Scarlet Runner Beans - The Best of Both Worlds!

Hummingbirds love these flowers!

That's one of the main reasons I grow them.

The Scarlet Runner Bean (Phaseolus coccineus) is the best of both worlds,

being both an edible and an ornamental!

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The attractive red flowers last throughout the growing season and are favoured by

Butterflies, Bees, and those Hummingbirds, too!

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This lovely heirloom will climb vigourously on poles, fences, trellis', or any support it's given.

If enough of them are planted, they'll actually make a nice visual screen on the deck, patio or really, anywhere in the garden.

They prefer full sun, and I've found, despite what other's say, they take the heat of summer very well.

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I'm currently growing the regular red Scarlet Runner variety, as well as the "Painted Lady", which is a red and white bi-colour. Pictures to follow...

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Admittedly, I've never eaten them since I always save the seeds for sowing & planting next year, however, here's a link to a site with a recipe and cooking instructions for those who might be interested.

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Plus, if you're seeking seed, I have organic and open-pollinated

Scarlet runner seed packets available

at Wall Flower Studio's Etsy shop.

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Thanks for visiting!

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More Friday Flowers - Morning Sun on Hollyhocks

Well, it's August tomorrow, (which makes me a little sad because that means next month is September with Autumn soon to follow. Leave it to me to point out the obvious).

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Anyways, the Hollyhocks will soon be finished for another year, so I just wanted to share one last photo before the blooms are all spent. I'm sure I didn't actually capture the remarkable effect of the morning sun coming through the petals.

A garden sure is more effective in person.

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Hoping to collect a lot of the seeds, some of which I'll plant back in the garden, and some, (if anyone is interested), I'll be eventually listing on my Etsy site.

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These beautiful flowers have given me such pleasure everytime I go outside and see them, which is often! I'm a grateful gardener.

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Thanks for visiting!

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#Blooming #Friday - The Last of the Lilies

Yellow Asiatic Lily

I can't remember the variety/name of this orange Hemerocallis, but I love the colour!

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Happy Friday!

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Verandah Vignette - Favourite Garden Seats

This old rickety chair, (that I happily admit to finding at our local dump), is the most comfortable seat I've ever plopped myself down in.

It's become like an old friend, and I can't imagine who would have wanted to throw away such an item! Well, you know that old saying..

"One man's trash is another's treasure". Or, maybe even better, "C'est la vie"!

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To me, a space to sit and read, usually with a good cuppa java, listening to nature, or just to take in the garden's view for even just a few precious moments during the day, is worth it's weight in gold.

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Everyone needs a space where they can relax, wind down, and just be.

This space happens to be mine; On the verandah.

Hoping you have some kind of peaceful space for yourself, too!

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Happy Gardening!

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Butterfly and Coneflowers in the Garden - #WordlessWednesday

Garden Structures - Functional and Beautiful

Well, I convinced my husband that a trellis was necessary, and was so pleased with what he built me. Not only do trellises, obelisks and other garden structures look good, but they give much needed support for climbers, but actually, they provide extra room for plants in the garden by offering that vertical space!

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Form and Function. I like that a lot!

Pictured here are Rattlesnake pole beans. They are really tasty heirlooms that I can't wait to pick and eat!
The pods actually have a rattlesnake "esque" pattern on them, so they not only taste good, but they're pretty to look at on the vine too. It's an old time favorite as both a snap bean and dry bean used in soups. This heavy producer provides beans withing 73 days.
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So, garden structures are ideal when you have little space for growing a garden, or even if you have several hundred acres!
There are many types of vegetable plants that grow very well with the help of a trellis, and many different structures that can be used to grow not only food, but many other climbers and vines that will look beautiful, and have much needed support, in the garden.
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Happy Gardening!
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Growing Beefsteak Tomatoes

Beefsteak Tomatoes coming along nicely.

Last year I planted them way too late, and combine that with the rainy and miserable summer that it was, weatherwise, I think I harvested only a few tomatoes in September.

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Thinking this year's bounty will be more abundant and hoping yours will be, too.

Happy Gardening!

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Lovely and Useful Lavender

Hand made lavender dryer sachet in a pile of my organically grown dried lavender.

Lightly scenting clothes, towels and sheets without any chemicals!

Ah, Lavender. Is there anything that can delight the senses as much as this plant does?

I can fully understand why it's been cultivated and used by humans for thousands of years.

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Still, to this day, even in our modern world, where man made artificial scents are sold practically everywhere and are in practically every household product, this superb specimen still reigns supreme.

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Personally, and this is purely my opinion, I don't purchase anything like "Febreze" or "Airwick" as I don't think they can compare to the natural scent of Lavender.

These products are not likely good for our health, and it seems that they are just another product that the chemical company's sell, trying to make a buck by making us sick by breathing in unnatural products that we don't really need.

And really, they want to sell these items REALLY badly, since I don't think a day goes by that I'm not subjected to a commercial of some kind of product with Febreze in it.

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Just picture in your mind all the advertising people on Madison Avenue, thinking up ways to enlighten us common folk to the fact that we need to spray artificial scents in our homes, and, how it's seemingly going to make our life better, what a joke!!

The mute button on the remote is worth it's weight in gold, that's for sure!

That's my rant for the day! ; )

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So, a few sachets of lavender will last up to 5 years until having to be replaced.

I throw a muslin bag filled with lavender in my dryer , (like the one you see above), and I also keep one under my pillow (as the scent has been proven to relax people and promote better sleep), and of course, I keep them in other places throughout the house, too.

Works like a charm...

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Happy Gardening!

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Friday's Flower Portrait - Double Daylily

I've waited all year to see this garden gem! It's so luscious looking that I almost want to eat it!

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Seem to recall this particular Daylily being named "Kwanzo", but feel free to correct me if that's wrong.

Each day I look forward to a new one opening up and wishing they lasted longer.

Thinking that any hemerocallis fan would also like this variety in their garden as much as I do!

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Thanks for visiting : )

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Blooming in the July Garden ... Hollyhocks

Hollyhocks - Double hot pink

I really love the old fashioned look of Hollyhocks. Can't seem to get enough of this flower!

The blossoms remind me of big pom-poms.

Bees and Hummingbirds are visiting the flowers, much to my delight! The Bees climb right inside in their search for pollen, virtually disappearing from view. It's like they're in bed, gathering a big comforter around them. And of course, anytime the Hummingbirds come around to visit, I'm a happy camper!

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I resorted to staking them a couple of days ago since we've had a couple of nasty thunderstorms as of late.

Instead of checking to see if my car was damaged yesterday after a barage of quarter-sized hail that accompanied a particularly bad storm, my first concern was for the garden, but mainly for the Hollyhocks!

Typical of many gardeners, I'm sure! : )

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Happy Gardening!

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Friday Flower - Pumpkin Patch

I didn't actually plant this pumpkin plant. Well, at least not on purpose!

This grew as a result of me putting the pumpkins I'd purchased last year as Halloween decorations for my front steps, into the raised bed last Autumn.

I completely forgot about them, and they took it upon themselves to decompose over the winter, (which to me is one of the magical aspects of of nature), so, lo and behold, (and much to my delight), the seedlings started appearing early this Spring.

Don't you just love a freebie?!

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The flowers are really pretty, actually! A brilliant colour and as big as the span of my hand. Can't help but think they look like squash flower on steroids!

So, althought I'm not actually sure what variety this pumpkin is, I'll have a really good chuckle if I have one or two for harvest this fall.

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The raised bed it's growing in is not that large. I have two raised beds, side by side, each 4' x 8', and at present, am growing heirloom carrots, beets, as well as many varieties of herbs. Thinking that this is an experiment at best, and hoping to harvest the carrots and beets before they are crowded out by the pumpkin plant, which is already starting to happen.

So.... Perhaps later on in the year I'll be able to post some actual photos if anything comes from this very welcome and free addition to the garden!

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Happy Gardening!

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Happy Canada Day!

...And if you'll note the windsock, a very blustery Canada Day!
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