How Does Your Garden Grow?

 Now that the growing season is over, time to look back and think about the successes and failures of this year.  Big success were my volunteer marigolds that slowly grew throughout the summer and only finally bloomed in the fall.  They looked like pumpkins by my front walkway.  A side benefit is that the rabbits don't seem to eat them.  Yay, marigolds!

I got a few tomatoes from the patio plant on my deck.  The one I put down in the garden was a bust.  There were two green tomatoes still on the plant at the end of October.  A bust.  Next year--a patio plant or no tomatoes.

My raspberry and blackberry bushes have survived the summer.  It remains to be seen if they make it through the winter or if the rabbits eat them down to nothing.  If I can get my hands on some chicken wire, they might stand a chance.  I have not eaten one berry off these plants.  I have hope for next year.

The herbs--mint, thyme, and oregano have had a good year.  I don't remember to use them for much.  But, I feel successful with an herb garden none the less.  I can't seem to keep basil alive to save my life.  Basil is the main herb I have tried to grow.  It is the one I would use. Sigh.  At least the rabbits don't seem to like the herbs I have.

In flowers--The rabbits have consumed mums, hostas, petunias, and gerber daisies.  However they don't touch yarrow, begonias, and dianthus.  They have also left the wildish flowers I have alone--the black eyed daisies and the babies breath.  As I recall, they ate tulips, and daffodils and crocus to the nubs.

I had the ash tree in the front yard cut down in anticipation of the ash borer, but as I walk around the neighborhood and see other ash trees, I guess I was premature in that decision.  I might have gotten another year from that tree.

I haven't decided what to do about the garden next year, but when I am deciding, I hope to remember to look back at this post and use the wisdom of the past to guide the future.