you haven't got those as you'll sure be busy next year Jim.

Marguerite said...

Good to hear you still plan on having vines next year. I'm sure the neighbourhood children will be delighted to know they can come pick pumpkins again.

Barbara said...

Vine management - great term! I'm going to have to improve in that department, too. In my garden it's the zucchinis and the blackberries. Surprises like yours are one of the best parts of gardening.

Carolyn ♥ said...

I'm so with you on the garden still thinking its Summer and even Spring. A very crazy year in my garden. We're still dancin' in the Summer sun! You may enjoy my post:
http://www.thisgrandmothersgarden.com/2010/09/dancin-in-summer-sun.html

Is the Wiz said...

Love the silky seedhead.

Anonymous said...

Pat is a funny woman. The real surprise will be when the zucchinis you didn't notice make themselves known -- usually when they're about the size of baseball bats, or maybe the size of the car! How about pumpkin-zucchini bread? -Jean

Floridagirl said...

Daylilies?!! Lucky you! I remember having a couple bloom in September last year, but no suck luck this year.

debsgarden said...

It's always fun to find the unexpected! Pumpkins are a lot of fun, and I am sure all the neighborhood children think yours are far better than any zucchini!