Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The Garden in the first days of September




I know that I should be sad that fall has arrived and the garden season is drawing to a close, but fall is my favourite season. I welcome the days that are now cool and comfortable. The light seems somehow softer and more golden than it is in the summer.


Is it just me of does everything simply glow in the sunlight at this time of year?


In the garden, my hydrangeas are making lots of friends.




The roses are back with a fresh round of blooms.



Sedum are just starting to flower.



I believe that is Stonecrop 'Matrona' above and on the left and Stonecrop 'Autumn Joy' on the right.



The phlox are just starting to fade.


This geranium 'Rozanne' has been blooming steadily since the last time I posted 
on the subject of my garden in mid-August. What a trooper!


This hosta was here when we bought the house. It blooms later than any other variety I have.


In the back garden, there are a number of different varieties of hydrangea.



This is a Japanese Painted Fern in the sunlight.


I am ashamed to admit that I left these poor gladiola bulbs (sometimes called Peacock orchids) sitting neglected in a little pot on the back porch. 

I got them on clearance in early July and then forget about them. Poor things! I finally planted them last week and they shot up immediately. 

Aren't plants forgiving? 

We'll see if they manage to bloom before the frost. (That is last year's flower shown on the left.)


I have a bumper crop of concord grapes and sadly no time to turn them into jam or juice. I may have to give them away.


Except for the tomatoes, my first attempt at vegetable gardening has been at bit of a bust. 

The bunnies got all the peas and beans. 

I forgot to thin my radishes and they turned into weird corkscrew mutants.

The one zucchini I was able to salvage from the slugs had all the taste of fine Italian shoe leather. I am not sure if it was the variety or the fact that I left it to mature in the garden a few days too long.



You might think I would be completely discouraged about vegetable gardening as a result, but the tomatoes have been the garden's saving grace. They have been wonderful!




I have been putting the little cherry ones in all my salads. This is a warm Orzo salad.

I am sorry, I don't have a recipe.  I simply sauté green and red peppers, diced carrots and some onions in a skillet. Then, I add cooked Orzo pasta and about a quarter cup of chick peas (drained and rinsed). 

I toss the pasta as I add a dash of Olive oil and a generous sprinkle of finely grated Parmesan cheese. To give the pasta salad some kick, I add a hearty dash of cumin and a liberal sprinkling of fresh ground pepper. The final ingredients are lots of freshly chopped parsley and chives. 

The cherry tomatoes get mixed in just before I serve it. This warm salad would be great with grilled chicken and roasted corn on the cob.


The larger varieties of tomatoes are just ripening. After a winter of nothing but tasteless hot house tomatoes, each one is a delicious treasure.

Next year, I hope to do better with the rest of my vegetable garden.


Today, I will link to Lisa Gordon's Creative Exchange. To see tother beautiful photography, please click the link: The Creative Exchange
On the Thursday the15th, I will link this post to May Dream's Garden's Garden Blogger's Bloom Day (GBBD) and Cottage Flora Thursday at Fishtail Cottage. On Friday, I will link to Fertilizer Friday at Tootsie Time. To see other great garden's please click any of the links.

51 comments:

  1. Fall is also my favourite season. I just love the glowing colours in your first pictures.

    Åsa

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  2. What a lovely post, full of colour and flavour (yes, I could really taste those homegrown tomatoes!). I hope your gladioli bulbs put on a worthy show. Were those beautiful peaches/nectarines from your garden? Love the rich colour of your grapes!

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  3. I've been having trouble leaving comments - obviously operator error! So glad that you're going to persevere with the veggies - every year is different - for me - last year was a banner tomato year - this year it's the kale. And you're spot on - the light in autumn absolutely glows.
    Barbarapc
    Barbarasgardenchronicles.blogspot.com

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  4. Jennifer, these photographs are just gorgeous!
    I completely agree with you about the light at this time of year. Ii was oiut at noon today, when normally the light is so harsh in the summer, but today it was golden, and actually sort of misty. Really wonderful.

    Aren't those gladioli beautiful? I planted them for the first time this year, and loved them. Here, they are called Star Gladiolus.

    Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful photographs at The Creative Exchange.

    Have a wonderful evening!

    lisa.

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  5. Gorgeous, gorgeous, photos, really enjoyed visiting here!

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  6. Your Orzo salad looks very yummy. Sorry your garden was less than great in the crop production....Cherry tomatoes are good to have. Mine are on their second leg, blooming and starting to set fruit.
    I have Peacock Orchids, for the first time, and am amazed yours recovered so well. I would have mush if I left mine.
    Love the hydrangeas and your photo of the marigold is gorgeous. Makes the common marigold look elegant.

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  7. I think you are a budding tomato fanatic...yup I do...I'm reading between the lines...and see your beautiful photos...and know you understand the nuances of tomato fragrance, texture and smell. Next year...have you started your tomato list yet? They are like fine wines...so many to taste, so little time ;-)

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  8. Your garden is refreshing! You're absolutely right about the quality of light in the fall...I eagerly anticipate it every year. It is so beautifully picked up in photography. Lovely captures!

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  9. Hi Jennifer, thanks for dropping by. Your garden is amazing! The photos made me lust for end of summer/autumn here. My favourite time of year. I'll be back exploring more. Alison

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  10. Jennifer, I understand what you mean about the seasons. I have always loved spring but I think fall is my second favorite. My least favorite is winter and summers lately have been horrible because of the intense heat and storms. My veggies this year were not great, tomatoes huge but not many tomatoes, lots of cucumbers and peppers.

    Eileen

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  11. Jennifer, your post is full of color and YUM. My favorite was the image of the peaches. So pretty.

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  12. All the pretty flowers, all the delicious looking tomatoes, all the spectacular photography, but it's the shot of the peaches I linger over. Absolutely sensuous.

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  13. I enjoyed your wonderful post, Jennifer ! Love the autumn ... Beautiful cherry tomatoes - I think, you will grow them again.

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  14. My oh my...
    You are SOME gardener !!
    What perfection everywhere: the flowers, the fruit. Amazing.
    And then those lovely texured images as well.

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  15. Jennifer lots of wonderful colours in your garden.......it is a terrific time of the year and agree the light is different, so much prettier. Tomatoes fresh from the garden can't be beat . Great photos made everything come alive.

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  16. Your fall garden is gorgeous! I love how many blooms you have going on. Unfortunately my garden is very tired right now but hopefully rejuvenated soon. Your tomatoes look delicious. Fabulous photography too!

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  17. Such beautiful flower photos and the salads look so delicious!

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  18. So many beautiful photos here, I don't know where to start. I'll just say that your marigold textured photo is wonderful. Lovely post.

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  19. Your fall garden looks wonderful. The way you captured the light shining through the flowers ~ beautiful.

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  20. Beautiful blog! I love your pictures and am inspired by your garden! Just Awesome!

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  21. Oh, your photos are just gorgeous! The way you used the light in each one is amazing. Love the hydrangeas and rudbeckias.

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  22. Hey Jennifer,
    Now that's a post chock full of beautiful images. I too embrace the Fall. The softer light enhances the look of the flowers and the cooler temps bronze the leaves of plants and flowers. Very nice post, Jennifer.

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  23. Thanks for the gorgeous garden tour, and I got hungry just looking at your table. Yum!

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  24. Your garden looks so beautiful! Mine has really started to fade. The pots outside my door still look really nice though. Your orzo salad looks delicious :)

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  25. Wonderful photos, makes me smile! :-)

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  26. I really like the photographs you have textured, but my favorite has to be the peaches.

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  27. Hello jennifer...Thank you for your visit in my blog. J just visit your garden. All the flowers are beautiful. And i love also hydrangeas paniculata and phlox. I ville returne for a visit .
    Good day jocelyne

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  28. What a fabulous post. You sure know how to use light.

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  29. Gorgeous photos... I copied and saved the Warm Orzo salad recipe (looks delicious)!

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  30. Those tomatoes ARE a delicious treasure! In fact your entire post is!

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  31. I too enjoy the change of seasons...nice photos and yummy tomatoes!

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  32. Wow! You have so much blooming at the same time. Gorgeous flowers and fantastic photography. Probably fall would be my favorite too. Love the colors during fall which I don't see in a tropical country.

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  33. So many beautiful shades of fall in your garden, Jennifer! I was wondering what kind of hydrangea is shown in the first few photos. I, too, am sad to see the garden begin to fade, but I do love fall.

    As for your vegetable garden, don't give up--every year something does well in mine that didn't do much of anything the year before. This year the green peppers decided not to grow at all. As for the zucchini, they can huge in a day's time, I think, and yes, those big ones do taste a bit like shoe leather:)

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  34. There's nothing like homegrown tomatoes! These are all beautiful photos, but the peaches really stand out.

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  35. Beautiful post...I love the richness of fall colors...the rich blues and purples, mingling with the vibrant golds...wonderful!

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  36. I'm noticing the light these days too. Everything seems so warm and infused in this light. Congratulations on the wonderful tomatoes. I'm so jealous looking at your salad. I just spent several hours cutting up my diseased vines tonight. All those wonderful fruits in the trash. But there are always good things aren't there? You had great tomatoes and I've got four kinds of lettuce coming out my ears. Every year at least one thing does well and we eat like kings.

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  37. An absolutely beautiful post... love the sedum pics especially and can almost taste those peaches!! Larry

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  38. So fun to scroll through your lovely photos! Your garden must look so beautiful!! Sedum is so pretty... especially up close, right? That peacock lily from last year is gorgeous!! What a lovely photo!

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  39. Lovely photos! I'm sure you treasure memories of these days when the winter arrives.

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  40. Your photographs are just wonderful. The flowers, the tomatoes, the salad...everything is beautiful. I lingered here for awhile, just to enjoy.
    -Karen

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  41. Wonderful photos! You have a great cottage feel to your flowers. I love the hydrangeas.

    My Rosa'The Fairy' are also blooming again now. It is so fun to have another glimpse of summer.

    Happy GBBD!
    Julie

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  42. Pink flowering Sedum never looked as good in my garden as they appear in your blog. Another great photographic post!

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  43. It's always amazing how the garden rebounds in fall. Rain and a drop in temps seems to revive the plants and I often have a few summer bloomers that pump out a few more flowers! We have the same sedums. I think the Matrona must be a bit looser than the Autumn Joy since mine look the same. Your salad looks really tasty!!

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  44. Great fall colours! I will try making your orzo dish soon, the chickpeas are a brilliant addition! :) Rebecca @ In The Garden. For some reason, I can't post her with my blogger acct :(

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  45. I would love fall too Jennifer if I could get past what follows! I always worry too much about winter to enjoy it. It truly is a wonderful season tho and you're right ~ the light has changed. You've captured that so well in your photos. One of those hydrangeas must be 'Strawberries & Cream?' I just saw that at the greenhouse & keep kicking myself for not buying it!
    We've been enjoying a few homegrown tomatoes here and some fabulous Colorado grown peaches. I love all the veggies available this time of year. Your orzo salad looks fantastic. I may have to try and recreate it...

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  46. Absolutely gorgeous photo's of your flowers..and that salad looks delicious! I plan to put in an above the ground garden next spring...a little intimidated but I want to try!
    I enjoyed my visit with you very much!
    Mona

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  47. Oh my, what a delightful post! I absolutely love all your photos, but the one with the peaches is my favourite. It reminds me of home (back in Italy, my parents have a few peach trees)! Your tomatoes looks so yummy. You sure have a dreamy garden. :)
    Have a happy and sunny official-end-of-summer week ahead!

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  48. Thanks for your comments everyone. Rose, the hydrangea in the first few pictures is a Pee Gee Hydrangea.

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  49. Wow! Awesome flowers and food ... almost too much to digest ;) Happy autumn!

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