This Week in the Garden

The front walk is looking very blonde these days with all the Mexican feathergrass and pale yellow firecracker fern. My cat, on the other hand, is not looking blonde at all End of the artichoke days I read here that you can cut the plant back to the ground in June and it will put out new stalks in the fall. So cool, especially as I was thinking of it as an annual! I've put some burgundy okra seeds at the base of the plant, and hopefully they'll fill in the spot while it's dormant. On the more vibrant side, golden thryallis and coral bean are kicking into gear against the front of the house. Cigar plant is looking its best along the side of the house. And while the copper canyon behind it has finished blooming, the foliage makes a lovely backdrop. Trimmed up the possumhaw this week. And while I was at it, I noticed some nice, soft (sedge?) grass clumps along the drip irrigation line (hoping they'll multiply). Still brainstorming landscape ideas for this side yard. Only one more fennel bulb left (last one harvested was sauteed with butter and white wine and mussels), and that one's just for seed. The neighboring plants are appreciating the space the fennel harvesting freed up. The other plants on Friday: red okra, a couple of basils, shallots, japanese eggplant...and a Cherokee purple tomato, with two full-size green tomatoes on it. You can see one resting on the stone border. Protected by bird netting. Which does absolutely nothing to stop a determined squirrel. I've learned my lesson: only cherry tomatoes from now on. Next to the veggie bed in the decomposed granite is a volunteer watermelon...guess that's the silver lining in having raccoons or squirrels break into a couple last summer. Volunteer angel's trumpet has taken over this bed, and I'm slowly cutting it back...which is hard because the blooms are gorgeous. Gotta give the lemongrass, mint and shrimp plant I planted last fall a chance, though. The same bed from the other direction: loving the bronze fennel, but I wish I had planted it behind the shorter Blue Beard Caryopteris right behind it...again, I was thinking it was an annual. Surprise! Some non-orange cosmos came up from seed I threw out last year. Another surprise! Some daylilies survived the renovation on the garage apartment two summers ago. So much happening in the garden these days before full summer...enjoying everything but the mosquitos.