my thumb isn't very green this year

We still haven't turned on our A/C. Spring has dawdled around here and the drought-ending rain is still not ending to let the heat crank up. In addition to my already documented issues with growing vegetables this year, the rest of my yard isn't completely happy about the change in climate. I've encouraged drought tolerant plants and they're expecting more sun than they've gotten. This is what it looks like Chez Pook and Bug right now...

This is the milk crate which was supposed to protect Baby Cucumber Number Three. Every leaf was eaten off this time, and the ground dug up in the area, but the crate undisturbed.

Nearby are carrot seedlings, ignored by whatever pest loves cucumbers. They were dug up once after seeding them, so they're no longer in straight rows, but they're coping. A volunteer pea/bean plant is behind the carrots. The baby pepper plant, in it's toilet paper tube for protection, is photographed a few hours before being polished off as something's dinner. The only bugs I saw were pill bugs which supposedly don't eat live plants. I think they made a mistake and ate every pepper I put out.


Onto the chewed up parsley. Nothing left but stem. Next to it, the baby basil is untouched.

The two inch tomato plant is actually lucky to be in a pot; all the rest were eaten to the ground. Who eats tomatoes and cucumbers and ignores carrots and beans? Are you in tears yet? This is the worst of it fortunately. In addition to the tomatoes started from seed I bought some lovely one gallon organic heirloom varieties. I think I know what I'll plant next year. There are several one inch green tomatoes already hanging on the tall plant.

I should leave veggie gardening to the farmers. The rest of the yard is doing better, if not lush. I'd like to fill in all the space between plants but it just doesn't happen. However, my aim for a twelve month yard of blooms has been on track for the past five months- the easy ones. My rosebushes usually bloom for Mother's Day, and they were heavy with flowers this year. I brought lots indoors to put in vases and shared some at a Memorial Day party with the hostess.


Elsewhere in the yard is spider wort. Near it I found an unidentified flower I like enough to keep. Don't tell me it's invasive or poisonous please.

Next come daylillies. Mine are behind schedule, but getting ready for a good pop I hope. I should shuffle them around a bit. I don't like the way I have them all clumpy by type. It would give a better presentation if they were mixed. I've got Stella d'Ora, generic orange and some redish ones I don't remember getting.

Beside the daylillies is some feverfew that self seeded. I'd like more in the area, but it's on a slope and seeds itself lower and lower until the driveway interferes. The purple coneflower plant, below,wasn't ready to bloom when I took the photo a few days ago, but the visitor made the photo worthwhile before the bloom showed up. I hope she eats all the pests that have bothered my plants.


Like everything else in the yard, the hydrangeas are having a weak presentation. I have three types but only found blooms on the Oakleaf and the Lace varieties; the traditional blue is AWOL.


The last bloom to show is the sedum, a slow but steady grower which looks nice all summer. It hasn't spread much, but comes back strong in our woodlands area each year. The sun will soon become strong and the rain will probably stop, so some plants will prosper and many others will suffer in the heat and turn brown. I'll check in again in July and compare. There is always much to be improved upon in our big yard.