Our Garden Currently: Before and After (My Plants)

I have taken on quite the green thumb over the last week.  I have been a bit MIA due to the weather here in Oregon and have enjoyed just spending time outside doing some gardening, replanting, packing for our trip on Friday (by the way we are leaving for Arkansas next Friday 8/24/12 and won't be back for 10 days), spending time with Skylar before he starts the 3rd grade, and my tan has come together quite well over this summer break.  Oregon sun does actually tan you, believe it or not, ha!  

While getting bits of gardening done, I wanted to share a few pictures of how my efforts have been, and still are,  paying off.

Miniature apple tree.  At the beginning of summer (on the left) it lacked little to be desired, but over the course of the season it has really blossomed out.  I am looking forward to how well it will do next season.  

Herbs.  These were all planted by seed and have really taken off this year.  The Rosemary in the photo above this one has done quite well and I've have already been using snips from it here and there for cooking.  

Skylar's little garden of pumpkins.  Due to the rain we got back in May, his seeds didn't take off as soon as they should, but he does have a few plants showing their faces here and there.  We will see how well they come together when the end of October is here.  I have my fingers crossed for him that he at least gets one pumpkin from his little garden.  :-)

Succulents of Hens and Chicks.

Vines and Potato Vine climbing the fence.

Lilly seed pods.  

Various other flowers and bushes that were grown from seeds.  The flower on the left is called Campanula Get Me and I am hoping it will look similar to THIS when it gets established later.

My very small, but eager Spirea.  

It's been a lot of fun taking the time and tending to plants that I can take with me when I move to Arkansas.  I hope they all get established and are able to take the travelling well from Oregon next summer.  I am eager to get settled in next year and see what all of these plants and flowers can really do once they are in the ground and able to spread.

Let's not forget my sunflowers progress.  Even though these will die at the end of their cycle, they are loving the sun that hits the side of the house.  They have grown a lot in the last few days and have really taken off!  I can't wait to see the flower heads on them once they start blooming.

Hope your garden and flowers are looking just as great as mine this year!

Eco-Tip:  To save even more water while in the shower, consider installing a water-control valve on your shower head or purchase a shower head with the control valve already installed.  The purpose of the valve is to shut the water off at the head so that it doesn't continue to flow as you lather up, shave, etc.  The valve is also nice because it keeps the water at the save temperature before you shut it off.  For more tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.