The Last Tomato Harvest

This morning I pulled up the tomato plants and composted them. I was surprised to find a lot of lovely fruit on the vine!

I kept some green ones to make fried green tomatoes; one of my favorite garden treats last year.

San Marzano and Yellow Pear tomatoes.

Heirloom Sun Drop and Black Russian, I think? These were in an heirloom mix so I am guessing at the varieties.

Drying and ready for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Gifts from Sharon

My gardener friend Sharon called me over to pick up some plant divisions from her garden. They are now all safely planted, waiting until next spring for me to figure out what they are! I love that about gifting plants...sometimes you get a delayed surprise.
A Saxifraga with deep green rosettes for foliage. Planted under the coral bark maple in the front yard. I can't remember if she said a pink or white bloom.

Unknown, with compact low growing foliage, and a pink flower to float above on taller stems. Planted in the cutting garden.

White Aster, I believe, planted at the back of the millstone.

Unknown, lots of poky stems! planted in the south hill garden, between the rhody, crepe myrtle, Russian sages and diablo ninebark. Also: Poppies and forget-me-not.

Bishop's cap. Planted in the front shade garden next to the Snowberry tree.

White edged Hosta. The root on this was huge! Planted in the front shade garden.

Astilbe with pink shorter flowers. Planted beneath a leaky downspout, as I know Astilbes love water and I don't have much of that in my garden.

A tough year for Tomatoes

The tomatoes are finally ripening, unfortunately they are also splitting and showing signs of disease (blossom end rot) which is due to inconsistent water conditions.

Even though the weather has been hard on the plants and fruit, it was still worth it to me, I had a ton of dinners from these, and now getting to the see the rich colors of the heirloom varieties is very rewarding. Is it wrong to be inpatient for next years crop when this years is still on the vine?

Ripening Cherokee Purple.

October Flowers

Getting our first look at the Alstromeria blooms. These are from Karen Decker, I really like them & I'll have to discover a spot where the gold throat could be better shown off. Right now they are on their own but I think they could use some contrast.

Chrysanthemums planted out in the new herb garden, a gift this fall from Claudia.

The blanket flower continues to bloom and also leaves these really nice puffs behind.

Lilac poppy grown from seed, these are still blooming and the bees are still buzzing around them.

The Godetia is putting on a second bloom for October. I thought they were seed pods, but it turns out it's a combination of seed pods from earlier blooms and new flowers.

The Hydrangea blooms are all turning deep purple, it's truly gorgeous.

The pink Euphorbia is incredible, however I think it's this lovely shade because it's dying, if it were healthy it should look like the one above it. Hopefully it will put on some roots and come back okay next spring.


Asters from Lonnie.


Autumn Crocus with just pruned lavender.


Before long the green leaves at the top of this photo will be a much taller Japanese Maple tree and all this color will be at it's feet.























An new and unknown flower, a gift from Sharon. Something to discover.

A Euphorbia...unidentified.