Vegetables on Display

                     I can't recall a summer in Maine with more sunshine than this year. Tony decided this spring that we should convert the outer horse pasture at the farm into a vegetable and flower garden and try our luck selling some of the rewards at the shop. I'm sure many of you in our area recall what last season was like for your vegetable gardens. There was literally 90 days of rain here and things got pretty dreary. If it had been like that again this year our little foray in the field could have been a disaster. But the sun gods have been unimaginably kindhearted and the garden is thriving and moving right into high yield September production.
                     It would have been easy to just take some pictures of the veggie field and post them here for you(and actually I could not resist and did take more; I will post some of the good ones up on our new Facebook page if you want to see them) but of course Tony had a fun and fabulous idea to do something different for you.

                     So without further ado, here are some of our current favorite summer vegetables for you to enjoy. I think you will agree that they are such beauties they deserved to be put on display!

1. Turk's Turban
2. Sweet  Dumpling Squash
3. Delicata
4. Striped Acorn Squash
5. Onion
6. Flying Saucer Patty Pan
7. Green Tint Patty Pan
8. Carnival Acorn Squash
9. Kabocha
10. Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
11. Green Beans
12. Red Cabbage   

                  
                    While we are sharing favorites, one of our best clients, Seana Wood sent us some recipes she has been using with all the wonderful vegetables from her garden this summer and we thought you would all enjoy them as well. Click through the jump for the best part of an abundant vegetable garden, Patty Pan Squash Casserole, Mediterranean Chopped Salad and Creamed Chard. Yum!

Cool Annuals for Plant Geeks

     The cooler evenings of August have us contemplating interesting annuals for next season's garden. For all you fellow plant geeks out there looking for some exciting drama in your life, here are some of our favorite new annuals (most zone 7-10) sure to steal the summer garden spotlight.

Eupatorium capillifolium

     This Eupatorium  capillifolium is a textured wonder. It is fast growing, tall and feathery soft to the touch. Someone probably asks about it on display in a large pot at the nursery at least twice a day.

Amicia zygomeris

     This Amicia has great color, texture and pendulous foliage with incredible movement in the fall breeze.  It is also quite tall and gets a lot of attention at the nursery.

Salvia madrensis "Red Neck Girl"

     You may have seen this tall striking sage growing in a friend(who's in the know)'s garden. It has huge soft foliage and bold striped stems. A real stunner in or out of bloom.

Leonotis leonurus

      This Leonotis looks almost unearthly. It grows tall and lush and then starts throwing out these wild spikey blooms that just seem to get cooler as they go to seed. Truly a unique find, this one really is a plant geek's dream come true.

Iochroma tubulosa

     This Iochroma has sturdy woody stems and prolific bunched blooms. And I bet no one else you know is growing it. Plant geek heaven.