Thursday, June 24, 2010

Heat? What heat?

Although we don't want to live in a modern high-rise forever, I can say with certainty that the best thing about having my patio garden way up in the sky is that I can avoid the nasty summer weather down below. When I walk out there to water every morning, it's downright pleasant outside, even if the sweaty pedestrians eight floors down are battling heat in the upper 90s with humidity to match. The breeze, the views, the smells... June in DC on my patio is heavenly! Working from home doesn't really help my state of oblivion, I must admit. Yesterday I was absolutely convinced it was gorgeous out until I met T for drinks and the Nats game after work. It was awful down there. But up here on my happy little perch, life is pretty dang good... even in the heat of a DC summer.

So how about a garden update?

Gorgeous summer color



Barbara's Gardenia in full bloom! The smell is heavenly.



Mojitos, anyone?



Lantana is such a happy-go-lucky flower to me... mellow and unassumingly gorgeous



This basil plant is two feet tall - good thing it's my favorite herb (good thing also that I have four of them)



The newest dahlias. Isn't this peach color heavenly?



My oregano started flowering, which isn't great for the herbs... but the flowers make great rustic bouquets for bud vases. 



I spy tomatoes!



Finally, our patio mascot, little Fanny (whose name my grandma just approved of: "that's a good 'ol farm name"). It's such a battle getting her back inside every day. I swear she'd just live out there if she could, comfy laps and air-conditioned perches be damned.



13 comments:

  1. Your patio looks AMAZING! I have no green thumb and i'm super jealous

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  2. I'm dying! The most beautiful patio garden EVER. And I could not be more jealous of your basil. How on earth do you get it to grow like that? Please share your secrets. Mine has been turning yellow and isn't nearly as tall and lush.

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  3. Looking good! Make some pesto!! That basil plant is gorgeous. I like the name Fanny too!

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  4. K: Thanks!! Although I've got to think keeping things alive in DC is much easier than in Austin!

    M: You know, I think it's the luck of the draw with basil plants - one of my basil plants has never looked as lush as this one. It flowered far too soon and I'm actually going to switch it out soon. The plants were purchased from different growers, so who knows... I say buy a new plant and give that one a try. What's the worst thing that can happen - you have TOO much delicious basil on hand?!

    KP: I've been putting fresh basil in everything, including pesto - but large-scale pesto production is about to begin in earnest! I bought new ice trays just to freeze what I make so I can easily pop out pesto cubes for months on end.

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  5. I continue to be incredibly envious of your gorgeous garden! I spied the first baby tomatoes in our garden over the weekend, too. They just can't ripen fast enough!

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  6. I did a garden update this morning too! Yours is looking beautiful. You are making me wish I had grown more flowers. Yay for gardening :)

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  7. Sooo beautiful! I was lazy about watering last week and the DC heat has done a number on my patio garden!

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  8. Oh wow. Your little oasis is just beautiful! Lantana are quickly becoming one of my favorites ... they seem to tolerate heat and drought (hello North Carolina) really well. Also love your gardenia. Heavenly!

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  9. Beautiful. A cottage in the sky. And that reminds me, I wanted to make mint syrup...for lemonade.

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  10. What a gorgeous garden you have there Mags! I would love to sit and drink a cup of coffee and listen to the sounds of the city below. Fanny is hilarious. I think I like her.

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  11. Thanks for chiming in, folks who commented after my responses! :-)

    I'm glad you like Fanny, too. (although Switters' extravagant fur is getting very undignified as he jealously listens to all the attention the little one is getting).

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  12. I'm in awe of your garden. We were so excited to sample some of the many green tomatoes hanging on our vines, only to discover the next day they were ALL gone. All of them. Damn squirrels. We're heartbroken and vegetable-less. :(

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