We are really starting to feel the heat! This week marks the beginning of our blog posts about the garden. Always, always remember that a morning walk through the garden is both encouraged and heartwarming to watch. So let’s cut to the chase, what is growing out there and why does it need a blog.

Well, to the first question: Watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberry, blueberry, currant, raspberry, blackberry, 5 types of tomato, tomatillo, 2 types of grape, okra, cucumber, 3 types of bean, pea, eggplant, 5 types of pepper, goji berry, cilantro, lavender, parsley, 2 types of thyme, rosemary, 2 types of mint, dill, pineapple sage, lemon verbena, anise, nasturtium, chamomile, butter leaf lettuce, swiss chard, kale, carrot, turnip, beet, cherry, zucchini, and squash.  Pictured to the right are strawberry runners, also known as stolons.  These offshoots will root into the soil and become their own clone of the plants we have.  If you haven’t bought any strawberry plants of your own, prepare for some to take home in the Fall!

To the second question, we wanted to give you an update of what to look for as you walk through the garden in the morning. This Monday, you will spot bright red ripe strawberries ready to be picked and eaten on the spot, and there will be pea pods that you can pick right off the vine near the door.

There will be herbs that are starting to exude strong fragrances to brighten your day. The lemon verbena pictured here, will be in a yellow pot that is just begging you to pinch the leaves for an amazing smell, as well as mint, pineapple sage, and basil ready to have the same treatment. Check out the development of the green wall, and the green tomatoes, which should be harvestable in another couple of weeks.

We also have plenty of wildflower and nasturtium blossoms popping up daily. We reserved the middle of the garden for wildflower growth, and luckily we have been rewarded with a whole host of beautiful colors so far. We recently planted sunflowers that will grow huge in the summer sun.

Be on the lookout for our lovely friends, the insects! Spotted so far, a bright blue pair of dragonflies, medium sized praying mantises, ladybugs, garden spiders, and a male blue jay who loves sipping from the bird bath.

That’s all for now, till next week, when we should have more of the same, and some pollinated tomatillo, beet sprout leaf development, and yellowish currant to watch for!