It's July in Alabama, but the garden is faring quite well. The drought has forced us to be vigilant irrigators - we've spent many a hour moving sprinklers, laying drip tape, and brainstorming ways to make the process more efficient. Those recent afternoon thunderstorms have made us and our plants very happy. The zinnias and sunflowers are in full bloom, giving our parched and monochromatic landscape bursts of color. The cockscomb are beginning to fan and some have assumed their curious, brain-like form. This month the peas have started to make their pods, and are the hotspot for all the local pollinators. So far, it's just the purple hulls that have made their debut, but the crowders and black beans will soon follow.
These photographs were taken in the evening light, just before a thunderstorm.
Cockscomb fans
Zinnias!
The hyacinth beans have overrun their cages.
The garden looking towards the facade of the school. Most of the second story is gone.
After completing their work as pollinator attractors, the dill flower heads went to seed.
The rainbow bed is growing marigolds, blackbeans, chard, and sunflowers. The chard seems to be unphased by the heat and is still putting out new growth!
A celosia brain!
Our hand-painted garden signs look great and add even more color to our beds!
You can always count on purple hull peas.