cantaloup

A friend gave me a couple of cantaloup seedlings which came through her compost.  I chose the warmest spot, north facing, to place the pot they were planted in.  I planted them in premium potting mix, never mind the cost.  In February two melons were looking healthy and I waited for them to grow bigger and ripen.

A couple of days ago I picked the cantaloups as the vine had died.  Here they are, slightly larger than the large apple.  They smelled sweet and tasted like a sun ripened fruit should.

Dahlias

The dahlias were at their best a couple of months ago but the bushes are still flowering.  I have to remember to deadhead the flowers once they are wilted and in the heat they do not last long.

In this flower bed of azaleas are two varieties of dwarf dahlias.  They were planted by the previous owner of the garden and they keep coming back each summer.  I have not done a thing to them in the almost nine years I have taken over the garden, except dig in fertilisers in spring and autumn.

A close up of the Burgundy dahlia.

A pretty variegated form, in cream and pink.

A tall bushy variety, brought over from my old garden.

Crepe myrtle

The crepe myrtle are still at their best at this time.  I see them when I am driving around in the suburb.
I have a white flowering variety growing in a pot.  On my nature strip there is a mauve one and from my verandah I can see my neighbour's pink variety.

white crepe myrtle

mauve crepe myrtle

pink crepe myrtle

Sweet corn and white squash

two pots of sweet corns facing north

a mature cob ready for picking

I bought a pun net of sweet corn seedlings and decided to plant them in pots.  The pots were placed in a very sunny position.  They are doing very well and I shall be picking the mature cobs.

white squash being grown for the seeds

The squash grown for seeds have grown and besides it is a smaller one which I shall pick soon.  A pity that so many of the squash grew to a certain size, turn yellow and drop off.

Sun ripened fruits

Peach

Cox's orange pippin apple and damson plums

A few of the sun ripened fruits from my garden.  Hopefully they will be more plentiful in the future.  The peach tree was attacked by leaf curl mites.  It was too late to do anything so I fed the tree and watered it well and let the affected leaves drop.  It seemed to work.  The few fruits that grew and were not taken by possums and birds were just gorgeous.

Roses

The roses are back.  I cannot label them as I am not very good with remembering names.  Enjoy the colours and shapes.  I love my early morning walk through my garden and also at dusk.  You can see the changes in the colours just from the changes in the lighting.

 and a beautiful perfume

always prolific

two tones

girly pink

sunset colours

striking contrast

amongst the vegetables

brilliant red

brightening up the garden bed

Some vegetables

I have picked a few cherry tomatoes and I am waiting for the Roma variety to ripen.  The vegetables I have been picking most are the different Chinese greens and the chards.  They are so versatile in the kitchen and so easy to grow.  The same can be said for the basil which I have plenty of.

Chinese greens and chards

Pot of basils

The white squash is doing well and one of the squash has grown to the size of a saucer.  This I will allow to mature for the seeds.

White squash

I grew some sweet corns in pots and I can see cobs forming.

Potted sweet corns with a sunflower amidst them.