Summer Flowers

By Ellen Leigh | July 22, 2009 | Category edible landscaping, Flowers, garden design, organic, vegetable gardening

I am really enjoying my little gardens this year. The above photo is of the herb garden outside my back door. With easy access to the kitchen, I can run out quickly and grab something to add to the evening meal or breakfast omelet. Last year’s pineapple sage survived the winter snuggled in close to the house, and looks really healthy there in the back. Chives, lemon thyme, rosemary, basil, sage, plus lavender and some catmint for scent and color round out the herbs, along with some nasturtiums and pansies to add to a salad.

I love to decorate my garden with old furniture and impliments. The chair above sits alongside the parking area and holds a lovely mixed planter. My favorite blue lobelia, and a pretty coral pelargonium fill out the barely visible cobalt blue pot.

I can’t tell you how many generations of impatiens I’ve grown from seed collected each year from plants I’ve started in the house. I never tire of saving the seeds, starting them in March, and patiently waiting to see what surprising colors show up each summer. Coral swirl is my favorite color, and there’s one I’m especially fond of with spatters of dark burgundy on a coral background- very unusual!

Tags: flowers, herbs, planters, saving seeds, selecting plants