So many things have happened since last #gardenjournal that honestly I don't know where to start from for this July Garden Journal Challenge.
@fotostef has also just posted his, so with both posts we must have covered the garden update :)
First, I think I have to say that we were away from the garden (and the island) for 1,5 month when we had planned to be away just for a couple of weeks. That means losses, delays and a general chaos, cause a garden most of all needs the love and care of its gardeners. But let me tell you that it is also the gardener that suffers from the absence of the garden :)
Although coming back was not easy, it was all the beloved plants that supported me and they still do...
Let's see some garden stuff!
Most herbs were lost amongst the weeds. Some were uprooted by the badge.
So much work to be done on the beds and the fence, most of it already done now that I write this, mostly thanks to @fotostef.
And among all that, a dog that had forgotten the most important rule -we don't lie on beds- for the sake of good shadow. What you don't know is that there is plenty of shadow outside the garden as well :)
Good news for the olives so far! All trees are loaded with fruits and hopefully it is going to be a good harvest!
The biggest enemy of the olive is the olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae). The last couple of years we deal with this guys by putting these yellow bags on each tree. It is an organic solution and the easiest thing to do. Although not so easy when we are talking about hundreds of trees!
This is how our olive groves mostly look :) No time for mowing yet, but I like these flowers of the wild carrots so much!
A selfie for a break :)
I think all my selfies are for #gardenjournal, haha! And we are trying our best not to show how tired we are!
Almond trees are thriving as well this year!
The quince tree is also doing well.
Back to the herbs!
Proud to announce that (some) rosemary plants are now taller that their neighboring onions!
The samphire is doing surprisingly well and I can't wait to taste it as we are quite away from the seashore and I am not sure about its taste.
I love the super green and healthy yarrow - Achillea millefolium and I am planning to collect the flowers for natural dyeing.
We had the first harvest of marjoram! The scent is incredible and they are now naturally drying.
While we are getting ready for the lemon balm :)
The vegetable garden is almost non-existent. Just before we leave, due to strong wind all the pumpkin and cucumber plants died. When we came back all the potatoes were sick and dying. Only three cherry tomato plants have survived and they produce some delicious tomatoes. Well, to be accurate the first two were delicious, we are still waiting for the others :)
With great delay and the hope that they will grow fast, we have also planted some cucumbers and peppers.
Oh, and many Mexican corns!
Black and green, super excited! In Greece we only have yellow and yellowish corns and decided to change it a bit, or a lot :)
And many many beans that haven't showed up yet!
This post has to come to an end and this is always a problem with garden journal. I always have so many photos and plants to share.
Some flowers for the finale of the more resilient plants in the garden, Cistus creticus, caper and apple geranium.
I would really like to hear some garden news from @sjarvie5 and @bluemoon if they want to share :)
Happy gardening, happy grounding everyone!
If you would like to know more about me this is my introduction post.