this summer + fall in green

hello!

this post has been my baby for weeks now. and if you're not the flower or plant type person, you're more than welcome to just scroll on by :) but i wanted to share with the world how blessed i've been this summer. give thanks in all circumstances, right? 

i started out by planting flowers all around my property, and the only ones who did any good were these gargantuan zinnias. they are hardy!!! nothing could kill them, not even the monsoon season.

something else grew in there, but i'm not sure what it was... the zinnias kinda overtook my raised bed. i'm thinking if i want to put in zinnias again, i'll double re-think my location on where to put them. 

some begonias went in, but the sun killed them off. i mean, how do you plant stuff in your yard according to the sun? the bloody thing changes its course every other month--haha!

i was able to bring home these beautiful lisianthus flowers all the way from DC. the guy said these girls were sturdy and would handle the flight. he also said these flowers were a distant cousin of the blue bonnet. gary the skeptic, researched it further and turned out to be they were related to the texas bell flower...the way people make a buck these days--lol

he was right about one thing, they did last the flight. and they lasted over 2 weeks on my dining table. 

below is my rubber plant: during the summer, it grew its leaves in this vibrant red. it was so strange to watch them unfurl and turn to dark green. this guy is so easy to grow...definitely recommend it if you want something easy to care for.

i often tell gary to pull over while driving so i can pick some flowers. i'm kinda digging the foraging movement going on these days. but i must remember to keep some pruning shears in the car for next year when all the magnolias start blooming again. they're such beauties! 

i brought back some of the flowers with me after little sister's birthday. those lilies were just a bloomin' and i totally want a eucalyptus tree now. i remember them in Mexico, at the front of houses, just as fragrant as can be. gary couldn't smell it because he's been having allergies. 

one day while i had all my new prints on the table to photograph  i asked andrew to clean off the table for a meal and he had propped them all up "to make the table pretty" I absolutely love that about him. the little things that make my heart full. 

Prints are available here if you wanna take a looksy. i'm having a sale on them too!

now, i'm no stellar gardener or seasoned farmer, i'm only learning as i go and just googling things when i need to. i was bummed my blueberry bush didn't provide any blueberries but was stoked when my fig tree produced the most delicious fig i've eaten in years. this stuff is complicated, guys! next spring, i need to finally choose a spot to plant the tree and that makes me nervous. 

mid summer, my crazy compost started sprouting seeds and soon we found out that it was canteloupe. i knew nothing of cantaloupes. nothing. 

so i just let it take over my little square of a garden and then i started seeing fruit. everywhere. 

and finally i reaped my first melon. unfortunately i was the only one who somewhat enjoys melon, so i celebrated it the mexican way. 

and then, the raccoons found my melons. night after night i would come out to see them as empty rines. so after getting irritated day after day and not doing anything about them, i just pulled up the cantaloupe and said no more, coons! 

man i was so frustrated and disappointed with that. i was planning on giving out melons to everyone...but i've learned my lessons and will better prepare for next year! 

 i took a picture of the moon two days after the blood/harvest moon and it was just so awe-mazing...

love finding things in our back patio! and elena loves digging dirt and getting dirty. it's all fine with me though...

and purslane? did you know their little pods are so weird looking and you can eat purslane salad? i haven't gotten the guts to make it...but maybe i will if i find the right recipe.  

thanks guys for sticking around and letting me jibber jabber about my little plants. 

previous posts on my plants here, here, here, & here just in case you're bored :) 

have a fantastic day, everyone!