summer•shorts no:14
I think you'll agree that this year's Three Sisters bed is quite magnificent. Sister-Corn is the star of the show, just look as those cobs becoming plump on the sturdy stalks with those tufts of male flowers on the top. They dance like warriors in the breeze.
Sister-Bean is playing a quiet supporting role this year, she's there if you look carefully but doesn't steal the limelight. But by late October I'm sure there will be a good harvest of beans for comforting casseroles and soups.
And lastly Sister-Squash, she holds the whole show together – her stout limbs run around and around holding the giant green leaves aloft. She sends up tall stalks with exotic frilly yellow flowers that the bees and hoverflies love and tucked below her fruit are forming, drinking up the rain-water and getting bigger and bigger every day the sun shines.
You grow girls!
What a harmonious sister act. They do look great together. Sigh-my squash sisters are hating the greyness here.
ReplyDeleteWonderful sister act. I've had courgettes, beans and will soon have corn... but beware when picking the courgettes!
ReplyDeleteIndeed the three sisters look perfect together! Your words are so descriptive Celia - sheer delight.
ReplyDeleteJeanne
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what a lush garden you have this year!
ReplyDeleteGood for you, having that much room to grow all those things. Looks fabulous.
ReplyDeleteOh your garden looks so lush and productive, what a delight!
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful garden. The picture is lush and green, wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIt must be so satisfying to have grown such wonderful specimens. I bet they taste good too.
ReplyDeletemagnificent! What a display. Always brings home to me what novices we are...but we're learning more every year and one day it will all come together. How are those lovely ladies of yours? Any recent UGAs? Do give my regards to the Studio Assistants too - I'm missing my fur person lately
ReplyDeleteDo you leave them all to mature? I understood the origin of the 3 Sisters was that all the fruits are left to dry - corn for use as maize flour and beans for dried winter use and the squashes to ripen for storage. I never fancied harvesting when things are growing so intimately entwined
ReplyDeleteInspired by ppp's blog last year I tried the three sisters in my garden in W Yorkshire and have just eaten my 2nd sweetcorn (Northern F1). My Delica squash are doing well. I didn't use beans but planted purple podded peas instead, which also did well (and look lovely!). Next year I'm going to try Painted Mountain corn, just because they look good. I could go for am all-purple theme I suppose...
ReplyDeleteHi Threadspider - same here, all that wonderful foliage and only four squash from four plants!
ReplyDeleteHi Gina - your new veg plot seems to have been a huge success, but a little dangerous too!
Hi Jeanne - they did look particularly fine this year, now they look very straggly!
Hi Petoskystone - we've arrived back from Denmark to find a very dry 'end of season' garden!
Hi Ed - Thanks, the plots bursting at the seams!
Hi Michelle - thank you, but remember I only show off the best bits ;-)
Hi Dimple -thank you and welcome to PPPs.
Hi Acornmoon - the sweetcorn are delicious, can't wait to try the squash, and the beans will be added to stews and soups.
Hi Jacqui - it's good to be back with the under-gardeners and studio assistants, I miss them more than they miss me when we are away.
Hi Veg Heaven - I do have to wade in among the squash plants to harvest the corn. The beans will be ready when everything is dying down looking a mess anyway!
Hi Fuchsia - thank you for visiting PPPs. Your Version of 3 sisters sounds wonderful and I love the idea for a purple themed 3 sisters. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have enough room for lots of 3 sisters with different colour themes - I'd need to dig up the whole walled garden to do that!
Celia
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