some vegetables

The chillies are ripening, and I shall be harvesting them as I consider the chilli as a vegetable.  I slice chillies to add to a stir-fry.  This chilli has a sweetish flavour, making it a good addition to a salad.

This white squash hanging over my garden box can grow to the size of a dinner plate, when the skin would be tough like that of a pumpkin.  I pick it at this size when it is still tender and good for steaming or adding to a stir-fry or a soup.

This is what the squash looks like when left to mature.

The white squash growing habit is more like a zucchini, spreading along the ground.  I suppose the male flowers could be used as a vegetable but I have not had the time to do anything with them.

unexpected harvest

This is what is left of the six plums I picked from my damson tree this morning.  It was an unexpected find.  I was checking out my outside garden after my morning walk.  The area beneath the damson tree was quite untidy and as I pulled out a few weeds I saw a bunch of the plums.  I used to pick bags of the fruit from my old neighbour's garden in Alphington.  Before she sold her house a few years ago she dug up a couple of young damson trees that had grown from suckers and these trees I planted in my outside garden.  I saw some blossoms in spring and then nothing.  Imagine my sheer delight when I saw the fruits.  The fruit is tart but refreshing.  Below is a picture of the tree.  Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me when I made my discovery.

Red and white

Growing close together the red hibiscus and white crepe myrtle glow in the sunshine.  The hibiscus plant has been blooming very well this summer even though the stick like plant with hardly any leaves does not look strong.  I see the flowers through the window and they are pleasing.

A brilliant red hibiscus to brighten up any garden.

Crinkly white myrtle flowers to attract the bees.

Queensland Blue pumpkin

The only successful one of the few pumpkin vines in my garden.  It is the Queensland Blue. 

The pumpkin is resting on a plastic dish as I worry that it would rot if left sitting on the leaf litter.  I have to remind myself to feed the vine and I do pick the shoots to cook as a vegetable.