Garden Glimpses: Vol. II

Hope you all had a fantastic 4th of July weekend! It was warm enough, that's for sure! Luckily, there's been enough rain to keep the garden happy too.

Play in the dirt. Life is too short to always have clean fingernails.

So, as you can see, some recent garden happenings include radishes. Also, plenty of greens (spinach, lettuce, kale, swiss chard) which make for some pretty incredible sandwiches. Here's the "recipe" for my new favorite sandwich of late.

• 2 slices wheat bread

• Butter

• Garlic powder

• Black pepper

• Spinach and/or lettuce

• 2 slices turkey sandwich meat

• 2 radishes, sliced thin

Lightly toast the bread, butter it, and sprinkle with garlic powder and black pepper. Layer on the greens, turkey, and radish slices. Enjoy!

Raspberries are also starting up. We've harvested a couple dozen so far, but there are a great many more yet to ripen on the bushes. Check out some of my best raspberry desserts here!

In other, less fortunate news, the Japanese beetles have arrived in our yard. I recently spotted these nasty little creatures feasting on the last rose blooms. Of all the plants, they seem partial to roses, green beans, grapevines, and occasionally, blackberries. The beetles munch away to their hearts' content, leaving sad skeletons of leaves in their wake. We're not much for using pesticides, so I venture out with a bucket of soapy water to deal with them each morning. I swiftly brush the beetles into the bucket, so they can drown a soapy death. It can be oddly satisfying some days. :) And as long as I keep up with it, they don't have too much chance to damage the plants.

Let's end on a bright note with a look at my favorite planter and windowbox arrangements...

Windowbox all decked out for Independence Day. I'm awfully happy with how this grouping of dusty miller, creeping jenny, petunias and pansies worked out.

I just love how these striped petunias match the coleus.. What a smashing color combination!

How is your garden growing? Please feel free to share in the comments below!

Thank you for stopping by,

Eva