Trimmed up the tomato and more photos

Photos from yesterday after walking Rocky. The bush is still top heavy but at least I can see most of the fruit on there. I counted 11 tomatoes! Pepper is coming along with several more on there as well and I gave away a good dozen from first harvest to a former coworker.

After

Before

 

There is no compost pile/container and I didn't want to walk all the way over to the dumpster so I just took the leaves and dropped them at the other end of the garden. Will figure out something eventually that is convenient and small.  Still trying to get up the energy and gumption to plot out making more beds, asking them to remove the pile of logs and digging out the jade bush. 

The jade is a problem for various reasons, rats and mice can hid in there along with other critters and it is right next to the fence of the apartment on the end that has a small patio (oh I wish I had that apartment!).

I think I mentioned before that I am the only real dedicated garden person using that space. I'm not counting the other lady that is watering her weeds and mint or the lady that thinks the lemon tree is her proprietary tree and everyone else is wrong about how to take care of it. If I can plant more things then the garden can provide a few fresh veggies for everyone.

Anyway, now that I have more time in my days I feel I need to do something productive for myself and maybe inspire others to do the same.

Okay on to more photos from the field trip! Every year they purchase hundreds of milkweed for people wanting to attract Monarchs. The place was all aflutter with them and they didn't just sell the tropical orange one. They had two different varieties of native milkweed as well that are better for the butterflies and environment.

Monarch

Unusual delphinium

This beauty is a very unusual delphinium that I forgot to get the name of. Not only is it a pale pink but has open ruffled flowers.  Almost looks like a hyacinth or stock!

(Pardon the odd photo placement, just when I think I have it figured out on putting them side by side, I'm wrong.)

The other plant that Andersen's is known for is their Staghorn Fern collection and especially  the big Platycerium superbum. (incorrectly people call them Super Bum hehehehe). Will have a small info class on basic pronunciation soon.

They also have resumed their morning garden classes on Saturdays which are great and I noticed the topic was shade plants apparently from the picture. That center stahorn is about five feet wide and from top of sail to bottom of fronds is about seven feet. that has been remounted twice that I know of in the twenty years I was there. The other two are still babies but believe it or not there is very little care for them and it is looking the healthiest I remember. One of the few situations where a drip system actually is good but on manual only. 

 So still more pictures but you got the idea, I'm still a big fan of that place and recommend it all the time to people. There are a lot of choices for nurseries in my city and depending on where you are, you have your favorite.