This has been a summer to remember for many, many reasons. This article, however, is about my garden, greenhouse, flowers, plants, fruits and veggies. I have had a wonderful time working in my garden and enjoying the results of the greenhouse and veggie benches. Come with me and feel the summer. Please note that each small picture can be seen bigger just by clicking it.

I had a plastic, tent type green house, last summer already. Had wonderful experience with it and it gave me loads and loads of cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant and herbs. Was really happy with it. This summer I was given a chance to have a more proper greenhouse and was super happy about that. Did lot of searching on line to find a suitable one for me. Size, material, shape, delivery and naturally prize was off interest to me. I finally chose Palram green house. Mine is Palram Hybrid 4,6 m². Could have chosen a bigger one, I soon found out, but I am totally happy with this.

I had two young fellows putting it up for me and helping me to install the boxes and soil. Then I was on my own. I had seeds grown in our home already from the early spring but I also bought few plants from a garden nursery. In addition to the green house I grew things outside in vegetable benches and pots. I also have a plum tree which brings lovely fruit every year and this summer I planted a pear tree for my new born grand daughter. The only berry I have is a small gooseberry bush. Usually Finnish houses have lots of different berry bushes but for some reason I don’t.

As I said it all started by growing baby plants from seeds in the house. I had all window sills full of pots and most of the dining table as well. Some plants came by post from a nursery and some I bought from a home depot type of store. I was very happy about the way all these plants turned out. Once the weather allowed I moved the seedlings to the green house and some of them directly to soil outside. Like always it has been such a pleasure to watch them grow. Fertilizing and watering and worrying when it rained a lot or when the sun was at it’s hottest. I must say though, that the weather was almost perfect this summer. Sun and rain in a very good mix.

In the green house I started growing two types of tomatoes, cucumbers, two types of chilies, two types of kale, chives, cellery, two types of basil, curry herb, coriander, parsley, two types of melons, lettuce, strawberries and malabar spinach.

Out in the open I had corn, carrots, rhubarb, coriander, two types of parsley, broad beans, potatoes, thyme, chives, oregano, lovage, mint and Pak Choi type of cabbage.

Tomatoes made a huge harvest. Every day I would bring in over 500g of tomatoes. Every day I also got a cucumber or two. Herbs of course were cut numerous times. The happiest I was, needless to say, about my melons! Got three cantaloupes and two watermelons. This I never thought would succeed. Broad beans were a huge success as well. We love to eat them so growing one’s own was so much fun.

During harvest I have done several different types of preservatives and have frozen and dried a lot of yummies for the winter. Preservatives were done, not only of self grown veggies, but also from great offers found from local store or market place. Tomatoes in many different ways, jams, dried and frozen herbs. I believe I am well stocked for the coming cold season.

And, yes I know, one can easily buy everything you need for cooking from a store. Fresh, in good offers and easy. Still I say that the produce you grow yourself is so very rewarding and brings so much joy. I don’t think anyone grows veggies or herbs to save on money rather than to enjoy gardening, get the feeling of succeeding in this type of work and simply enjoying outdoors and get some exercise while doing so. Are you of the same opinion my fellow gardeners?

All good comes to an end at one point, but not for good I hope. God willing, I will get back to my green house next season with new plans, hopes and dreams. Now is the time to do the final harvest and clean the green house as well as the veggie benches. They will be ready for next season. By December I will be reading gardening pages on line, browsing through magasines and making plans.

I could not give up the plants completely. Decided to try if some of the herbs would survive inside the house. I had some pots handy so I planted my basils, curry herb, and two chilies in them and placed them on a window. Had to try though I don’t have very big hopes that they would love it here.

How about a tour in the greenhouse and in the garden? Some mod pictures, moments and happiness? At one point it was difficult to enter the green house as the plants were so big. Makes me smile specially if I compare to the early pictures, when the green house was just put up. Here we GO!

Last but not least I will give some love to my flowers as well. My garden is not only about veggies and herbs. I do have some pretty flowers also. I am not very passionate about flowers as I am about my veggies but of course I love them! They bring so much beauty and happiness and should not forget that bees and butterflies love them and need them. Have always been a bot afraid of roses. They are a bot tricky in this climate. Only last summer I dared to buy two roses as they were very cheap. To my surprise they did very well and I have lovely roses the brighten my days. This summer I got more courageous and bought one more, a lovely pink rose. Well done me! It has made me very happy! Actually I bought it for my husby! He loves roses and their smell. Took several pictures of them just to make him happy. Very soon I will have to clean the flower beds as well. Still some time to enjoy the autumn flowers.

Just came inside from my cleaning adventure with the green house. Hosed it down with some water and then used a soft brush and very little of organic washing liquid to wash off anything visible and hopefully all the possible bacteria dangerous to plants. Finished the job by an other water treatment. It looks clean and happy! A bit of sun would be nice now to dry it. In gardening one can truly feel the cycle of the year. Ans as we are lucky enough to have proper four seasons it is lovely to follow them change and then come back again. Still left with the flower benches but that is left for an other day, maybe at the end of this month.

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Thank you my precious, little green house for bringing me so much joy this summer!

What did I grow:

Two types of basil. Carrots. Curry herb. Malabar spinach. Broad beans. Loco Chili. Hot banana chili. Strawberries. Gooseberries. Two types of tomatoes. Mint. Three different parsleys. Cape gooseberry. Two different types of kale. Plums, Cantaloupe. Water melon. Corn. Thyme. Oregano. Pak Choi type of cabbage.