A Walk in the Garden

Come join us for a Walk in the Garden. I took these pictures on July 14, just 3 days ago. After all the Rains and the Weeding, the Gardens are now settled down for Magical Growing of the Season.

The Plants are bursting with Life. We see changes Daily. And we don't want to miss Anything.
The biggest success of the Season has been to watch the Garden Beds which were "Sheet Mulched" (http://butterflyhillfarm.blogspot.com/search?q=sheet+mulch). By far and away, they are the most productive. The plants are bigger, more vibrant. We find less disease. We find to our excitement more flowering and more fruit set too.I planted Scarlet Runner Beans at the base of the Teepee. They drowned out with all the Rains earlier. I still have hopes to plant some more. I plan to add Hyacinth Runner Bean to the Mix. But, in the meantime, a little Jenny Wren has set up housekeeping in the Gourd I painted which is at the Top of the Teepee. We see Mrs. Wren flying in and out with Bugs for the Kids. Why are all Jenny Wrens referred to as "she"?
This picture was taken in the middle of the Herb Garden. We have Herbs planted for Culinary and Medicinal Purposes. Harvest of Herbs is underway.
We have a few Sunflowers in the Garden this year. Almost all came up from Seeds left from the Last Growing Season. We just let them come up where they may. They add a vibrant touch.
This little pathway goes through a 3 Sister's Garden. This style of Gardening was widely used by Native Americans. Corn, Beans, and Squash when grown together had mutually beneficial properties. The Corn grew tall and provided support for the Vining Beans. The Squash shaded out Weeds. Corn is a "heavy feeder" while Beans return Nitrogen to the Soil. Arikara Sunflowers are at both Gateways to the Pathway.
These Tomatoes are Robust. They are much larger than some of the other Tomatoes. Melanie had no idea they would grow in such a mass when she planted them. She grew them in Aged Cow Manure Compost. They were not Sheet Mulched. They are not as tall as the Sheet Mulched Tomatoes.

We celebrate the presence of Bees.

Melanie is growing Peanuts. While borderline for this area, they have an amazing growth habit.

These Tomatoes were grown in little pockets of Aged Cow Manure Compost.

This is one of Richard's Bean Patches. These Vigorous Plants yielded 21 Quarts of Beans which Richard canned today.

The Benary's Giant Zinnias are just beginning to bloom. They (with my Mother's Marigolds) line many of the paths in the south part of the Garden.

I love Dry Edible Beans. We have about 10 varieties planted. Some had to be replanted because the Rains drown them out. The shorter plants are the "re-plants". The short empty row on the right is Garbanzos. I don't know what happened here. I have some more learning to do. We may fertilize some of the Beans as the Plants are a bit yellow.

We are excited about the Carrots. We have them in a variety of spots. I am always amazed that they grow from such small Seeds which could fly away on a Puff of Wind at Planting and are barely covered with Soil.

St. Francis sits in the Herb Garden. Birds routinely sit on his head. I haven't really seen this as he is cleverly tucked away. How can I tell?

The Benches invite the Gardeners and their Visitors to sit for a few moments and ponder the Beauty and Grace of it all.